Three Little Points

Kingdom Ministry 2013:“I’ll Take Your Literature if You Take Mine”

That is the proposition of some householders. Since we do not exchange our Bible study aids for religious literature that disseminates error, how might we answer tactfully?...

How does a Jehovahs Witness know if the literature they are being offered disseminates error?  After all in my last blog I supplied a web link showing Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson 

claiming that it would be 'quite presumptuous' to state that Jehovahs Witnesses are the only spokesmen on earth approved by God.  

This indicates that the Governing Body or at least one member of it believes there is a possibility that there are others besides Witnesses who are being directed by God.  How do they know that the literature they are being offered isn't inspired by the Creator using another, alternative religion?  (Or was Brother Jackson being deliberately misleading to the Australian Royal Commission?)

JW.ORG  THE EXTERMINATION OF THE CANAANITES

WHAT YOU MAY HEAR: “The destruction of the Canaanites was a cruel war crime comparable to modern-day genocides.”

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: “All [God’s] ways are justice. [He is] a God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice.” (Deuteronomy 32:4) An act of divine justice is not comparable to a human war. Why? Because unlike humans, God is able to read hearts—that is, what humans are on the inside.

Similarly, God judged the Canaanites and rightly ordered their destruction. The Canaanites were notorious for their cruelty, which included burning children alive in sacrificial fires.* (2 Kings 16:3) The Canaanites knew that Jehovah had commanded Israel to take possession of all the land. Those who chose to remain and wage war were taking a deliberate stand against not only the Israelites but also Jehovah, who had given powerful evidence that he was with his people.

Moreover, God extended mercy to Canaanites who abandoned their wickedness and accepted Jehovah’s high moral standards. For example, the Canaanite prostitute Rahab was saved, along with her family. Also, when the inhabitants of the Canaanite city of Gibeon sought mercy, they and all their children were preserved alive.—Joshua 6:25; 9:3, 24-26.

What is the difference between a Canaanite sacrificing a child and God killing a Canaanite child? 

Their editorial goes on;

HOW YOU ARE INVOLVED: We can learn a vital lesson from the judgment of the Canaanites. We are rapidly approaching the foretold “day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” (2 Peter 3:7) If we love Jehovah, we will benefit when he eliminates human suffering by ridding the earth of those who reject his just rule.

Just consider for one moment the intonation behind this comment 'the day of judgement and of destruction of the ungodly men'.  They are saying that all people who do not agree with their religious brand are the equivalent to child sacrificing Canaanites and therefore worthy of death at Gods hand.

How many people on this planet are genuinely caring, kind, generous even willing to risk their lives to help others?  Yet because they are not Jehovahs Witnesses they are considered as depraved and sick as those that sacrificed children to idols!  And deserve death?

I thought God could read hearts?  Can he not also observe actions?

Finally on todays blog; Disfellowshipping is the vile practice of shunning a friend or family member by the whole congregation, in fact the whole organisation.  It has terrible effects on the victim but the Governing Body polices the policy by threat;

JW.ORG How to Treat a Disfellowshipped Person

Is strict avoidance really necessary? Yes, for several reasons. First, it is a matter of loyalty to God and his Word. 

Later the article says; ...loyalty to Jehovah and his organisation moves them to uphold the Scriptural arrangement of disfellowshipping...

And we all know what disloyalty to their God or their organisation brings - death at Armageddon.

There is a sentence towards the end of the article that sent a shiver down my spine;

However, if the disfellowshipped one is a minor child, the parents are still responsible to instruct and discipline him. 

Even for an adult the practice of disfellowshipping is cruel and psychologically damaging.  Here they are openly admitting that they will allow a 'minor child' to make the life affecting decision to get baptised which inevitably will subject some of those minor children to the inhumanities of disfellowshipping!

What about the children who do not want to be Jehovahs Witnesses but face losing their friends and families if they leave?  Where is the loyalty from the people who are supposed to love them?