Losing my memorial...
Today is Nisan 14, as if you didn't know. Well, if you are a Jew or a Jehovah's Witness (or possibly some other fundamental Christian group member) you probably do know. I know, but that's because I was once one of the above, as you've often read here. What I am now...who knows. A human being with leanings towards the teachings of Jesus? Some, perhaps many, would call me a Christian. But on with the blog!
Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar was the date on which Jesus and his disciples gathered together and ate the "last supper", at which Jesus commanded his disciples to "keep doing this in memory (or memorial) of me". The Bible tells us that he gave his disciples bread and wine to partake of and that these mean his "body and blood", which he gave for mankind that very day, or today in fact, around 3pm (depending on which gospel you read) nearly 2000 years ago. Nisan 14 began last night, after sundown, and ends at sundown today (as all Jewish days do). I would imagine that close on 10 Million Jehovah's Witnesses (including "interested" non-witnesses) gathered to celebrate the memorial of this event last night, but it was the first time in at least 22 years that I was not one of their number.
Even though I have explained my reasons for not believing what I used to believe, not attending last night was very hard for me. I can imagine how upsetting it must have been for my wife not to have me attend, and it will upset my mother too, when she finds out. More important of course is whether I have offended God by staying away. I honestly don't feel that is the case and so I feel I've done the right thing.
It's quite simple really: either witnesses are right, or they are wrong. I believe they are wrong, so I didn't attend. If I was to attend, that would be an implicit admission (voting with my feet) of there being truth inside the "Watchtower", and although there undoubtedly is, it is surrounded by the teachings of men, like a present wrapped up in a game of "pass the parcel"- there are so many religions like this I think, that have a core of truth, but each with different wrappings. So why choose one over another? Because it has fewer wrappings in your opinion? Why not get to the core of matters, that is, God himself, as (probably) revealed in the Bible? The hard part is knowing when to stop pulling off the paper, and some may say there's no present underneath it all...I don't know. I do know that God doesn't dwell in "hand made temples" as many religions practice (even if they don't preach it), and that there's no man or group of men that can stand between me and him, not according to the Bible anyway.
What I'm getting at in my cumbersome roundabout way is: I didn't attend because I don't think the witnesses are right (organisationally) and therefore their celebration can not be completely "right" either*. And if I did think it was right to attend, I imagine Jesus' description of the Laodeceans would apply to me if I did: "you are lukewarm, and I am going to spit you out of my mouth". In other words: I'm not settling for lukewarm here, or sitting on any fences. If I went last night, why not go to every meeting? I didn't and I don't and I won't.
*as a footnote to this: In a way, I celebrated this event in similar fashion to most witnesses present last night, as I thought about the events that took place all those years ago, and tried to relate that to myself today. Well, this is what most witnesses, or should I say, this is ALL most witnesses do at the memorial, as the bread and wine is "passed" among those attending but (this must be curious to read if you are not familiar with the witness interpretation, but imagine being there!) in most locations, nobody eats of the bread or drinks of the wine. It is passed, and that is all. To understand this you have to understand the witness conception of there being two "hopes", and therefore two "classes" of people destined for these hopes-one a heavenly hope for the heavenly class, the other an earthly hope for the earthly class. Here follows (I couldn't be bothered typing this all in!) photos of the section "Two classes of Christians" from the book "In search of Christian Freedom" by Raymond Franz, former member of the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Excuse the fingers, and apologies if it's a bit hard to read! Anyways, it may not interest most of you discerning readers. If you want the full "gen", ap*state though it undeniably is (to the official governing body sanctioned teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses), click on the pictures for bigger (almost readable) versions (they're in order of page, top to bottom). *sorry about the smaller size of these - imageshack took the bigger pictures down. *
Nisan 14 in the Jewish calendar was the date on which Jesus and his disciples gathered together and ate the "last supper", at which Jesus commanded his disciples to "keep doing this in memory (or memorial) of me". The Bible tells us that he gave his disciples bread and wine to partake of and that these mean his "body and blood", which he gave for mankind that very day, or today in fact, around 3pm (depending on which gospel you read) nearly 2000 years ago. Nisan 14 began last night, after sundown, and ends at sundown today (as all Jewish days do). I would imagine that close on 10 Million Jehovah's Witnesses (including "interested" non-witnesses) gathered to celebrate the memorial of this event last night, but it was the first time in at least 22 years that I was not one of their number.
Even though I have explained my reasons for not believing what I used to believe, not attending last night was very hard for me. I can imagine how upsetting it must have been for my wife not to have me attend, and it will upset my mother too, when she finds out. More important of course is whether I have offended God by staying away. I honestly don't feel that is the case and so I feel I've done the right thing.
It's quite simple really: either witnesses are right, or they are wrong. I believe they are wrong, so I didn't attend. If I was to attend, that would be an implicit admission (voting with my feet) of there being truth inside the "Watchtower", and although there undoubtedly is, it is surrounded by the teachings of men, like a present wrapped up in a game of "pass the parcel"- there are so many religions like this I think, that have a core of truth, but each with different wrappings. So why choose one over another? Because it has fewer wrappings in your opinion? Why not get to the core of matters, that is, God himself, as (probably) revealed in the Bible? The hard part is knowing when to stop pulling off the paper, and some may say there's no present underneath it all...I don't know. I do know that God doesn't dwell in "hand made temples" as many religions practice (even if they don't preach it), and that there's no man or group of men that can stand between me and him, not according to the Bible anyway.
What I'm getting at in my cumbersome roundabout way is: I didn't attend because I don't think the witnesses are right (organisationally) and therefore their celebration can not be completely "right" either*. And if I did think it was right to attend, I imagine Jesus' description of the Laodeceans would apply to me if I did: "you are lukewarm, and I am going to spit you out of my mouth". In other words: I'm not settling for lukewarm here, or sitting on any fences. If I went last night, why not go to every meeting? I didn't and I don't and I won't.
*as a footnote to this: In a way, I celebrated this event in similar fashion to most witnesses present last night, as I thought about the events that took place all those years ago, and tried to relate that to myself today. Well, this is what most witnesses, or should I say, this is ALL most witnesses do at the memorial, as the bread and wine is "passed" among those attending but (this must be curious to read if you are not familiar with the witness interpretation, but imagine being there!) in most locations, nobody eats of the bread or drinks of the wine. It is passed, and that is all. To understand this you have to understand the witness conception of there being two "hopes", and therefore two "classes" of people destined for these hopes-one a heavenly hope for the heavenly class, the other an earthly hope for the earthly class. Here follows (I couldn't be bothered typing this all in!) photos of the section "Two classes of Christians" from the book "In search of Christian Freedom" by Raymond Franz, former member of the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses. Excuse the fingers, and apologies if it's a bit hard to read! Anyways, it may not interest most of you discerning readers. If you want the full "gen", ap*state though it undeniably is (to the official governing body sanctioned teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses), click on the pictures for bigger (almost readable) versions (they're in order of page, top to bottom). *sorry about the smaller size of these - imageshack took the bigger pictures down. *
posted by John Doran-Armstrong at 3:22 PM
4 Comments:
This might sound like a crazy question but is Nisan 14 the same as Good Friday?
This is sad to say, but I dont have any religious beliefs right now. I was brought up Catholic, baptised, had my first communion, 10yrs of CCD classes, Confirmation..... but now I no longer believe in the Catholic church "ways"
It is this year, but just as your birthday falls on different days each year, so does Nisan 14.
I forgot to say (I didn't really answer your question) that in a way Good friday celebrates the giving of Jesus' life on Nisan 14, but the memorial is the annual observance of the "lords evening meal" (the night before-but the same Jewish day). I think Catholics have "communion" in celebration of Jesus' command "keep doing this" but celebrate it more than once a year (unlike witnesses).
Thanks for the information, I like to ask a lot of questions. I guess I'm just a very curious person :)
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