turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called ‘knowledge’. For making a show of such knowledge some have deviated from the faith.” “Keep holding the pattern of healthful words which you heard from me with the faith and love that are in connection with Christ Jesus.” “Keep reminding them of these things, charging them before God as witness, not to fight about words, a thing of no usefulness at all because it overturns those listening. But shun empty speeches that violate what is holy; for they will advance to more and more ungodliness, and their word will spread like gangrene.” “They are subverting the faith of some.” “Turn down foolish and speculative questionings, knowing they produce fights.” “Keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and avoid them.”—Rom. 16:17; 1 Tim. 1:4, 7; 6:3-5, 20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:14, 16-19, 23-26; Titus 3:9-11, NW.

WHY WE BLUNTLY REJECT INTERFAITH

17. Into what two big divisions do Christendom’s churches fall, and does either of them provide “food at the proper time”?

¹⁷ Many in Christendom will angrily say Jehovah’s witnesses take too much on themselves. That is what Korah protested to Moses. (Num. 16:3) Yet the facts show Jehovah’s witnesses are the ones preaching of the Kingdom’s establishment, and warning all nations of Armageddon’s approach. Their organization is run theocratically, and it brings forth the spiritual food that is timely. What orthodox religious organization in Christendom provides new spiritual food for these critical times? Are not the fundamentalists still offering the same dry husks, still prattling the same centuries-old creeds, and monotonously repeating again and again their few basic doctrines borrowed from paganism? Truly, “their religion is a mockery, a mere tradition learned by rote.” (Isa. 29:13, Mo) The modernist churches have brought forth new teachings to fit the times, but their new offerings are not fit for gospel-preaching. Instead, they scuttle the Bible, dismissing it as myth and legend, at best only good literature, and offer science and evolution, psychology and psychiatry, in an endeavor to be popular with a materialistic civilization. God bluntly says Christendom’s “tables are full of vomit”. Among them spiritual famine reigns supreme. What a contrast between the condition of their followers and that of Jehovah’s witnesses!—Isa. 28:8; 65:13-15; Jer. 2:13; Amos 8:11, 12.

18. What should those remember who condemn plain speech as intolerant?

¹⁸ In substituting ancient paganisms or modern philosophies for the truths contained in the Bible, Christendom’s religions match backsliding Israel who professed to be Jehovah’s people: “The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master’s crib; but Israel does not know, my people shows no understanding.” (Isa. 1:3, AT) They put themselves in position for stinging condemnation, which they cry out against as intolerant. But does not God himself here say they have less sense than the ox and the ass? His Word calls them “dumb dogs” and “greedy dogs”. Christ Jesus called them fools and liars and sons of the Devil. Sarcasm and mockery and derision are used against the false religionists. Note Job’s words to some of such: “How you have helped him that was powerless, and saved the arm that was not strong! How you have counselled him that was without wisdom, and abundantly made known sound wisdom!” For another example of mocking irony, consider Elijah’s words to false worshipers when their god failed to respond after hours of coaxing: “Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked.” (1 Ki. 18:21-28, AS; Job 12:2, 7, 8; 26:2, 3, AT; Isa. 56:10, 11; Matt. 23:17; John 8:44) This should give pause to those who heatedly rail against Jehovah’s witnesses because they speak plainly about false religions. To condemn such plain speech they must also condemn the Bible and God himself!

19. So why cannot a Christian join an interfaith movement, and what would he have to unprotestingly tolerate if he did?

¹⁹ All of the foregoing clearly proves that Christians cannot join interfaith movements. No more so than Abel could with Cain, or Israel could with Egypt or with the Canaanites, or Jesus could with the scribes and Pharisees and Sadducees, or early Christians could with Constantine’s fusion of paganism and apostate Christianity. For a Christian to enter the interfaith fold would mean he must tolerate pagan teachings under a Christian label, tolerate the tenet of a three-in-one God, tolerate claims that God fiendishly tortures souls in fiery lakes, tolerate the blasphemy that for money God will release suffering souls from a flaming purgatory, tolerate bingo gambling, tolerate the view that Jesus was not Messiah but an impostor, tolerate the devilish doctrine of evolution, tolerate clerical hypocrisy and political meddling, tolerate religious warmongering and chaplain-blessing of Christian killing Christian—and so on and on would flow an endless stream of blasphemies that the Christian would have to tolerate in silence. He would have to wink at sin, shut eyes to wrong, plug ears to blasphemy, make his tongue dumb to silently tolerate evil. Fearing to offend men by word or deed, he would offend God by tolerating in the name of tolerance every satanic snare that came his way. He would be too unfit and dirty for Jehovah’s service, the proverb becoming true of him: “The dog has turned back to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.” To return to the filth of this world after being separated and cleansed from it would make us unfit subjects for any further mercy from Jehovah. (Heb. 10:26; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; Rev. 18:4, NW) So by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness let us appreciate and stick with the visible theocratic organization he has set up in our day.

“Out of the Mouth of Babes”

● The press caught on to the assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses being held in mid-November, 1951, and the city itself, Victoria, British Columbia, seemed to catch the spirit of the thing. Publishers on the street were approached with: “Where is this convention to be held?” “What is its purpose?” “Do you have a copy of the program?” “I’ll be there!” A naval officer approached two of the witnesses, identified by means of their lapel badges, and said to them: “What’s this all about? Why, I stopped two of your little girls about eight or nine years of age; they were wearing your placards. And I asked them questions which clergymen were unable to answer for me, and I got answers, logical answers, from the little girls! What in hell have you guys got over there, anyway?” The brothers replied that about the best way for him to find out would be for him to come over and see and listen for himself. The officer replied: “That’s just what I’m going to do, as soon as I change my clothes!” He not only came but he turned in his name as being interested and asked that a call be made anytime before six p.m. A picture in one of the papers of a young brother giving a ministry school student talk caused many to comment: “A nine-year-old giving a Bible talk!” His poise and his ability to speak intelligently and extemporaneously helped open the eyes of many that saw and heard him.