OMG - Does 2 Tim 3 apply to Witnesses????

Remember those talks where the JW's would take a few verses of scripture and break it down piece by piece to fit their way of thinking?

Heres my example of how 2 Tim 3: 1 - 5 should be interpreted;

2 Tim 3 (NWT)

But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3  having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4  betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5  having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 

1.But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.

In the last few days I have been very critical of JW's and in particular the Governing Body.  In fact not just in the last days, I've been critical for bloody years and so have many other former Witnesses who have seen the light and realised it is all brainwashing.  Of course, the Organisation has found all this criticism hard to deal with and as a result they have resorted to name-calling.  They've also decided that, even though we are revealing the real 'truth', we are apostates because the 'truth' is only what they decide it is.

2. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal,

Just as the scripture says this applies exclusively to men because the organisation has dismissed women from the hierarchy.  Shortly after this decision they set up their own production company and put themselves in front of the cameras.  Lovers of themselves?  They also sold their New York buildings and required all the surplus cash from all the congregations be sent to them every month.  Lovers of money?  They claim to be Jehovahs only earthly organisation, (except when it suits them to claim that they don't know if that is strictly true - in front of the Australian Royal Commission investigation).  Boastful?  Haughty?

They claim ownership of Gods name when they don't know for certain what the name of God really is.  The name that they claim belongs to God is bandied about like he's a mate in the pub. Even schoolchildren show respect to their Head Teacher by addressing them as Sir or Mrs, yet JW's don't even show this level of respect to the claimed 'Almighty'. Blasphemers?

Disobedient to parents? Thousands of Witness children every year realise that this religion is going to restrict their education, seriously limit their life opportunities and is spouting utter rubbish.  As a result they disobey both their parents and those that brainwash their parents and leave the religion to live a life that has real meaning.

Every year the Society receives hundreds of millions from wills and bequests.  Yet when individual members need financial help the Governing Body point them to the congregation members who are already donating to the Organisation.  They won't release funds that have been donated to them to help those in need because that money is for ' the worldwide preaching work'.  Preaching what?  Love, generosity, kindness, Godliness!  Unthankful? 

For years ex-members of the congregations have been shunned because they have been disfellowshipped.  Now even those that have simply left because they no longer believed what Witnesses teach are being shunned on the orders of the Governing Body.  This includes family members who had no choice in their beliefs because they were born into Witness families. Disloyal?  Having no natural affection? 

JW's U-turns and changes to their beliefs are legendary, even to the point now where they make it extremely difficult for their congregation members to access the Societies own literature from years past that contradict their current thinking.  Not open to any agreement?

According to a recent Watchtower people like me, who shine a light on the things the Organisation are trying to hide are 'mentally diseased'. Slanderers without self control?

In the event that any Witness questions the Societies stance on disfellowshipping children, keeping women in complete subjection, the two Witness rule or dozens of other rules that are neither Scriptural or ethical, that person will be removed from the Organisation unless they change their views.  Fierce, without love of goodness?

Going back to families; being told to cut-off their own kin who decide that the JW's do not have the 'Truth'. Betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride.

Take a look at my recent blog on 'Judge Rutherford' and you will see a JW leader who was a serious alcohol drinker and a man who loved expensive material possessions.  Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

I am sure most of the JW elite would vehemently disagree with my last comments, arguing that the current organisation does not put pleasure and excess first.  However, until they condemn Rutherford for his misappropriation of funds how can we accept that this practice does not still continue?

Go to any JW Kingdom Hall or convention and you will initially be very impressed by the smart clothing, the interest showed to you and the seemingly exceptional happiness of the people.  You will believe that everyone is genuine, caring and honest.  However the Organisation has been caught on numerous occasions misleading authorities, lying to its own people and covering up serious crimes.  'Having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power;'

The last bit of advice from Paul's letter to Timothy is relevant to every Jehovahs Witness in the world:   and from these turn away!