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Jehovah’s Witnesses consider apostasy the worst of all sins. They “share Jehovah’s feelings toward such apostates … they ‘feel a loathing’ toward [them].” (The Watchtower, October 1, 1993, page 19) The manual Pay Attention to Yourselves and to All the Flock makes it plain what “apostasy” means: “Persons who deliberately spread (stubbornly hold to and speak about) teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah's Witnesses are apostates.” – page 94.

So it is apostasy when someone spreads teachings contrary to those of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A man who excelled in doing that was Moses. He even introduced a complete code of law which was contradicting the Watchtower doctrines in many respects – for example, he claimed that divorce would be allowed as long as the man issues a “certificate of divorce” to his former wife. (Deuteronomy 24:1) He also asserted that preaching from house to house would not be required for salvation (Exodus 14:3). He ‘stubbornly held to and spoke about’ these teachings, so he surely is guilty of apostasy.

Many centuries later, the apostle James too spread false teachings when he claimed: “The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.” (James 1:27) The most important aspects of worship – witnessing from house to house, attending meetings, and obedience toward the “faithful and discreet slave” – he did not mention at all! Rather he encouraged Christians to waste their time ‘looking after orphans and widows’ instead of participating “in the lifesaving preaching work.” – Our Kingdom Ministry, December 2009, page 1.

The “Bible truth as taught by Jehovah's Witnesses” involves the obligation to hate apostates. The August 1, 1953 Watchtower issue applied Psalm 139:22 to them: “[Apostates] we hate and count as our enemies … ‘I hate them with perfect hatred: they are become mine enemies.’” (page 479) The October 1, 1952 issue explained: “We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme and active aversion, to consider as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest … We cannot love those hateful enemies, for they are fit only for destruction … These are the true sentiments, desires and prayers of the righteous ones today.” – pages 599, 600.

The July 15, 1992 Watchtower issue confirmed this viewpoint: “Our attitude toward apostates should be that of David, who declared: ‘Do I not hate those? … With a complete hatred I do hate them.’” (page 12) What an impudence it was that Jesus dared to disagree with this clear doctrine! He said in public: “You heard that it was said [to wit, in the Watchtower], ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you.” (Matthew 5:43) He prized his own word above the Watchtower’s and claimed that “he knows better … than the ‘faithful and discreet slave!’” – The Watchtower, August 1, 1980, page 19.

Moses, James and Jesus were not the initiators of these false teachings; they only shared in spreading them. The one who brought these “teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah's Witnesses” into the world was Jehovah. (Deuteronomy 26:16; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21) So, more than anyone else he is guilty of apostasy.

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What part of the opening ceremony did you like best on Friday night?

by dreamgolfer in

processor

As a fan of Mike Oldfield, of course it were his 11 minutes that I liked the most. But Chariots of Fire was great, too.