Posted by mueto [Guest] on November 01, 1999 at 01:06:18 {2gTL9dbN6kGHzHyV48f.ni6QXcPL8M}:
Dear brother,
I can neither proof your identity nor your intention, but I think no one can think such thoughts without a deep conviction. You seem me to be honest and rightous, your arguments are conlusive, you sincerely tell the truth and you convey a lot of humility - things that seemed me to be lost forever inside the organization.However even if I am deceived, that makes no difference.
I also think that things went to bad in the organization. Alle levels of hierarchy seemed to be penetrated by the rule: Serve - that outweighs and justifies all, if necessary even injustice. No one will confirm, but founded on fact an inappropriate aura of untouchability and infallibility has been made like a fence around all appointed servants and it manifests more and more with the level of hierachy. The word of an upper hierarchy is law. Because they received their privilege by the holy spirit, their way automatically is "the way of Jehovah". Each objection is criticism and will be taken for disobedience. So, arrogance and high-handedness thrive. There ist definitely not the equality, from which you wrote in "The Watchtower" edition 08/01/99.
Covered with kindness and humility unbelievable things gained a footing: eye-service, men-pleasure, influence of decisions through money, abuse of authority, inappropriate favouring of friends, arbitrariness, supression of conscience. Morals are sunken, right will be distorted, atrocities are tolerated. What about an elder, who seems to be heartily, hospitable, having many friends, going in and out in bethel, but says: "If I don't want to have somebody in the congregation, I find a reason quite definitely to push him out." - and he did not only say, he also do so.
Men of this kind filled the hearts of so many brothers and sisters with pain and desperation because of their despite and insidiousness. And it is for them from not any benefit to knock again and again, (Matthew 7:7), because there is nobody, who opens them or cause them justice (Luke 18:1-7). Overseers come and go, but only one of a hundred does not ignore but really see the wounds of the herd. But these few too have to give the resigning consolation: "I know, but what could I do. Trust in Jehovah!" And the sheep is alone again with his pain, equally as Psalms 69:20 says: "And I kept hoping for someone to show sympathy, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none."
The strong ones hit the weak ones with words and deeds. People with high morals, that prohibits them, to hit back with same methods are free-game for fanatics. But exactly because this they are very sensitive, their toleration-ability is also restricted. Many go with grief-stricken heart someday - quietly and inconspicuous. And the comment: "They went out from us, but they were not of our sort;" (1. John 2:19). What kind of a cynicism, since sometimes the simplest type of justice has been withhold them. The healthy common sense says that it is rather the situation, that describes Isaiah 57:1: The righteous on himself has perished, but there is not one taking it to heart. And men of loving-kindness are being gathered to the dead, while no one discerns that is because of the calamity that the righteous has beeing gathered away.
So you lose the best, the bad remain - and maybe even still vowed for their fidelity and loyalty.
Do not say, I would tell skillfully devised stories or spread wrong-representations - I saw definitely and I experienced what I report. Comparing the words of bible and "The Watchtower" with organizations reality, sometimes is a scorn.
I want to hold the leading body of benefit that it doesn't maybe actually know what really happens in the organization. But in view of the many hints, that cannot remained hidden, that is at least an expression of a borderless naivete. Now, since they know the matter, they are not excused further. We will see whether it was ignorance merely. We will see whether Jehovah's law is valuated higher, than the rules of an organization and whether they are ready to deal resolute, as the loyal men at biblical times did.
Jehova might let you recognize that the ones are not the enemies, who tell you the truth brutally, but that ones, the Bible describes in Jeramiah 6:14: "And they try to heal the breakdown of my people lightly, saying: 'There is peace! There is peace' when there is not peace." Also think of Jeremiah 7:3, 4: "This is, what Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, has said: "Make your ways and your dealings good, and I will keep you people residing in this place. Do not put your trust in fallacious word, saying: 'The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah the temple of Jehova they are.'"
My personal opinion is that it will be hardly possible to human beings, to cut apart the deep-going network (Matthew 9:16, 17). But I am confident that Jehovah exists and his word is the truth. Exactly therefore it is unthinkable that he approves such things and admits permanently. Maybe it is now that he/it introduces the necessary steps to the correction. Maybe now is the time to speak clearly. Things and cases have to be rectified. Something has to happen, something like Ananias and Sapphira, something "of which when anyone hears, his ears where tingle".
To remove men like the described from their service-positions is only one from many necessary acts of the simplest justice. And hurry, doesn't hesitate longer, the development is progressed very far and is near at it to snatch you the law of action.
If nothing happens again, you will lose the support step by step - it has already begun, don't you recognize?
After the phase of incomprehension and the beginning grow of resistance the phase of withdrawal of the support - materially and immaterially - will follow. Then, the youth, our future, that is already more exposed to the enticements and hostilities of the world, will turn away with disillusion. Last the elderly will disappointed withdraw themselves behind a wall of the resignation and wait for end of it's life. The history teaches these mechanisms a hundred times and we should take this teaching seriously.
I for my part have devoted myself to Jehovah and his son Jesus Christ. I am a baptized Witness of Jehova. I "vowed to obey god as ruler rather than men". Therefore I respect the Watchtower Society as an aid - not less and no longer.
I am impressed of your courage and wish and pray that your business will be enough to the honor of Jehovah and to the benefit for all brothers and sisters and the organization and does not lead to a mental setback into the Middle age.
Last, excuse my terrible english - it was a longlasting and hard work to translate. Hopefully, I have met the right sound.
With brotherly love