A couple of weeks ago, I was visited by a young couple and invited to attend the upcoming Memorial. I thanked them and asked a simple question: "I've always been curious how JWs connect the tree in Dan 4 to the Davidic throne?" Of course, they didn't have the answer right then, but they took my number and said they would get back to me.

My family and I attended the Memorial and had many wonderful engagements. However, as soon as the young couple who invited us came in, I said hi, but they looked uncomfortable. They left to find seats and did not return to meet my wife and son. I even gave them ample time after the meeting to allow them to meet my family. As you may know, if you are a new face, every other Witness will be right there to meet you.

My wife and son are not baptized, although we read together weekly, discuss Scripture, and pray together daily. So, I'll give you one guess about what impression this young couple made on my family by refusing to come say hi to them. They looked our way as we waited, but they obviously refused.

My family is well informed of the situation and the precise truth of all the matters involved. Truth matters in our household.

They must have discovered my identity and were told not to associate with me. You see, this is the price for questioning doctrine. They ignore you in a manner no different than a sinner. You are made the enemy.

An elder spoke to us graciously, and we had a pleasant exchange. I mentioned in passing that Jesus scolded His disciples for attempting to stop someone from preaching in His name, saying, "Those who are not against us are with us." The elder's response was John's words, "They left us because they were not of us."

Now, John was speaking about Antichrists, not fellow believers. So, I took this statement as evidence that this elder was familiar with who I was despite his applying a scripture that had nothing to do with me or the scripture I had just quoted. I could be wrong, but I doubt it. It seemed obvious he made a point to interact with us intentionally. While I respect that, truth is never a danger when true. Shielding others from truth is a recipe for future disaster to their faith.

However, I have no intention of discussing my disagreement with the GB with anyone during a meeting. It's neither the place nor the time.

1914 is an error, plain and simple, and since I discovered this after being baptized, I will forever be considered an apostate by them. But it was they who lied to me.

However, I serve Jehovah, not men. They can hunt me down and apply their foolish discipline if they wish to play the hunter, which I would neither take any regard for nor abide by. However, such an action by the elders would undoubtedly mold my family's impression of Jehovah's Witnesses.

If they do intend to do this, they better come with their most extraordinary mind among them.

The only meeting I attend is the Memorial, so if they wish to disfellowship me for disagreeing with the 1914 doctrine, so be it. Or, do what I've asked and show me scripturally the direct connection between the tree in Dan 4 and the Davidic throne, and I'll come back and be the perfect JW from now into all eternity.

I'm disappointed in my fellow believers but not surprised.

My stance on 1914 can be found in the video below.

 

I don't blame the young couple, I am just a single voice in a sea of voices to them. Who would you trust, a 145-year-old religion run by the self-professed spokesmen of God or a deserter claiming to know better than they?

I get it, I do. The WT's interpretation of 1914 is complex to most, but objectively, it isn't a complex subject. It's pretty simple. JWs maintain the notion of complexity of their convoluted interpretation.

Truth is always advantageous, and to cover it up is evil.

So, I'll leave this post with a reminder of what's to come.

"For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”

Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Because you despise this word and trust in oppression and perverseness and rely on them, therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern." Ish 30:9-14