How is this not...?
When they make dramas with titles like Respect Jehovah's Authority, depicting the fate of the Sons of Korah, how is this not, 'seating themselves in the seat of Moses?'
When they insist that no association be had with disfellowshipped loved ones - not even a phonecall, or an email, or a text message - how is this not, 'binding up heavy loads and putting them on the shoulders of men?'
When they make sure to be seen bearing a bible; or when, under flimsy pretexts, they extend the use of the name Jehovah into the Christian Greek scriptures, how is this not an example of 'broadening the scripture-containing cases that they wear as safeguards?'
When they mark themselves out exclusively as the faithful and discreet slave, how is this not, 'lengthening the fringes of their garments?'
When they put themselves at the forefront of JW Broadcasting, how is this not, 'liking the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the market place?'
When they refer to themselves as a "leadership," how is this not in bald opposition to, "Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ?"
When they talk about themselves "making history" how is this not exalting themselves?
When they tie salvation so directly to loyalty to a manmade organisation, how is this not, 'shutting up the Kingdom of the heavens before men?'
When they go to such lengths to secure one convert, only to shackle him to a religious prison which is harder to leave than it is to enter, how is this not, 'making him a subject for Gehenna twice as much so as yourselves?'
When they mark themselves out as the only true religion, exclusive among the thousands of religions worldwide, how is this not the same as saying, "If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is under obligation?"
When they break up blood into fractions and say what can and can't be used, but insist that a person die for the want of having a blood transfusion; when they rule that ministry time be reported in hours, or fifteen minute increments; when they forbid even the acknowledgement of a disfellowshipped one with a simple nod, or a smile, or a greeting, how is this not, 'giving a tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin,' but a 'disregard for the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness?' How is this not, 'straining out the gnat but gulping down the camel?'
When they publicly present their wonderful works for all to see but hide their shady history, or their convoluted teachings, or their ongoing struggle with the child abuse issue, how is this not like 'cleansing the outside of the cup,' or resembling "whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men's bones and every sort of uncleanness?"
How is this not the very definition of hypocrisy?
When they celebrate their own past how is this not like 'decorating the tombs of the righteous ones?'
When they contradict their own writings how is this not like saying, "If we had lived in the days of our forefathers...?"
When they punish those who question the organisation and its beliefs and teachings, disfellowshiping them and labeling them apostates and snares of Satan, how is this not like killing them, and executing them on stakes, and scourging them, and persecuting them from city to city?
How is their house not abandoned to them?
When they insist that no association be had with disfellowshipped loved ones - not even a phonecall, or an email, or a text message - how is this not, 'binding up heavy loads and putting them on the shoulders of men?'
When they make sure to be seen bearing a bible; or when, under flimsy pretexts, they extend the use of the name Jehovah into the Christian Greek scriptures, how is this not an example of 'broadening the scripture-containing cases that they wear as safeguards?'
When they mark themselves out exclusively as the faithful and discreet slave, how is this not, 'lengthening the fringes of their garments?'
When they put themselves at the forefront of JW Broadcasting, how is this not, 'liking the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the market place?'
When they refer to themselves as a "leadership," how is this not in bald opposition to, "Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ?"
When they talk about themselves "making history" how is this not exalting themselves?
When they tie salvation so directly to loyalty to a manmade organisation, how is this not, 'shutting up the Kingdom of the heavens before men?'
When they go to such lengths to secure one convert, only to shackle him to a religious prison which is harder to leave than it is to enter, how is this not, 'making him a subject for Gehenna twice as much so as yourselves?'
When they mark themselves out as the only true religion, exclusive among the thousands of religions worldwide, how is this not the same as saying, "If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is under obligation?"
When they break up blood into fractions and say what can and can't be used, but insist that a person die for the want of having a blood transfusion; when they rule that ministry time be reported in hours, or fifteen minute increments; when they forbid even the acknowledgement of a disfellowshipped one with a simple nod, or a smile, or a greeting, how is this not, 'giving a tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin,' but a 'disregard for the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness?' How is this not, 'straining out the gnat but gulping down the camel?'
When they publicly present their wonderful works for all to see but hide their shady history, or their convoluted teachings, or their ongoing struggle with the child abuse issue, how is this not like 'cleansing the outside of the cup,' or resembling "whitewashed graves, which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men's bones and every sort of uncleanness?"
How is this not the very definition of hypocrisy?
When they celebrate their own past how is this not like 'decorating the tombs of the righteous ones?'
When they contradict their own writings how is this not like saying, "If we had lived in the days of our forefathers...?"
When they punish those who question the organisation and its beliefs and teachings, disfellowshiping them and labeling them apostates and snares of Satan, how is this not like killing them, and executing them on stakes, and scourging them, and persecuting them from city to city?
How is their house not abandoned to them?
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