- Topic
In another thread we were talking about how members are led to belive they absolutely must attend all services, especially the Sabbath. My own son said that if he was in the hospital, hooked up to tubes and IVs that he would rip them out in order to get out of his bed and attend Saturday Sabbath. That was how important he had been told it was to be there, no excuses.
Well, then, how can this be inconsistent for all? How can a leader in the Ridgewood church excuse a member from attending Sabbath for five months in a row simply for sporting events? That is what happened when this athletes parents objected to Saturday attendance due to the fact their child would lose their opportunity to compete in their beloved sport. The parents met with this leader, and he told them this athlete could compete in the winter and spring seasons of the sport they loved and had a scholarship for.
Yet when a conflict arose with a Portland State football player last year, a fuss was made because this player said he wasn't going to attend Spring practice on Saturdays. He wasn't excused because of his scholarship. He wasn't told he could miss. He was under the impression that, in his words, he had to "choose between God and football." And my son was under the impression he had to endanger his health, if necessary, to attend Saturday Sabbath.
My son was told by the pastor directly when asked, that others who had missed even one time had fallen ill or been injured. So, why the inconsistencies? Is it because they are now desperate to counter the deserved accusations of derailing lives with their excessive demands? Is it because of the law suits they are now having to contend with? Honestly, can these leaders take it upon themselves to simply change doctrine at will? They say they follow the Bible perfectly, and there cannot be any deviation. Well, it looks like they zig zag like a rabbit chased by a coyote.
The Sabbath day was made for us. Paul said we should make every effort to enter God’s sabbath rest. But you should not leave the hospital and cause harm to yourself in to process. God is gracious. He understands when you are in the hospital. The WMS wants you to keep all worship services. But the WMS doesn’t keep truth of God perfecting. In my opinion with all the WMS has done, they are not a good substitute for a career.
I have seen this same behavior. When my first Overseer thought I was going against church rules (A rumor started that I was hanging out with Brothers outside of Church), he said to me “Well, why don’t you not come for a while..its up to you.” I was told by another brother that it was a tactic and they will often tell you not to come back, to test your faith. Another Overseer told me how a Pastor, yelled at some members who were loud in the hall outside of a bible study. The pastor yelled, “Get Out dont come back”. The members left, but the explanation was that, the pastors behavior was correct because these members would have left anyway. Lastly, the Korean overseer we had, stated, “If you don’t like how I talk, its your own arrogance”. He yelled, screamed, wouldnt apologize when he was wrong, called several of us “Niggardly” and made cultural jokes to the Hispanic- American members. But , if we challenege that, we are wrong? I stated all that to prove, YES, the leaders of WMS can change the rules and commandments as they see fit
@mountainMom. So am I. I could write a book on the things I have seen and heard.
You guys should. And I’d like to see a documentary too. But this church as we know changes their doctrine, their ideology too often. At least we know what this church is about. They don’t add to the bible, they add to their doctrine. That’s 2 separate things.
I have pretty much figured out that she doesn't like me, but to respond to the OP
it looks like you're searching for rationality in the world of the irrational…
?
a survey would come close to making rational conclusions out of the irrational, but the majority crapped on that idea
She don’t like me either. Did you talk about a macro view in another thread JW?
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