Dominance, Control = Kingdom? .....NOT!

jst2laws

“Now Jehovah is the Spirit; and where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom” 2 Corinthians 3:17

I see a common attitude in ex-Jw’s that I at one time would have said “see, that’s the way apostates are.” It is the mutual resentment of being controlled. Some might find this to be normal considering the abuse of authority most have survived. It could be an elevated sensitivity to being controlled that we always had and that’s why we are here. This can’t be all bad considering the first mention of the concept of human dominance in the Bible was in the context of suffering.(Gen. 3) While some submission is required by God, I have the feeling dominance of any sort was not what God wanted.

Now merge this with the Kingdom of God issue. We Jw’s have been taught The kingdom of God is a government that deserves our submission because it will solve all mankind’s problems. When I came from the Baptist Church I liked the idea that the Kingdom is a Government because this is obviously what is needed. Who would not want a loving Authority to end suffering, war, poverty, sickness, even death. And Jesus, we are taught, demonstrated he could do all these things by the miracles. I still like this idea. What most of us here do not like is the oppressive control of the human organization that taught most of us these things.

But the ‘loving authority’, this Jesus Christ, was never linked with abuse of authority. He rarely ever exercised his authority, except over those who tried to control others. Thus dealing with the Pharisees, even demons, Jesus used his authority to stop abuse, but he himself came to be known as the man of tender mercy, love, and freedom. As the image of God he represented FREEDOM, NOT AUTHORITY.

“YOU were, of course, called for freedom”. Galatians 5:13

I now feel for some resenting authority may simply be a sensitivity to abuse of authority. Anytime our God given freedom is robbed from us or others this emotion is legitimate. I hope those who read this share my feeling that it is not God, the Bible, nor Jesus or the Kingdom that has hurt us, but MEN who abuse authority in the name of God, Jesus or the Kingdom. The Kingdom like the king of the kingdom will not abuse authority. If anything it will stop the abuse and teach freedom just as the King has done. Having accepted the old men in Brooklyn represent the reality of God’s Kingdom about as much as did the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, the idea of the kingdom no longer means to me government and control. I now think of the kingdom as a loving authority ending oppressive government and control.

Jst2laws

You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you cant pick your friends nose.

Fredhall

jst2laws,

I can't pick my friends nose, but they sure can pick mine.

jst2laws

Fred,

Was that a complaint, or an invitation?

jst2laws

Fredhall

Invitation to opposers of Jehovah and Jesus.

CornerStone

Hello Jst2laws,

Your right on the button concerning Jesus representing freedom from opressive laws. One of the criticisms about Jehovah's Witnesses is that they make an inordinate number of "rules" about every day things that have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with religion, ( worship to God ).
Wind chimes and what you say after a person sneezes, who you associate with and Smurfs are just a FEW of these. If anyone has more, post them so we can see the degree these man made laws take.

But, of course, these "laws" are just a reflection of a corrupt collective consciousness of a group of old men who have yet to be "vindicated" by Jehovah for all those false prophetic dates and teachings that change at their convenience. Their collective consciousness, instead of being freed by Jesus teachings, is inslaved because they don't seem to LISTEN to Jesus' teachings anyway.

Neither did the Pharisees.

CornerStone

mommy

Jst2laws,
I can honestly say I feel noone has the right to control what I say or do. I try to live a moral life, and have no regrets on the choices I make. I think that everyone should have the ability to choose for themselves what they want to do with their life. If people are forced to do something that goes against their grain, this only leads to resentment, and guilt if unable to perform.
I feel God wouldn't want us resenting his authority, or going through life carrying him as a burden on their back. I see too many people that are not happy with themselves because they don't measure up to someones elses ideas or rules they feel God has. What about the 2 laws, is this not enough? Why is there a need for rules such as dress and making entertainment choices?
wendy

jst2laws

Mommy,

You said:
“I feel God wouldn't want us resenting his authority, or going through life carrying him as a burden on their back.”

You remind me of Jesus in Mat 11:29-30
“ Take my yoke upon YOU and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and YOU will find refreshment for YOUR souls. For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.”

He said this to people he referred to as “toiling and loaded down” in the previous verse. These people let the religious leaders “bind heavy loads” on them. (Mat 23:4)

While there are some good teachings among the witnesses, the leadership since Rutherford has used the kingdom issue as a catalyst in their concoction of control. With the kingdom being a government, an elite group selected as ‘joint rulers’ in that government, a special class supposedly found ‘faithful and discreet’ now being given ‘all the kings belongings’, claiming to be God’s ‘channel’ and ‘mouthpiece’ they have made up a hierarchy that make the Pharisees look like passive liberals.

I feel as you, there is no need for regulation. Paul said:
“For the entire Law stands fulfilled in one saying, namely: “You must love your neighbor as yourself” Galatians 5:14

Thanks for your response

Jst2laws

Gopher

Jst2,

Thanks for a thought-provoking post. These issues are exactly what keep me from going back to the organization.

Rather than being ruled by love, the WTS organization is ruled by self-preservation, ruthless efficiency, while showing a 'veneer' of love and joy that they claim mark the 'brotherhood'.

Looking at the larger picture, my experiences with the organization have compelled me to distrust all large religious organizations. Seemingly, once they reach a certain size, then rule-making becomes prominent to keep the membership together. Of course I haven't investigated ALL religions to certify my above-stated belief. I don't have the time or stomach to do that.

I appreciated your citation of Matthew 11:28-30. I now feel that invitation to be Christlike more personally more than I ever did within the confines of the man-made organization.

Gopher

Farkel

Greetings, jst2laws,

: “YOU were, of course, called for freedom”. Galatians 5:13

"If there was just one gift you could choose, but nothing barred, what would it be? We wish you then your own wish; you name it. Ours is liberty, now and forever." - Isabel Paterson

Isabel Paterson was a contemporary of Ayn Rand, and I would like to suggest that you spend some time reading works by both of them.

The Bible states that there is no fear in love, because perfect love turns fear aside, yet the very glue that holds the Watchtower society together is fear. There are few religious organizations the size of the WTS that hold such a grip on their adherents due to fear: fear of displeasing God, fear of not putting in enough time pushing WTS literature, fear of displeasing militant elders, the Circuit Overseer, fear of having wrong thoughts, and most importantly the fear of losing all friends and family for committing a Watchtower transgression.

If there is ever such a thing as an "anti-Christ," with regards to teaching and practicing the exact opposite of Jesus' message of love, tolerance and forgiveness, and living a life without fear, the WTS in a top-contender.

Farkel

jst2laws

Farkel,

Good to hear from you. You have been missing so much I wondered if I should make a cyber-shepherding call on you. But then I have been missing a lot of meetings (here) as well. I came home yesterday from the Doc with a new set of crutches so I well have a little more to time visit here for the next few days, perhaps weeks.

I admit my JW life has limited my exposure to the world and its literature. I will make an effort though, to check out Isabel and Ayn. Trips outside the house will be few for now.

I hope to pursue this issue of what is the kingdom. As you pointed out, Jesus was not about fear and control, but “love, tolerance and forgiveness. Likewise I have come to believe the future Kingdom is not about fear and control or even rulership as we think of it. A clue is that God never wanted mankind to have kingdoms. He reluctantly allowed Israel to have one but told them they would be sorry. (1 Sam 8:5-18) So a kingdom is organized domination by a designated authority, yet God never wanted that for mankind.

“And YOU will certainly cry out in that day by reason of YOUR king, whom YOU have chosen for yourselves, but Jehovah will not answer YOU in that day.” (Vs 18 above)

“man dominates man to his injury” Period. (Eccl 8:9)

I’ll get it together for a future post. Thanks for responding.

Jst2laws

Dominance, Control = Kingdom? .....NOT!

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