Below, a text exchange with my JW mother. I’ve added only a few scriptures post exchange for additional clarity for the reader.
Mom: I’ve been told I was different [referring to her personality] - by people in the truth.
Me: In the truth?
Mom: Yes.
Me: Oh wait. In the Watchtower organization. Gotcha.
Mom: Not nice, Rachel-
Anyway I have to make dinner- nice talking to you.
Me: I associate truth with Jesus (John 14:6). His teachings. Only his do not change (Isa.40:8; Heb.6:18; Psalm 33:11). Changes in “truths” are lies (Rom.1:25; John 8:44).
Mom: God is love and those who want to imitate him develop a strong love for God and, and for their fellow humans. It doesn’t make you look like a good question (sic) when you try to cut other people’s beliefs down.
Me: What I say to you is not to cut you down, but to point you to true faith. Faith in Jesus, the truth is in Jesus (Eph.4:21; Heb.11:1; John 17:3; 1 Thess.5:8; Rom.8:18-25; 2 Cor.5:7; Titus 3:7).
Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him” (1 John 2:3-5).
We were warned that there would arise false Christs [Christ means anointed] in the last days that would lead many astray (Matt.24:11,23-25). These appear as sheep, but inside are ravenous wolves (Matt.7:15).
Matt.24:23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.”
False Christs deceive by their teachings, teachings that sound good to the natural man, but are “bad fruit,” man-made interpretations that rot, expire over time because those teachings were not of Holy Spirit, not of truth in love, but of their own human reasoning (Jer.23:16; Matt.7:15-20; 2 Tim.4:3-4; 2 Pet.2:1-3; Eph.4:14-15,25).
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor.13:11-15).
We can love God all we want and believe we are serving Him, but if we do not serve Him in truth (John 14:6), but spread deceptive lies we insist are truth but are not, then our worship is not accepted no matter how good our intentions. This is dangerous (Matt.15:9; Mark 7:7; Prov.19:5; 12:22; 18:21).
Matt.7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
Perhaps if you read this, it will help you understand that the excuse of their being imperfect men, is not an acceptable excuse to God.
Mom: You appear to be very controlling- I can worship my God the way I want without interference or coercion. Your religious devotion seems to interface strongly with dictatorship (you must succumb).
Did you ever hear the saying- I don’t remember what she said, but I remember how she made me feel?
I remember why I shouldn’t talk to you.
Your way of worship is not Christian.
Me: Jesus’ commands given him by the Father are not burdensome and we willingly submit to (Jesus) as our head (Col.1:1,15-18; Eph.2:17,20-23). Can we worship God the way we want? Yes, of course, that is free will. Everyone has always been given a choice, even to today, to choose for ourselves what path we take, whether the path of life, or death (Deut.30:11,15-16).
Not all worship is acceptable… there is worship done in vain, because they worship based on teachings that are merely human rules not of Spirit and truth (Matt.15:8-9; Mark 7:7; Isa.29:13; John 4:24).
You perceive the words of Jesus shared with you as controlling, stern? Jesus’ words of correction, discipline, will sound harsh to those who leave the path, but those who hate his correction will die. That is their free will choice. “Discipline seems bad to one forsaking the way, But whoever hates reproof will die” (Prov.15:10).
Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me” (John 14:1). Everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:15-16; 20:31; 1 John 2:25; 5:9-13). If I do not warn you that you are worshipping God in vain, that you have been deceived by a false prophet, and are teaching as doctrine commandments of men, not truth, then that would be most unloving, and I love and care about you (1 John 4:1: 1 Tim.4:1-2; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 John 1:7; 1 Thess.5:21). Do not despise the Father’s discipline, for He disciplines those He loves (Prov.3:11,1,5-7). “Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matt.4:17). ❤️
Mom: If someone is not interested in what you believe- you should refrain from pushing it on them.
Me: To remain silent when you refer to the Watchtower organization as “truth” would be as if I agree. Silence is consent. If you refrain from passive comments to me that push your belief that the Watchtower organization is truth, I will then not show you, as you request, what scripture says regarding that error (1 John 4:6).
Mom: I was not trying to prompt you to accept my truth in any way, I’m sorry you took it that way. If I knew you were going to seek out an avenue to talk about the Bible and your interpretation of it, I would not have permitted myself to engage in conversation with you. I just thought you were enjoying a passive exchange of life- and interesting thoughts. Not seeking a conduit to push your religious beliefs which you know I accept as apostasy
Me: My point is just that if you use coded language WT has cognitively influenced their people to associate with them - it’s very automatic for you, I understand you’re not thinking about it too deeply - I’ll have to respond.
I was very much enjoying our conversation :)
You will find it most interesting, and cognitively stimulating to look up the word “apostasy” in the Greek interlinear [G646; 2 Thess.2:3]. When you read the word “Backsliding” [H4878 and H7726; Jer.3:22] in the Hebrew Scriptures, you’ll see in the Hebrew interlinear that means apostasy. But study those words and read other accounts in scripture regarding who was accused of apostasy and it was God’s own faithless people - Israel.
Mom: You should remember that you appear in all your conduct to be an apostate - therefore I should not have association with you- surely if you weren’t formally disfellowshipped- you have disfellowshipped yourself- and who am I that I should fellowship with one who is so opposed to the truth so as to berate it at every opportunity. You should know how I am to respond to you on that account- as it is plainly stated in the Bible. I would be accountable for communing with someone who is a hater of the Truth.
In response to your words - I say EXACTLY!
Please- let’s stop talking to each other
Me: You will find this writing helpful to understand what Spirit shows regarding who is the apostate.
Apostasy. What is it and who are the apostates?
Mom: It’s funny- not really- that you should expend so much time hating on the Truth as you do. Do you know you appear to me to be like Donald Trump- he viciously verbalizes his vitriol against all his opponents - tearing them down to make himself feel better.
JWs don’t bother doing that- they know they have the truth-
Me: I don’t hate the truth - the truth is Jesus - John 14:6. He is who I defend. I hate what he hates and that is I hate the lie, which is what Watchtower spews out of its mouth, defaming my Father and His son, Jesus, my head [see above scriptures] (Rom.1:25; Rev.16:13-14; Prov.8:13; 13:5).
Mom: Stop. I’m done
Me: I will talk scripture all day if you continue. Your choice.
Mom: You actually make me feel so much confidence in what I believe because you’ve made me examine even harder what I believe.
Me: So be it to you (Rev.22:11).