Hi all ...
I'm sorry but I soooooo need to rant a bit ... :rant::rant:
Our sister manyfaces and her son is facing a very difficult time (and has been for the last 2 years)
Her mother is dying in the hospital ... and in the doctor's words ... with the worst case of cancer they have ever seen ... :shocked::cry:
She and I went to see her a week ago and her elder (and I mean in both ways as he is the head of the liason commitiy in his area) and she, his fleshly sister, was treated with such coldness and haughitness and given the 'invisibility' treatment that it made a difficult situation even worse! :rant:
Her mother wanted to see her, manyfaces' son, her grandson, and so arrangements were made this weekend to go.
Wellll ... I guess 'disfellowhipped' family members are not welcome to go, and neither those who would support her and her son, me and my hubby.
It seems one of her other brothers must have got a tongue lashing for having put us up last week, and even though they offered to put us all up a day ago, there was a 'change of plans' as it wouldn't be 'right' to have us there.
I don't feel bad for me, hubby, or even to some extent manyfaces, (for we are adults) but her SON ... an 8 year old boy, just cannot understand all the sublties involved and only sees his uncle stopping him from seeing his grandmother and the 'religion' ... :rant:
He is feeling hurt and angry at not being able to see her before she dies.
How sad is it to see the scriptures twisted and distorted to such an extent that even during times of intense grief we have to deal with such unchrist-like behavior ...? :rant:
We tried to make her brothers 'comfortable' by sitting apart at the hospital, offering to eat and stay in another room so as not to hurt anyone's consicious's and so on ...
But isn't this treatment a little extreme? No one is seeking to 'socialize' ... but rather get through a time of upcoming bereavement.
Isn't this taking the latest information in the book about how to treat disfellowshipped ones a little far?
I truly don't feel that this would be considered taking advantage of an opportunity to socialize when the mother is literally on her deathbed ...:shocked::cry:
Sister manyfaces and her son could sure use a hug or two, :hug: and a prayer :pray: to help strengthen them during this difficult time!
I really tried not to be too critical or negative ... even knowing that we are 'dead' to our brothers .... but I truly feel this is a bit extreme ... :(
My love, to all ... and to you dear manyfaces and son ...:friends:
BR :sheepy: :bouncyhearts:
I don't know what to say, sis, except to agree that yes indeed, it's taking it too far, under the circumstances.
If I was sister 'manyfaces', I'd make friends with a couple of nurses there and ask to be called when the opposing family members are away - at dinner, or at rest. (hospital nurses have seen a lot and I'd be surprised if they didn't understand more about it than we'd think.) Then I'd go and make my visit without their knowledge or agreement. I'd find a way to see MY MOTHER, no matter what anyone thought or said.
Her mother wanted to see her, manyfaces' son, her grandson,
Mama trumps the WT, hands down. If she doesn't find a way to go, the regret will always haunt her. But if she bucks the JW crowd to do what her own mother wants, she'll NEVER regret it. Please help her do that, sis - give her all the support and courage you can - you'll never regret it either!
I hope there comes a day very soon when they see their error and repent of the WT-instilled hate. Until then... BUCK THE SYSTEM!
You're all in my prayers.
:grouphug:
I don't know what to say, sis, except to agree that yes indeed, it's taking it too far, under the circumstances.
If I was sister 'manyfaces', I'd make friends with a couple of nurses there and ask to be called when the opposing family members are away - at dinner, or at rest. (hospital nurses have seen a lot and I'd be surprised if they didn't understand more about it than we'd think.) Then I'd go and make my visit without their knowledge or agreement. I'd find a way to see MY MOTHER, no matter what anyone thought or said.
Her mother wanted to see her, manyfaces' son, her grandson,
Mama trumps the WT, hands down. If she doesn't find a way to go, the regret will always haunt her. But if she bucks the JW crowd to do what her own mother wants, she'll NEVER regret it. Please help her do that, sis - give her all the support and courage you can - you'll never regret it either!
I hope there comes a day very soon when they see their error and repent of the WT-instilled hate. Until then... BUCK THE SYSTEM!
You're all in my prayers
:grouphug:
this is just such sound advice. many of us have known for some time now that the religion of jehovah's witnesses is simply oozing devilish toxicity, as this incident clearly illustrates. that oozing seems to be turning into a trickle ... soon to become a stream ... then a torrent ... before yah and yeshua say 'enough.' :( :( :(
as sis willa said, ... "you're all in my prayers" too. :giverose:
Sorry to hear about this,Sister. Will pray for you and for your family.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
Dear All
How sad to see when persons are following scrutiny, hyporatical and weird religious leaders and their doctrines of men.
They have maked their man created organistion to on Idol, or a substitute for Jehovah and Jesus Christ and how much does Jesus Christ words in Luke chapter 20 versus 6 to 8 not fit in at them:
6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.
7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.
8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
Furthermore, they have forgotten that Jesus condemned and reminded the religious leaders about, in Mathew chapter 23, among these versus 6 to 7:
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
24 [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Who have teached members of the Governing Body, yes you are right, among them the essence of Judge "Boot" Rutherford driving two 12 cylinder Cadillacs, when Brothers, Sisters and their children was starving, due to the depression and their false doomsday predictions, in 1925 and they continued with 1975 and latest 2035, even that people have a personal responsibility.
They have built a religious house where none of their likes today can match their bloodguilt, in question of persons sent directly into a premature death, due to their doctrines, Harmageddon and ban on vaccinations, organs and medical use of blood, which have sent thousands and other thousands into a premature death, with no anchoring in the Scriptures.
They are really beating their fellow slaves, due to their false prophecies didn't fall in, as described in Matthew chapter 24 versus 48 to 51:
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite [his] fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for [him], and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint [him] his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Let us hope that they will repent before Jehovahs Jugde are comming to take revenge of all the innocent blood that has been schreded, which shows us compassion and love when somebody was in need, like the woman with the bleeds that break the Law, but he said: Daughter your faith has cured you.
For our own part we are not rejected from doing good against our naighbours and by doing so, we will follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ as members of his body and not any scrutiny Church or Organisation, built at doctrines of men but at doctrines from the Scriptures where Jesus Christ shows and cammanded us to love God and our naighbour as ourself, and will release us all in proper time as described in Revelation chapter 7 verse 16 and 17:
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
May our thoughts and prayers be with this family and all others, which are suffering from nature catastrophes, wars, famine, illness, invalidity, distress and death due to doctrines of men, whether it is political or religious leaders.
I am so sorry sister :cry: and really feel your sadness keenly.
Some hearts are so hard as to have no feeling left in them - where is the love that their God values more than all else?! Even Pharaoh's heart softened in his own time of distress. I do hope they let God touch their hearts quickly, rather than let this be an extra wall between them and goodness - for that young boy's sake if not their own.
Acts5v29 :grouphug:
This is so sad.
My niece (19) was not allowed to see her dying mother (my sister) because she was disfellowshipped.
My friend in Florida had twin babies who died at birth and her family did not come and see her in the hospital because she was not a witness. She stopped going to meetings when she was 18, and is not disfellowshipped, just does not go.
These were some of the last straws that made me see the witnesses true colors, and that true love was not in them.
How do you identify Christ true followers? The love amongst themselves.
love never fails. :hug:But the WT has failed to follow that law. :readthis:Woe to all those hypocrites who force their man made doctrines on others. They will have their judgement without mercy, but from a higher, much higher source. :coffeeread::coffeeread:My prayers for that boy and his family, and all those suffering within the darkness of the watchtower bible and tract society.:cry:
Christian love
Grateful :giverose:
How sad a situation that is, Bruised Reed! :cry: I'll be praying for them.
Your situation brings back a memory I have: About ten years ago I arranged a huge family party for our parents' 50th wedding anniversary at a local restaurant's banquet room. We invited every family member, including the great grandson (who was five years old at the time). My niece, his mother, was disfellowshipped at the time, so the plan was for her to drop him off and another family member at the party would look after him. When she arrived with him he got scared about the crowd of people and started crying. He wanted his mother to stay with him. I let her bring him into the banquet room and sit with him on her lap for a few minutes to calm him down. Almost everyone else there was okay with it....except my overly righteous older brother and his wife. They immediately left the banquet hall and refused to come back in until she left! Nevermind that the little old boy was having an anxiety issue and needed his momma. After a few minutes it became apparent that the boy wasn't going to let his mother go, so my niece left her son's gift with us and took him back home with her. Only after she left did my brother and his wife re-enter the hall.
Even though I was a devout JW at the time, I still thought they were being a bit self-righteous over the whole thing. I was saddened by their behaviour.
for the second time in less than a week, i can't help but import sis wolfie's post of a daily scriptural text. the timing of some of these things seems to me to be a bit more than coincidental. ;)
http://www.paradisecafediscussions.net/s...p?tid=6379
one small excerpt:
"But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.''--1 John 4:19
Indeed Isomam!
Judge a tree by its fruits I say. What fruit? The fruits of the spirit, or lack thereof. The WT is an anti-Christ religion because of the fruit is bares. They have reinvented the law code, just like so many Christians today are doing, and it gets in the way of love even though there is no law against such things. Makes me sick. Ill put yours and their situation in my prayers BruisedReed. :heartbeat:
Hey, but it's
SPIRITUAL PARADISE!! :cheer::grouphug::cheer::grouphug:

Hi all! :hibye:
Thanks so much for your loving :heartbeat:and caring:friends: replies!
It isn't quite so 'easy' to go to see her even if we had someone on the 'inside' willa dear and she is out of province and take a long and costly ferry ride to get to the hospital.
But thanks so much for the suggestion .. maybe someone else in similar situations could take advantage of it!
I thought dear bangalore that that section of the book would be used to keep our brothers 'in line' ... and wasn't there a Watchtower article since that had followed the same line of thought? :thinking:
The son is so angry at his uncle right now, and anger he doesn't need on top of the anger he has toward his father who he disclosed had been molesting him ... :(
You know, when I reread those paragraphs the society sure doesn't leave room for anyone who has been UNJUSTLY 'disfellowshipped' have they? :(
No they are all UNREPENANT ones, ones who have left Jehovah to do wicked things ... :(
And because the brothers and sisters believe this to be the case, and have to support the wised and fully informed decisions of the elders who SCRIPTURALLY handled the case, they wouldn't WANT to believe such injustices occur in the 'spiritual paradise' in which they are so privileged to be a part of!
Jehovah WANTS ...
Mercy
Love
Compassion
Kindness
Forgiveness
But how does the current believe of HOW to treat those who have 'legitimately' done wrong and those who have been 'thrown from the synagugue for Jesus' name'? :dontknow:
I understand that the scriptures warn us not to be in fellowship with 'brothers' who are PRACTICING dispicable things ... for they indeed would have REJECTED christlike principles and behaviors for the works of the flesh.
However, that being said, even brother Russell said not to look cross at or snub those ones ... for HOW could they ever be MOVED to WANT to come back to those who would look at them so harshly and who would treat them with such disdain ...
That is NOT what is meant by 'tough love' I think ...
And for MEN to seek to punish their fellow men in such a way in the hopes of maybe GUILTING them to come back, or HUMILIATING them to come, would I think be the wrong way to motivate them wouldn't it ...?
And certainly to a small 8 year boy who would see such a display of coldness would never instill in him a desire to search out the 'truth' of witnesses if all he had ever experienced was unlovingness, harshness, condemnation, alienation and so on!
Of course manyfaces brother and sister-in-law (who WERE kind to us) said it was HER desicision as to if she came or not ... but is it really ...?
Was it not already made by the very rules our brothers live by? If her son were to kick up a fuss (and he probably would when he would see members not speaking or sitting with his mother) then they would blame the fact that she 'had left Jehovah, by writing a letter disassociating herself when she and her at the time 5 year old son were badly snubbed (many times) and she didn't believe some of the teachings anyway, and didnt' want to live as a hypocrite.
They would say this is what happens when you are no longer one of Jehovah Witnesses! :(
Oh how HAPPY I am that I have left the 'judging' to our God and Christ! How HAPPY I am that I do not live by MAN-MADE rules that have become so oppressive and judgmental just like the Pharisees did with law!
How HAPPY I am that I serve MY GOD and his SON instead of an 'organization'!
May the peace of God that excels all thought be upon us all as we seek to serve in SPIRIT and TRUTH .... and may I humbly add ...
LOVE! :heartbeat:
Luv as always from me to you! :grouphug: BR :sheepy: :bouncyhearts: