TheStar

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Posts by TheStar

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  23

  Question On Blood

  by Frenchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just recently read a post on another board where a person claiming to be a witness claims that she called the society as was informed by them that it was all right to have one's own blood stored for future use.

  anyone else heard of this?

  am i just slipping behind the times or could she be mistaken about the matter?

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  TheStar

  I can't find it on their website Beckypoop, would you mind directing us please??

  This whole blood thing is getting so dang confusing!!!
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  5

  Any X-Files fans "out there"?

  by carlitos71 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know that this has nothing to do with jws, but since i'm a x-files fan i was wondering if anyone was able to see the last episode.

  i was at a grad party and i have no freaking idea how to work the damn vcr.

  if anyone got to see this episode please give me a brief summary.. later

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  TheStar

  I recorded it but never got to watch it. If it hasn't been erased and you'll send me a couple of bucks for the shipping costof the Video tape, I'll be glad to forward it to you.
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  5

  HELLO! From Ketchican ALASKA

  by zev in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i got to say i am having jwd withdrawals really bad .

  my mom has been lurking here!!!!.

  what a shock that was!!!.

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  TheStar

  I hope you're taking pictures to post when you get back Zev!
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  42

  Q for Everybody, So let me get this str

  by Legendary U.2.K. in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  nobody here wants to lived in the new earth aka the coming earthly paradise?

  nothing in the bible is symbolic, because saying things that are symbolic in the bible, is like calling jehovah a liar, god would not write something like in the bible, then out of no where, it really means something else... example: 144,000, some people said's that's symbolic, lol yea right.... .

  anyway it seems like no one here wants to lived in the new earth, my question is why?

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  TheStar

  Considering it will probably take 1,000 years to clean up God's mess after Armageddon and by that time Satan will be let out to make trouble once again... NO, I want NOTHING to do with that kind of a paradise. I'm not slave labor!

  My paradise includes maids that wait on me hand and foot and enough money to live how I want and do what I want, when I want and with whomever I want and I want that in this life time because it's the only one I can be sure of... I will die a happy woman.... got it?
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  54

  Letter For Judicial Hearing 6-6-02

  by silentlambs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  attorney at law.

  6-6-02. draffenville congregation of jehovahs witnesses.

  attn: george bandarra .

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  TheStar

  Matrix,

  My sister in law was wrongfully df'd, I know from personal experience God's spirit doesn't show up at those meetings.

  By the looks of it... God's spirit doesn't live in your organization at all.

  Did you not read? He is getting death threats from Jehovah's Witnesses and he has the emails to prove it!!!

  HELLO??? Go back to the hole from which you crawled out of!!
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  38

  nothing

  by Mulan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  marilyn (aka mulan).

  "no one can take advantage of you, without your permission.

  " ann landers.

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  TheStar

  Thanks Mulan!! I had been wanting to buy candles from him and didn't know if he had a website and kept forgetting to ask! Thanks a millions!
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  15

  "religious confession" HELP NEED INFO

  by JT in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  my cdrom disk is not working- does anyone have any infor that you have saved in your archieve that deals with "religious confession".

  on date line it was mentioned as a poster has brought out that the elder tried to invoke confession as a reason not to tell anyone.

  i would be interested to see what comments that the wt has made on the issue of confessions.

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  TheStar

  The rest of these are Excerpts, I've gone all the way to 1985. Let me know if you want the full article. I can burn you a copy of the CD and mail it to you if you would like. Let me know, my email is open.

  *** w95 11/15 29 William Tyndale-A Man of Vision ***
  Why were the clergy so bitterly opposed to Tyndale’s translation? Whereas the Latin Vulgate tended to veil the sacred text, Tyndale’s rendering from the original Greek for the first time conveyed the Bible’s message in clear language to the English people. For example, Tyndale chose to translate the Greek word a·ga'pe as “love” instead of “charity” in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. He insisted on “congregation” rather than “church” to emphasize worshipers, not church buildings. The last straw for the clergy, however, came when Tyndale replaced “priest” with “elder” and used “repent” rather than “do penance,” thereby stripping the clergy of their assumed priestly powers. David Daniell says in this regard: “Purgatory is not there; there is no aural confession and penance. Two supports of the Church’s wealth and power collapsed.” (William Tyndale—A Biography) That was the challenge Tyndale’s translation presented, and modern scholarship fully endorses the accuracy of his choice of words.

  *** w93 3/15 9-10 Jehovah's Mercy Saves Us From Despair ***
  Confession Brings Relief
  7 If guilty of grave transgressions of God’s law, we may find it difficult to confess our sins, even to Jehovah. What can happen under those circumstances? In Psalm 32, David admitted: “When I kept silent [instead of confessing] my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. For day and night your [Jehovah’s] hand was heavy upon me. My life’s moisture has been changed as in the dry heat of summer.” (Verses 3, 4) Trying to conceal his sin and repress a guilty conscience wore out wayward David. Anguish reduced his vigor so much that he was like a drought-stricken tree without life-giving moisture. In fact, he may well have experienced ill effects mentally and physically. At any rate, he lost his joy. If any of us find ourselves in a similar state, what should we do?
  8 Confession to God can bring forgiveness and relief. “My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover,” sang David. “I said: ‘I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.’ And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.” (Psalm 32:5) Are you distressed over some concealed sin? Would it not be best to confess and leave it so as to receive God’s mercy? Why not call the congregation elders and seek spiritual healing? (Proverbs 28:13; James 5:13-20) Your repentant spirit will be acknowledged, and in time your Christian joy can be restored. “Happy is the one whose revolt is pardoned, whose sin is covered,” said David. “Happy is the man to whose account Jehovah does not put error, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”—Psalm 32:1, 2.

  *** w93 5/15 15 "Call the Older Men" ***
  14 “Good spirits” are contrasted with “suffering evil.” This implies that James was discussing spiritual sickness. (James 5:13) “Older men [elders, King James Version] of the congregation,” not doctors or even those who had the miraculous gift of healing, were to be called. And what were they to do? Said James: “Let them pray over him. . . . And the prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well.” (James 5:14, 15; compare Psalm 119:9-16.) Proving conclusively that James is referring to spiritual illness is the fact that he encourages confession of sins in connection with the hoped-for healing. He writes: “Openly confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may get healed.” If grave sin is the cause of the spiritual illness, the sick person can be expected to recover only if he responds favorably to exhortation based on God’s Word, repents, and turns away from his sinful course.—James 5:16; Acts 3:19.

  *** w92 6/1 3 Is Faith Healing Approved by God? ***
  According to Matthew 8:16, 17, Jesus “cured all who were faring badly.” True, these people had a measure of belief in Jesus that caused them to approach him. (Matthew 8:13; 9:22, 29) In most cases they had to come and ask before he healed them. However, no confession of faith was required for the miracle to be performed. On one occasion Jesus healed a lame man who did not even know who Jesus was. (John 5:5-9, 13) On the night of his arrest, Jesus restored the severed ear of the high priest’s servant, although this man was one of the group of Jesus’ enemies who had come to arrest him. (Luke 22:50, 51) Indeed, on occasion, Jesus even raised the dead!—Luke 8:54, 55; John 11:43, 44.

  *** w91 10/1 17-18 Make Jehovah's Everlasting Arms Your Support ***
  17 Concealed sins may cause distress. According to Psalm 32:1-5, David tried to hide his sin, but he said: “When I kept silent my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me. My life’s moisture has been changed as in the dry heat of summer.” Trying to repress a guilty conscience wore David out, and anguish reduced his vigor as a tree loses life-giving moisture during a drought or in summer’s dry heat. He apparently suffered ill effects mentally and physically and lost joy because of failure to confess. Only confession to God could bring pardon and relief. Said David: “Happy is the one whose revolt is pardoned, whose sin is covered. . . . My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. I said: ‘I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.’ And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.” Loving help from Christian elders can help to promote spiritual recovery.—Proverbs 28:13; James 5:13-20.

  *** w89 5/1 5 Babylon the Great-Fallen and Judged ***
  In the wake of the world wars, however, orthodox religion has lost its mass following in countries such as Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Britain. Even Catholic countries such as Italy, Spain, and France have noted a falling away from the traditional Catholic practices of confession and attendance at Mass. The numbers of those studying for the priesthood have plummeted. And the very fact that the present pope feels the need to travel the world more than any other pope in history is a symptom of a church in crisis.

  *** w85 12/1 3-4 Are You Right With God? ***
  The Churches and Sin
  “The sin of this century is the loss of all sense of sin.” Pope Pius XII made that forceful statement as early as 1946. Obviously, the situation has worsened since then. In his recent document on sin and confession, called “Reconciliation and Penance,” Pope John Paul II quoted those words of his predecessor and deplored what he called the eclipse of the concept of sin in today’s secularized society.
  The pope also reminded Catholic priests, and Catholics in general, that collective confession and absolution, as practiced in many Catholic churches today, is not good enough. He stated that individual confession is “the only ordinary and normal way” of observing the sacrament of penance. In Catholic dogma penance is associated with good works in reconciling the sinner with God.
  Most Protestant churches deny the need for private confession to a priest. They hold that confession to God is sufficient for the forgiveness of sins, but some favor general confession and absolution at the “Communion service.” Many Protestants believe that faith alone is necessary to be justified before God.
  Such conflicting doctrines within the so-called Christian churches on the subject of confession, penance, and justification, or how to find a right standing before God, leave many people perplexed. They have a vague feeling that they should be doing something to get right with God, but they do not know how to go about it.
  The following article will explain why we need to be put right with God, and it will examine the Catholic and Protestant viewpoints on “justification.” Two other articles will explain what the Bible teaches on the subject of obtaining a righteous standing before God, and how this affects you.

  *** w85 12/1 6 Righteousness Before God-How? ***
  What, exactly, did Luther mean by ‘justification by faith alone’? As a Catholic, Luther had learned that man’s justification involves baptism, personal merit, and good works, as well as the sacrament of penance administered by a priest, who hears confession, grants absolution, and imposes compensatory works that can involve self-punishment.
  In his efforts to find peace with God, Luther had expended all the resources of Roman dogma on justification, including fasting, prayers, and self-punishment, but to no avail. Unappeased, he read and reread the Psalms and Paul’s letters, finally finding peace of mind by concluding that God justifies men, not because of their merits, good works, or penance, but solely because of their faith. He became so enthused by this thought of “justification by faith alone” that he added the word “alone” after the word “faith” in his German translation of Romans 3:28!
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  15

  "religious confession" HELP NEED INFO

  by JT in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  my cdrom disk is not working- does anyone have any infor that you have saved in your archieve that deals with "religious confession".

  on date line it was mentioned as a poster has brought out that the elder tried to invoke confession as a reason not to tell anyone.

  i would be interested to see what comments that the wt has made on the issue of confessions.

  1. 
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  3. 
• 

  TheStar

  I think some's already posted this one about repressed memories but just in case here it is again.

  *** w95 11/1 25-8 Comfort for Those With a "Stricken Spirit" ***
  Comfort for Those With a “Stricken Spirit”
  TODAY, Satan’s world has come to be “past all moral sense.” (Ephesians 4:19; 1 John 5:19) Adultery and fornication are pandemic. In many lands 50 percent or more of marriages end in divorce. Homosexuality is widely accepted. Sexual violence—rape—is often in the news. Pornography is a billion-dollar industry.—Romans 1:26, 27.
  Among the vilest perversions is the sexual abuse of innocent children. Like the wisdom of Satan’s world, child sexual abuse is “animal, demonic.” (James 3:15) In the United States alone, Time magazine says, “more than 400,000 reports of verifiable sexual assaults are filed with authorities each year by teachers and doctors.” When victims of this abuse become adults, many still carry painful wounds, and those wounds are real! The Bible says: “The spirit [mental inclination, inner feelings and thoughts] of a man can put up with his malady; but as for a stricken [wounded, afflicted] spirit, who can bear it?”—Proverbs 18:14.
  The good news of God’s Kingdom appeals to people of all kinds, including “the brokenhearted” and those with a “downhearted spirit.” (Isaiah 61:1-4) Not surprisingly, many who are in emotional pain respond to the invitation: “Let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.” (Revelation 22:17) The Christian congregation can be a place of comfort for these. They rejoice to learn that suffering will soon be a thing of the past. (Isaiah 65:17) Until that time, though, they may need to be ‘comforted’ and have their wounds ‘bound up.’ Well did Paul counsel Christians: “Speak consolingly to the depressed souls, support the weak, be long-suffering toward all.”—1 Thessalonians 5:14.
  “Repressed Memories”
  In recent years some have been “brokenhearted” for reasons that others find difficult to understand. They are adults who, on the basis of what have been described as “repressed memories,” say that they were sexually abused when they were children. Some have no thought of having been molested until, unexpectedly, they experience flashbacks and “memories” of an adult (or adults) abusing them when they were young. Do any in the Christian congregation have such disturbing thoughts? In a few lands, yes, and these dedicated ones may experience deep distress, anger, guilt, shame, or loneliness. Like David they may feel isolated from God and cry out: “Why, O Jehovah, do you keep standing afar off? Why do you keep yourself hid in times of distress?”—Psalm 10:1.
  Many aspects of these “memories” are not well understood by mental-health professionals. Still, such “memories” can affect the spirituality of dedicated Christians. So we look with confidence to God’s Word for guidance in handling them. The Bible provides “discernment in all things.” (2 Timothy 2:7; 3:16) It also helps all concerned to put faith in Jehovah, “the Father of tender mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.”—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
  Did It Really Happen?
  In the world, there is much controversy as to what these “memories” are and to what extent they represent things that actually happened. Jehovah’s Witnesses are “no part of the world” and take no part in this controversy. (John 17:16) According to published reports, “memories” have sometimes proved to be accurate. For example, after insurance adjuster Frank Fitzpatrick “remembered” being molested by a certain priest, almost one hundred others came forward to claim that they too had been abused by the same priest. The priest reportedly admitted to the abuse.
  It is noteworthy, however, that a number of individuals have been unable to corroborate their “memories.” Some afflicted in this way have had vivid recollections of a certain individual committing abuse or of the abuse being committed in a specific place. Later, though, legitimate evidence to the contrary made it clear that these “remembered” details could not be true.
  Providing a Refuge
  Nevertheless, how can comfort be given to those who experience a “stricken spirit” because of such “memories”? Remember Jesus’ parable of the neighborly Samaritan. A man was set upon by robbers, beaten, and stripped of his possessions. When the Samaritan came along, his heart went out to the wounded man. What did he do? Did he insist on hearing every last detail about the beating? Or did the Samaritan get a description of the robbers and immediately chase after them? No. The man was hurt! So the Samaritan gently dressed his wounds and lovingly carried him to the safety of a nearby inn where he could recover.—Luke 10:30-37.
  True, there is a difference between physical wounds and a “stricken spirit” caused by actual childhood sexual abuse. But both cause great suffering. Hence, what the Samaritan did for the wounded Jew shows what can be done to help an afflicted fellow Christian. The first priority is to give loving comfort and to help him recover.
  The Devil afflicted faithful Job, apparently confident that either emotional or physical pain would break his integrity. (Job 1:11; 2:5) Since then, Satan has often tried to use suffering—whether he directly causes it or not—to weaken the faith of God’s servants. (Compare 2 Corinthians 12:7-9.) Can we doubt that the Devil now plays upon child abuse and the “downhearted spirit” of many adults who suffered this (or are troubled by “memories” of having suffered it) to try to weaken the faith of Christians? Like Jesus when under attack by Satan, a Christian who suffers pain but who stalwartly refuses to abandon his integrity is saying: “Go away, Satan!”—Matthew 4:10.
  Stay Spiritually Strong
  “The faithful and discreet slave” has published information to help handle the spiritual and emotional hurt caused by child abuse. (Matthew 24:45-47) Experience shows that the sufferer is helped if he can rely on the ‘power of the Lord and the mightiness of his strength,’ putting on “the complete suit of armor from God.” (Ephesians 6:10-17) This armor includes Bible “truth,” which exposes Satan as the ultimate enemy and dissipates the darkness in which he and his henchmen work. (John 3:19) Then, there is “the breastplate of righteousness.” The afflicted one should strive to hold to righteous standards. For example, some have strong impulses to harm themselves or to commit immorality. Every time they resist these impulses, they win a victory!
  Spiritual armor also includes “the good news of peace.” Talking to others about Jehovah’s purposes strengthens the one talking as well as anyone who listens. (1 Timothy 4:16) If you should be one with a “stricken spirit,” making it difficult for you to talk about the good news, try to accompany another Christian as he or she does this vital work. And do not forget “the large shield of faith.” Have faith that Jehovah loves you and that he will restore all that you have lost. Believe without reservation that Jesus also loves you, and he proved this by dying for you. (John 3:16) Satan has always falsely claimed that Jehovah does not care for his servants. That is just another of his gross, vicious lies.—John 8:44; compare Job 4:1, 15-18; 42:10-15.
  If pain of heart makes it difficult to believe that Jehovah is concerned about you, it will help to associate with others who firmly believe that he does have concern. (Psalm 119:107, 111; Proverbs 18:1; Hebrews 10:23-25) Refuse to allow Satan to rob you of the prize of life. Remember, “the helmet of salvation” is part of the armor; so is “the sword of the spirit.” The Bible is inspired by holy spirit, which Satan cannot defeat. (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12) Its healing words can soothe emotional pain.—Compare Psalm 107:20; 2 Corinthians 10:4, 5.
  Finally, pray constantly for the strength to endure. (Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18) Heartfelt prayer sustained Jesus through intense emotional agony, and it can help you too. (Luke 22:41-43) Is it difficult for you to pray? Ask others to pray with you and for you. (Colossians 1:3; James 5:14) Holy spirit will support your prayers. (Compare Romans 8:26, 27.) As with a painful physical illness, some with deep emotional wounds may not be completely healed in this system of things. But with Jehovah’s help we can endure, and endurance is victory, as it was in Jesus’ case. (John 16:33) “Trust in [Jehovah] at all times, O people. Before him pour out your heart. God is a refuge for us.”—Psalm 62:8.
  What of the Alleged Abuser?
  A person who actually abuses a child sexually is a rapist and should be viewed as such. Anyone victimized in this way has the right to accuse his abuser. Still, an accusation should not be made hastily if it is based solely on “repressed memories” of abuse. In this case the most important thing is for the sufferer to regain a degree of emotional stability. After the passage of some time, he may be in a better position to assess the “memories” and decide what, if anything, he wants to do about them.
  Consider the case of Donna. She reportedly had eating disorders and went to a counselor—apparently one of dubious competence. Soon she was accusing her father of incest and he was taken to court. The jury was deadlocked, so the father did not go to prison, but he was left with $100,000 in legal bills. Then, after all that, Donna told her parents that she no longer believed that the abuse happened!
  Wisely, Solomon said: “Do not go forth to conduct a legal case hastily.” (Proverbs 25:8) If there is some valid reason to suspect that the alleged perpetrator is still abusing children, a warning may have to be given. The congregation elders can help in such a case. Otherwise, take your time. Eventually, you may be content to let the matter drop. If, though, you want to confront the alleged perpetrator (after first assessing how you would feel about the possible responses), you have a right to do so.
  During the time that the one experiencing “memories” is healing, awkward situations may arise. For example, an individual may have vivid mental images of being molested by someone he or she sees every day. No rules can be laid down for handling this. “Each one will carry his own load.” (Galatians 6:5) Sometimes one may feel that a relative or a member of one’s immediate family is involved. Remember the dubious nature of some “repressed memories” when it comes to identifying the one suspected of being a perpetrator. In such a situation, as long as the matter has not been firmly established, keeping contact with the family—at least by occasional visits, by letter, or by telephone—would show that one is trying to follow a Scriptural course.—Compare Ephesians 6:1-3.
  What Can Elders Do?
  If the elders are approached by a member of the congregation who is experiencing flashbacks or “repressed memories” of child abuse, two of them are usually assigned to help. These elders should kindly encourage the afflicted one to focus for the time being on coping with the emotional distress. The names of any “remembered” abusers should be kept in strict confidence.
  The elders’ primary task is to act as shepherds. (Isaiah 32:1, 2; 1 Peter 5:2, 3) They should be especially careful to “clothe [themselves] with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering.” (Colossians 3:12) Let them listen in a kindly way and then apply healing words from the Scriptures. (Proverbs 12:18) Some who are afflicted with painful “memories” have expressed appreciation for elders who make regular visits or even telephone calls to check to see how they are doing. Such contacts need not take a lot of time, but they show that Jehovah’s organization cares. When the afflicted one realizes that his Christian brothers truly love him, he may be helped to recover a considerable degree of emotional balance.
  What if the sufferer decides that he wants to make an accusation? Then the two elders can advise him that, in line with the principle at Matthew 18:15, he should personally approach the accused about the matter. If the accuser is not emotionally able to do this face-to-face, it can be done by telephone or perhaps by writing a letter. In this way the one accused is given the opportunity to go on record before Jehovah with his answer to the accusation. He may even be able to present evidence that he could not have committed the abuse. Or perhaps the one accused will confess, and a reconciliation may be achieved. What a blessing that would be! If there is a confession, the two elders can handle matters further in accordance with Scriptural principles.
  If the accusation is denied, the elders should explain to the accuser that nothing more can be done in a judicial way. And the congregation will continue to view the one accused as an innocent person. The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19) Even if more than one person “remembers” abuse by the same individual, the nature of these recalls is just too uncertain to base judicial decisions on them without other supporting evidence. This does not mean that such “memories” are viewed as false (or that they are viewed as true). But Bible principles must be followed in establishing a matter judicially.
  What if the one accused—though denying the wrongdoing—is really guilty? Does he “get away with it,” as it were? Certainly not! The question of his guilt or innocence can be safely left in Jehovah’s hands. “The sins of some men are publicly manifest, leading directly to judgment, but as for other men their sins also become manifest later.” (1 Timothy 5:24; Romans 12:19; 14:12) The book of Proverbs says: “The expectation of the righteous ones is a rejoicing, but the very hope of the wicked ones will perish.” “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes.” (Proverbs 10:28; 11:7) Ultimately, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus render everlasting judgment in justice.—1 Corinthians 4:5.
  Resisting the Devil
  When dedicated souls endure in the face of great physical or emotional pain, what an evidence it is of their inner strength and love for God! And what a testimony to the power of Jehovah’s spirit to sustain them!—Compare 2 Corinthians 4:7.
  Peter’s words apply to such ones: “Take your stand against [Satan] solid in the faith.” (1 Peter 5:9) Doing so may not be easy. Sometimes, it may even be difficult to think clearly and logically. But take heart! Soon, the Devil and his crafty acts will no longer exist. Truly, we long for that time when “God himself . . . will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.
  [Footnotes]
  “Repressed memories” and similar expressions are enclosed in quotation marks to distinguish them from the more typical memories that all of us have.
  It may also be necessary for the step outlined in this paragraph to be taken if the matter has become common knowledge in the congregation.
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  15

  "religious confession" HELP NEED INFO

  by JT in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  my cdrom disk is not working- does anyone have any infor that you have saved in your archieve that deals with "religious confession".

  on date line it was mentioned as a poster has brought out that the elder tried to invoke confession as a reason not to tell anyone.

  i would be interested to see what comments that the wt has made on the issue of confessions.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TheStar

  YO JT,

  Do you want me to keep these coming?
• 
  15

  "religious confession" HELP NEED INFO

  by JT in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  my cdrom disk is not working- does anyone have any infor that you have saved in your archieve that deals with "religious confession".

  on date line it was mentioned as a poster has brought out that the elder tried to invoke confession as a reason not to tell anyone.

  i would be interested to see what comments that the wt has made on the issue of confessions.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  TheStar

  *** w91 3/15 3-4 Confession of Sins-Is Something Amiss? ***
  Confession of Sins—Is Something Amiss?
  “CONFESSION is a spiritual cleansing, a way to start again, a way to wipe the slate clean. I love going to Confession, telling the priest my sins, having him forgive me and the euphoria that follows.” So says one devout Catholic.—Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned.
  According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, “to the priest alone Christ gave or deputed the power of binding and loosing, of forgiving and retaining” sins. The same reference work says that regular confession is meant “to restore the holiness of life forfeited by grievous sin and . . . to purify one’s conscience.” Yet, the moral climate in many lands shows that regular confession does not cause many who practice it to “turn away from what is bad, and do what is good.” (Psalm 34:14) So is something amiss?
  Just a Ritual?
  Confession may begin as a mere ritual. In Ireland, first confession comes immediately before first Communion. And is it any surprise that a seven-year-old girl would think more about the pretty, miniature bride’s dress she will wear than about ‘restoring the holiness of life forfeited by grievous sin’?
  “The thing that excited me the most was the dress, besides getting money from my relatives,” admits Ramona, who made her first confession when she was seven. “Among all the girls I knew,” she goes on, “there was no spiritual feeling. None of us even thought about God at the time.”
  In fact, obliging young children to confess sins regularly can lead to mechanical recitation. “I just used the same lines over and over again,” says Michael, who also began the practice of confession as a seven-year-old.
  Comments of some Catholics quoted in the book Bless Me, Father, for I Have Sinned show that confession had little spiritual value for them even after they got older. “Confession teaches you to lie, because there are some things you just can’t bring yourself to tell the priest,” admitted one person. Lack of consistency among priests might be exploited for minimum penance. Some searched for a “good” confessor to get the counsel they wanted to hear. “After shopping around for three months, I found my confessor. I see him every month, face-to-face in the reconciliation room, and he’s terrific,” said one young woman. “If you were smart, you found a priest who was deaf and spoke no English except the words ‘three Hail Marys,’” said another Catholic.
  Evidently, then, something is amiss with confession as practiced by certain people. But the Bible indicates that there is a need to confess sins, for it says: “No one who conceals his sins will prosper, whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.”—Proverbs 28:13, The New Jerusalem Bible.
  Does this mean that a Christian should confess all his sins? If so, to whom? The next article will examine these questions.

  *** w91 3/15 4-7 Confession of Sins-Man's Way or God's? ***
  Confession of Sins—Man’s Way or God’s?
  AMONG Catholics, confession has changed dramatically over the centuries. In the early years of the Catholic Church, confession and penance were required only for serious sins. Concerning this, the book Religion in the Medieval West says: “Until the late sixth century the penitential system was very harsh: the sacrament could be administered only once in a lifetime, confession was public, the penance was long and severe.”
  How severe was such penance? In 1052 one penitent was required to walk barefoot all the way from Bruges in Belgium to Jerusalem! “Catholics could still be found in 1700 at holy wells and springs, kneeling up to their necks in icy water to say their penitential prayers,” says the book Christianity in the West 1400-1700. Since at that time absolution was withheld until after the completion of the penance, many delayed their confession until they were dying.
  When did the modern practice of confession begin? Religion in the Medieval West states: “A new form of penance was introduced in France in the late sixth century by Celtic monks. . . . This was auricular confession, in which the penitent confessed his sins privately to a priest, and it was an adaption of the monastic practice of spiritual counselling.” According to the older monastic practice, the monks confessed their sins to one another to get spiritual help in order to overcome their weaknesses. In newer auricular confession, however, the church claimed for the priest the much greater “power or authority to forgive sins.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.
  Did Jesus really give some of his followers such power? What did he say that has led some to this conclusion?
  “The Keys of the Kingdom”
  On one occasion, Jesus Christ told the apostle Peter: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19, The Jerusalem Bible) What did Jesus mean by “the keys of the kingdom”? We can understand this better if we look at another occasion when Jesus used the word “key.”
  Jesus once told the Jewish religious leaders versed in the Mosaic Law: “Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.” (Luke 11:52, JB) ‘Prevented others from going in’ where? Jesus tells us at Matthew 23:13: “Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.” (JB) The Jewish clergy closed the door on many, as it were, by robbing them of the opportunity to be with Jesus Christ in heaven. The “key” those religious leaders had “taken away” had nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins. It was the key to divinely provided knowledge.
  Similarly, “the keys of the kingdom” given to Peter do not represent power to inform heaven as to whose sins should be forgiven or retained. Rather, they represent Peter’s great privilege of opening up the way to heaven by disseminating divinely provided knowledge through his ministry. He did this first for Jews and Jewish proselytes, then for Samaritans, and finally for the Gentiles.—Acts 2:1-41; 8:14-17; 10:1-48.
  “Whatever You Bind on Earth”
  Later, what Jesus had told Peter was repeated to other disciples. “I tell you solemnly,” said Jesus, “whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:18, JB) What authority did Christ here delegate to the disciples? The context shows that he was talking about settling problems between individual believers and keeping the congregation clean of unrepentant evildoers.—Matthew 18:15-17.
  In matters involving serious violations of God’s law, responsible men in the congregation would have to judge matters and decide whether a wrongdoer should be “bound” (viewed as guilty) or “loosed” (acquitted). Did this mean that heaven would follow the decisions of humans? No. As Bible scholar Robert Young indicates, any decision made by the disciples would follow heaven’s decision, not precede it. He says that ÞMt 18 Üverse 18 should literally read: What you bind on earth “shall be that which has been bound (already)” in heaven.
  Really, it is unreasonable to think that any imperfect human could make decisions that would be binding upon those in the heavenly courts. It is much more reasonable to say that Christ’s appointed representatives would follow his directions so as to keep his congregation clean. They would do this by making a decision based on principles already laid down in heaven. Jesus himself would guide them in doing this.—Matthew 18:20.
  Is any man able to “represent Christ as the fatherly judge” to the extent of deciding the eternal future of a fellow worshiper? (New Catholic Encyclopedia) Priests who hear confessions almost invariably grant absolution, even though “there seems to be an unspoken belief [among Catholic theologians] that it is a rare person who is really sorry for his sins.” (The New Encyclopædia Britannica) Indeed, when was the last time that you heard of a priest refusing to grant absolution or to acquit a wrongdoer? Likely, this is because the individual priest does not think he has the ability to judge whether a sinner is repentant or not. But if this is the case, why does he claim the power to grant absolution?
  Imagine a court of law in which a compassionate judge routinely acquitted criminals, even persistent lawbreakers, because they went through a ritual of admitting their crimes and saying that they were sorry. While this might satisfy wrongdoers, such a misguided view of mercy would seriously undermine respect for justice. Could it be that confession as practiced in the Catholic Church actually hardens people in a course of sin?—Ecclesiastes 8:11.
  “Confession does not produce any inclination to try to avoid the sin in the future,” says Ramona, drawing on her experience of confessing as a Catholic since she was seven years old. She adds: “Confession develops the idea that God is all-forgiving and that whatever your imperfect flesh leads you to do he will forgive. It does not develop a deep desire to do what is right.”
  But what about Jesus’ words recorded at John 20:22, 23? There he told his disciples: “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” (JB) Does Jesus not here specifically give his disciples authority to forgive sins?
  Taken alone, this Bible passage might seem to say that. However, when these words are considered along with the account at Matthew 18:15-18 and everything else that the Bible teaches about confession and forgiveness, what must we conclude? That at John 20:22, 23, Jesus gave his disciples authority to expel from the congregation unrepentant perpetrators of grave sins. At the same time, Christ gave his followers authority to extend mercy and forgive repentant sinners. Jesus certainly was not saying that his disciples should confess every sin to a priest.
  Responsible ones in the congregation were thus authorized to decide how to deal with those committing grave sins. Such decisions would be made under the guidance of God’s holy spirit and in harmony with God’s directions given through Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures. (Compare Acts 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 11-13.) Those responsible men would thereby respond to direction from heaven, not imposing their decisions on heaven.
  “Confess Your Sins to One Another”
  So, then, when is it appropriate for Christians to confess sins to one another? In the case of serious sin (not every little failing), an individual should confess to responsible overseers of the congregation. Even if a sin is not grievous but the sinner’s conscience troubles him excessively, there is great value in confessing and seeking spiritual help.
  In this regard the Bible writer James says: “If one of you is [spiritually] ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another.”—James 5:14-16, JB.
  In these words, there is no suggestion of a formal, ritualistic, auricular confession. Rather, when a Christian is so burdened with sin that he feels he cannot pray, he should call the appointed elders, or overseers, of the congregation, and they will pray with him. To help him recover spiritually, they will also apply the oil of God’s Word.—Psalm 141:5; compare Luke 5:31, 32; Revelation 3:18.
  Noteworthy is John the Baptizer’s admonition to “produce fruit that befits repentance.” (Matthew 3:8; compare Acts 26:20.) A truly repentant wrongdoer abandons his sinful course. Like King David of ancient Israel, the repentant sinner who confesses his error to God will receive forgiveness. David wrote: “My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. I said: ‘I shall make confession over my transgressions to Jehovah.’ And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.”—Psalm 32:5.
  Penitential acts cannot earn such forgiveness. Only God can grant it. He takes the requirements of perfect justice into account, but his forgiveness expresses his love for mankind. His forgiveness is also a manifestation of undeserved kindness founded on the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ and is extended solely to repentant sinners who have turned away from what is bad in God’s sight. (Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 1:18; John 3:16; Romans 3:23-26) Only those forgiven by Jehovah God will gain eternal life. And to receive such forgiveness, we must make confession in God’s way, not man’s.
  [Footnotes]
  In contrast, see Mark 3:29; Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26. In these scriptures, the Bible writers show that God definitely does not forgive all sins.
  [Picture on page 7]
  David confessed to Jehovah, who granted forgiveness