Imagine bible based articles written without the dogmatic confidence of being the ultimate truth? Rather then making definite and absolute answers to the hundreds of unclear and purely interpretive explanations, room could be left to each individual member to decide on his or her own, training their own "perceptive powers to distinguish" the right and wrong, to become "full grown in their powers of understanding", not relying on any mother organization or "slave class." This would allow the difference in various doctrinal interpretations and the stimulation of spiritual growth, no matter how many years one has spent as a member in the organization. (Heb 5:14; 1 Cor 14:20)

.....This is not to allow room for the interpretation or the tolerance of murder, stealing, lieing, or hurting others and other clear cut morality issues. As far as adultery and fornication this is not always as clear cut as those who interpret what the words mean. Even to allow the room for the doctrinal interpretation of the Christ as man's savior, ransom and "mediator between God and men" could be considered a interpretation of doctrine, where the opposite is the denial of the true meaning of the Christ, showing love, mercy and kindness to all others. But to "go beyond the things written" that are clear, as in putting sacrifice and selfishness ahead of kindness, making detailed interpretive definitions, rulings, restrictions and detailed organizational procedures on what is not the obvious, is destructive to each individual's spirituality. Certain types of behavior are not the obvious to men, but will eventually be brought into the light, for man can be fooled but God can see everything and will judge it and sometimes expose it. Many doctrinal interpretations are not clear cut and are open to each individual's trained perceptive powers to interpret and they certainly are not the determining factor of everlasting life from God, depite the judgement of men. (1 Cor 6:9-11; 4:5-6; Heb 4:13)

Issues such as the shunning of former members, flag salutes, holiday observances, blood transfusions, voting, hours spent in the ministry, pioneering and the slave class appointment can not be enforced as either allowable or non allowable, or absolutely right or wrong, but rather each individual Christian would have to determine on his or her own what their bible trained concience tells them and be "fully convinced in his or her own mind." This would obviously require a complete overhaul of the Watchtower Society and their involvement with members. (Romans 14:5)

Instead love, mercy, kindness to all others, would be emphasised as "the laws fulfillment" and the "perfect bond of union." Unlike doctrinal interpretations, "loving kindness" would be the "pure language" that unifies the organization and the identfying factor. "The love among themselves" and "the love of neighbor" they show to all others, would truly make them the truth, not in the form of "sacrifice" and doctrinal knowledge but in the form of "mercy", love and compassion for others, as the good samaritan performed in Jesus illustration. This "love" would also "surpass the knowledge" of the many rigid and restrictive rules and interpretations. (Col 3:14; Gal 5:14; Romans 13:8; Luke 10:37; Zeph 3:9; Eph 3:19)

To put forth such a major reform would certainly have its repercussions. The current interpretations of the many doctrines such as the "great crowd" and the "little flock" could certainly remain, as erronously as they may be, however it could not remain as an absolute truth to be enforced on its members with the alternative of disfellowshipment, but rather there must be a freedom allowed to be exercised by all members to agree or disagree on these doctrines, without the threat of expulsion. This of course would not include the freedom to deny the true meaning of the Christ, to treat all fellowmen with agape love. There may be many persons who would be outraged and leave the organization, forming their own groups, strickly enforcing all of their members to the various interpretations, rulings, procedures and practices or non-practices that the Watchtower Society currently enforces today. (Gal 5:1)

To put mercy ahead of sacrifice would create an atmosphere of true "freedom", "where the spirit of the Lord is" and allow each individual to grow spiritually, not simply mimicking and following what the leaders, "the slave class", interprets and enforces for them. Here, the articles and information could be published with the salvation message of love of neighbor, along with it's unique interpretations, but with the freedom for each individual to decide. When a subject, that is not clear cut, is approached, there can be an article with two, three, or more angles, letting the reader decide which he or she agrees with most. (2 Cor 3:17)

The dogmaticism,intolerance and fundamentalist way of thinking of the Watchtower is no different than the fundamentalism of other Christian denominations, that the Watchtower labels part of "Babylon the Great" of Revelation chapters 17 and 18. But Babylon the Great is putting rituals, sacrifices, doctrines, procedures, rulings and elaborate interpretations over the freedom, mercy, love and kindness shown to others. This is what needs to be taught and practiced on a continual basis. (Matt 9:13; Isaiah 1:14-15; Hosea 6:6; 4:1)

Would this make the Watchtower a watered down organization and no different from other denominations? Not if if there was the "pure language" of true "love among themselves" and "love of neighbor" being practiced both within and outside the congregation by it's members. For "the entire law can be summed up namely in one saying, you must love your neighbor as yourself." "For he that loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." (John 13:34,35; Gal 5:14; Rom 13:8; Zeph 3:9)

As Jesus stated about the Jewish nation of Israel of his day, "You cannot put new wine in old wineskin, or it will burst." And you cannot put new unshrunk patches on old garments or they will shrink and make the tear even worse." Anotherwards the Jewish system of things of his day, based on sacrifice and legalism, was unable to be reformed. It had to be torn down. And from that a new spiritual nation of Israel, based on mercy and love of our fellowmen, would be born in the heavens. Is this true of the Watchtower Society? Can it be "patched" up and reformed, or is the possiblity of that ever happening too great? Remember, true freedom is "outside the camp" and not within. (Matt 9:16)

 

 
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