Thanks for sharing that, dear HTBO (peace to you and to your household, dear sister!).
I thought it was an objective article, at first, and it really kind is, but... the writer is obviously an ex-JW and had he kept his comments objective might have reached some who are otherwise unreachable. You could see his personal issues coming out as you read on, though, and unfortunately that has a way of backfiring. It makes things personal ("Oh, you have a personal issue with the Watchtower/Jehovahs Witnesses! No need for me to read further; I already know what your problem is!")... rather that showing just how it IS that the WTBTS folks are NOT representatives of God, after all.
Unfortunately, I have recently been reminded (well, actually just had more better confirmed - sigh!) in a very real, very revealing, very disappointing, even very saddening way... that most don't leave the WTBTS because they want or are even seeking the truth. Usually, it's because they just want freedom... not such as the Son gives... not even from all of the lies... but rather, freedom from the rules, regulations, do's, don't's, judgmental-ness, etc., of the WTBTS and JWs. They want the freedom to be "like" and do as the world does.
And that is why those who stay do so: they just wait for the "tacking"... the changes that are inevitable... that make the WTBTS more and more "like" all other "christian"/mainstream religions. You know, the "new and improved" versions. That is what that whole "wait on Jehovah" malarkey is about, isn't it? Because it's "Jehovah" who makes the changes, allows and disallows whatever practices and presentations are at issue?
Because, when it's all said and done, people need religion. Well, they need whatever "golden calf" they can look at and consider themselves "close to God" by means of. And that can be religion, it can be the Bible, heck, it can even be sports. Whatever makes THEM part of a community and, as far as they're concerned, close(r) to God/as close as they can get to Him.
But they don't really want the truth... because they don't really want The Truth. Meaning, they don't really want the Son). Not really.. Not even most whose words profess to "love" him while their actions (and inactions) PROVE the opposite.
Ah, well. Que sera, sera. Because it truly doesn't matter where we are in the timeline of events, dear ones. Holy spirit cannot be fooled. It truly just does not work that way.
May JaH and Christ bless and keep you all, and your dear, dear households.
Your servant, sister, and a slave of Christ,
Shel
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