The calm before Session 2 of Borg Court is a chilling one. Quietly, our units go about their duties, but deep down, they're wondering: can we match swords with the very powers-that-be? We are fighting against Mount Olympus itself, the elders, the organization--with our beloved wife and child looking on. The stakes could never be higher.
My wife gave me a hug today. That's the closest to romance we've gotten in two weeks. I was totally surprised by it. Maybe she appreciated my accompanying her to the meeting last night. If I had time, I'd tell you all about how unbelievable that stuff was.
The 'Bible Study' concluded the uh, "Keep Yourselves From Getting DF'd" book. I noticed that, in the final subheading of the whole book, Satan is mentioned 7 times and Jesus is mentioned 5 times. Wow. The greatest quote I've ever read, the closest thing to emulating Big Brother in '1984' is on page 205 in that book. "The path to freedom lies in obedience," it said. SLAVERY IS FREEDOM. Orwell would be proud. Or at least amazed at how thoroughly someone can emulate his books without consciously trying to.
The Bible highlights--Judges 19. So, here's the deal. An Israelite goes to Gibeah, a Benjamite city, to stay the night 'cause he doesn't want to go to a city of the nations, a Jebusite city. So he finds a house to stay in, in Gibeah. Then, the men of Gibeah come to the guy's house, demanding that he be brought out so they can engage in some serious gay gang-banging. Instead, the guy's concubine is sent out, and they gang-bang her until she dies. Then she gets chopped into pieces and sent to the other tribes of Israel by Overnight Atrocity Mail--I'm sure they had that service back then. Civil war erupts, and the tribe of Benjamin is nearly wiped out.
The moral of the story, as told at the meeting, was that these men of Gibeah had been associating with the nations and that's why they did what they did. Therefore, don't associate with non-JWs or you'll end up in a gay gang-raping frenzy, too.
Listen...the context indicates that there were ONLY ISRAELITES in Gibeah. The man specifically wanted to AVOID the foreigners. He must have reasoned, surely we'll be safer amongst Jehovah's people, in Jehovah's organization. Right? Wrong. The nations didn't gang-rape his concubine. Israelites did. They chose that. Just like the Israelites chose to bow down to a calf in the wilderness, and Aaron, the chief representative of Jehovah's organization, built it for them and even organized a festival. Guess them organizational skills came in handy.
Clearly, it is another example of twisting the scriptures to fit organizational ideas of self-righteousness. The Law was put in place and given, not to or for the sake of the nations, but to ISRAEL. The Israelites were not more righteous than the nations or else they wouldn't have needed a law that extensive to guide them. In the same way, Jehovah's Witnesses are not in themselves more righteous than non-Witnesses--or else they wouldn't need Questions From Readers or Young People Ask or Keep Yourselves in God's Love to guide their every decision in life. If you're really that righteous, you don't need ten thousand laws to guide your every move. You just need some basic guidelines at most. Unbelievable arrogance.
The topping off point was the speaker mentioning that there was "documented proof" that "this is God's organization". I've examined many a document, bro, and all I've found is a bunch of lunatics and their crazy chronologies. You would think that God made the Society a big, bright certificate that said CERTIFIED AS JEHOVAH'S ORGANIZATION ALONE AMONGST MEN.
And the Memorial invitations...seeing Jesus on the invite made me feel like he was just being used as an advertising gimmick, like "Einstein Loves Khakis" or something. Why would anyone want to come there and watch people pass bread and wine they're told they can't even eat or drink? Jesus offered his body and blood for us all. Why would he then say that only 144,000 people in all of human history should partake of these symbols? Oh, right. He didn't.
The song about the "Myriads of Brothers" in the "earthly courtyard" of the temple--(sigh). The word used in reference to where the great crowd is serving means the temple SANCTUARY. Earth could never be the temple sanctuary if the temple itself is in HEAVEN. Just a thought.
Well...still, I felt afraid, started to wonder if my criticism of 1914 was really right. I suppose one can't convince hard-core elders--and yeah, I'm dealing with hard-core types, I think--of something like that anyway. I realized that I don't have to. The "faithful slave" doctrine is all that is necessary. The "slave" built the superstructure of this religion. They are its architects. Prove that they are incompetent builders, and the structure is condemned. Good enough for me.
People are still trying to love bomb me even at this late hour. I'm probably going to be snubbed in mere minutes, so why are you trying to give me a hug? Wouldn't be surprised if you haven't already gotten a blow-by-blow of the 1st session of my hearing from your elder husband. ...
I try not to feel hatred, but it's like...a neverending well of hate remains inside me. I mean...finding out about so much the Governing Body has done to these people, and they just gobble it all up without even thinking...I know I was like that too...but I was never truly like that. It's just hard to stomach, you know? My daughter threw up after the meeting. I can't blame her. Surprised she kept it down that long.
Well, it's almost time for the 2nd session. 5.5 hours away. No turning back. No backing down. This is the end. And the beginning. Wish me favorable probabilities, folks. I'll let you know how it goes.
--Christopher