After being accustomed to intricate interpretations, complex arguments, and imaginative allegorizing of the Scriptures, it may be difficult to recognize and accept the remarkable simplicity of the Bible’s actual message. It may be hard to realize that Jesus meant just what he said when, after stating the principle that “whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them,” he went on to say, “for this is the law and the prophets.”27 That shows that the essential thrust of all the inspired Scriptures then in existence was to teach men and women to love. This harmonizes with Jesus’ declaration that on the two commandments of loving God and loving one’s neighbor “depend all the law and the prophets.”28 Note, not only the law but also “the prophets.”
Prophecy then has as its aim not the development of some speculative, highly imaginative application to certain dates and events in modern times (which application often changes as the passing of time makes it unsuitable), nor to supply the means for boasting of an organization’s supposed superior relationship to God. All prophecy is designed to lead us to the “son of God’s love,” that we might learn love through him, and live in love as he lived in love. Thus, we read that, “The bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying.”29
Whenever Scripture is employed in any other way, whenever dogmatism and sectarian argumentation becloud and complicate this simple design of the Scriptures, it demonstrates that those so arguing have missed the whole purpose of the Bible.
Those who think that intricate, often perplexing interpretations of prophecy—that few can explain without a particular publication in their hands—constitute the “deep things of God,” betray a lack of understanding of what that phrase Scripturally applies to. Letting the Bible speak for itself one finds that the truly “deep things” of Scripture relate to learning the “depth of the riches, the wisdom and the knowledge of God” expressed particularly in his mercy through Jesus Christ, so that “out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power . . . to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”30
That the “good news” centers on this very expression of mercy by God through Christ and his ransom can be demonstrated by anyone who will take the time to look up each occurrence of that phrase by means of a concordance. Of the more than one hundred occurrences of the expression “good news” in the Bible, there are eight references to the good news “of the kingdom,” but there are scores of references to the good news “about the Christ.” This is because God’s kingdom, the expression of his royal sovereignty, is all centered in his Son and the things that God has done through him and will yet do through him. It is on Christ Jesus, and not on some human organization, that our attention and interest should focus, for “carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”31 When compared with study, meditation and prayer that concentrate on a greater understanding of the depth of God’s mercy and love and goodness, the writings found in some explanations of prophecy, however intriguing or mystifying or exotic, prove superficial indeed.
It is pleasant, then, to be able to read God’s Word without feeling compelled to fix with absolute precision the meaning of every portion, or to explain every prophetic statement in an authoritative application. For what the apostle Paul wrote still holds true:
For our knowledge and our prophecy alike are partial, and the partial vanishes when wholeness comes. . . . Now we see only puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we shall see face to face. My knowledge now is partial; then it will be whole, like God’s knowledge of me. In a word there are three things that last for ever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of them is love.32
If our love for God and his Son and for fellow humans is enhanced and upbuilt by our reading of the Scriptures, then that reading has undeniably served its major purpose. There are many points in the Scriptures that are so stated that they simply cannot be pinned down to one explanation as the only possible, right explanation. If there are alternative explanations, both of which allow for harmony with the rest of the Scriptures, both of which contribute to faith, hope and love, why fall into the sectarian trap of adamantly insisting on just one of these?
After all the arguing and debating is done over certain points or doctrinal issues that so often involve things not clearly spelled out in Scripture, what genuine good has been accomplished? The real question remains, what are we as persons? How well do we reflect the qualities of our heavenly Father and his Son? Does our life, our manner of dealing with others truly exemplify their teachings? Any teaching, organizational or individual, that does not genuinely contribute toward one’s being compassionate, considerate and helpful in one’s treatment of others, could never be from God, for “this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also.”33
In my account of events, I have referred to and sometimes quoted various individuals who went through experiences like my own. I do not offer them as some type of role model for others; even as I do not offer myself in that position. I do believe the account faithfully represents their position and spiritual attitude at the time of the events described. In any case, it should be kept in mind that we have only one role model and that is God’s Son. Humans may disappoint us and prove unreliable, God’s Son never will. In the Scriptures we have the record of his life and we also have the record of the lives of others, Paul, Peter, John, James and others, who proved themselves his faithful disciples and whose writing faithfully illuminate his teaching.
Some former Witnesses express concern that they are living lives that they feel are too quiet, that they should be “doing something,” doing more, accomplishing more. It seems that having a background with the Watch Tower organization often leaves a residue of feeling that service to God and Christ and to humankind should have some aspect of the unusual, the special, activity that of itself distinguishes one from others. In a time when men might work from sunup to sundown, 12 hours a day; when women had none of today’s labor-saving devices; and when many Christians were to be found among the estimated 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire, it is unlikely that the daily activities of the great majority of Christians in the first century were altered that much by their new-found faith.34 The daily cycle and routine may have been essentially the same. But a new motivation was there, whether in the service a worker rendered to his master, or in the care a wife provided to her husband and children, or in any other relationship and feature of life. A new spirit was manifest, and by what they did and the way they did it, and by the spirit of love they showed they allowed the light of their faith to shine, opening up the opportunity to share the good news about God’s Son with others. The difference quite evidently lay, not in an unusual program of activity, but in the faith they embraced in their heart and the effect of that faith on their attitude toward others and their daily dealings with others.
In one illustration Jesus gave about the kingdom, he likened it to the yeast placed in dough for breadmaking. (Luke 13:20, 21) Once placed there it disappears from sight. Yet it is accomplishing its purpose—quietly and unseen, with no fanfare, no brilliant display, nothing to draw attention to it. In a somewhat similar way, even if our lives and activity may seem quiet, simple, with little of the highly visible or notable about them, that does not mean that we are accomplishing nothing. The results of our faith and its influence will become evident in time. Whatever we do and whatever characteristics may attach to what we do, it seems we need to keep ever in mind that it is so very minute as compared with what is actually accomplished by God’s spirit. As Paul expressed it: “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything”—essentially nothing by comparison, for it is “God who gives the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-7) God and hi
s Son are the ones who take on the real burden, the heavier load to be carried.—Matthew 11:28-30.
We may need to free our minds of a stereotypical, conventionalized idea of what the Scriptures mean when they speak of “good works.” The expression “works” comes from the Greek ergon and carries with it no implicit idea of something formal or programmed. “Good works” simply mean “good deeds,” as the term is often rendered. The context of the expression can be revealing. When Paul, in his letter to Titus, speaks of being “a people zealous for good deeds,” his preceding discussion has dealt with older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and slaves, and in all of his exhortation to all these groups he deals with—not some specialized, programmed activity—but features of everyday life and everyday conduct. (Titus 2:1-14) When James speaks of being “doers of the Word” and of the “religion that is pure and undefiled,” he highlights “care for orphans and widows in their distress,” along with being unstained by the world. (James 1:22, 26-28) And when he shows that genuine, live faith will motivate deeds of faith, he uses as his example the caring for the bodily necessities of fellow Christians in need. (James 2:14-17) John does the same in urging his brothers to love “not in word or speech, but in truth and action [ergon].” (1 John 3:17-18, NRSV) All these, then, are among the “good works” or “good deeds” or “good actions” that we can do to let the light within us shine and thereby cause others to give glory to our Father in heaven. — Matthew 5:14-16.
The question is asked, Where then do I go? What do I become?
I feel no need to “go” anywhere. For I know the One who has the “sayings of everlasting life.”35 I appreciate the strengthening companionship of those I have with whom to associate (either personally or by correspondence) and hope that the future will add to my acquaintance with yet other sincere persons whose concern is for truth, not simply in doctrine, in words, but as a way of life.36
I am simply trying, then, to be a Christian, a disciple of God’s Son. I cannot see why anyone would want to be anything else. I cannot understand how anyone could hope to be anything more.
The past is now past. I have much to be grateful for, comparatively few things to regret. By this I am not minimizing the seriousness of error. When the sands of time in life’s hourglass begin to run low, the damaging effects of having allowed any measurable degree of error to affect one’s earlier decisions and life course can become rather painfully apparent. I have no regrets as regards hardships endured in the past. I feel I have learned valuable lessons from them. The trusting confidence I placed in a human organization, however, has proved to have been misplaced. Having spent the greater part of my life endeavoring to direct people to God and his Son, I found that that organization views such ones as if their flock, answerable to them, subject to their will. Nonetheless I am happy in the knowledge that I personally sought to encourage such ones to build their faith on God’s Word as the sure foundation. My trust is that that labor will prove to have been not in vain.
At an age where other men contemplate retirement, I found myself just trying to make a start in providing for future needs of myself and my wife. Yet, along with the Bible writer, I could “say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”’37 I do not regret in any way having held to conscience; the good that has resulted far outweighs any unpleasantness experienced.
Some early decisions, based on false presentations of God’s will, produced effects that seem well nigh irreversible. I still get a hollow feeling inside whenever I think of leaving behind a wife with no son or daughter to supply emotional support and comfort. But there is a future beyond the immediate future and it is hope in that future, and the divine promises related to it, that calm the heart.
Though I find some of their actions incomprehensible, I feel no more authorized, or inclined, to pass judgment on those individuals who have rejected me than I feel they had the right to pass judgment on me. My sincere wish would be that the future might bring them better days, for I feel that there is so much that they could do that would broaden their outlook and lives and cause their days to become far richer in more meaningful ways.
I hope I have learned from mistakes of the past and, although I will certainly make more, I trust that at least there will be improvement, for the good of others as well as my own. I do regret that I cannot personally apologize to some whom I have wronged in one way or another, but my prayers are that no lasting hurt will come and I trust in God’s providence in those areas that are beyond my ability to do anything about. Hopefully, the remaining years of my life may see a measure of peace for my wife and me and God’s blessing on our united efforts to serve him all our days.
After his summary expulsion from the international headquarters, Edward Dunlap passed through Alabama on his way to Oklahoma City and his beginning life anew there at sixty-nine years of age. In talking with him, he said, “It seems to me that all one can do is try to lead a Christian life and help people within whatever sphere of influence he normally has. All the rest is in God’s hands.” He eventually had to discontinue his wallpaper-hanging work due to age, but he continued providing for himself and his wife by secular work until well past 80 years of age. He remained spiritually active, both through home Bible discussion with others in his area and through correspondence with persons writing to him from within the U.S. and from other countries. He expressed no regrets and his faith was strengthened by his experience. He died at age 88 in September 1999.
As of this present writing (2008), I am now 86. I rejoice, as did Ed, in the rich benefits that Christian freedom brings, the closer relationship with God and his Son which that freedom makes possible. Initially I felt that my only regret was that of not coming to the realization I did at an earlier age in life—perhaps a decade earlier (at age 47 instead of 57)—when starting life anew might have been less difficult. On reflection, I recognized that had that been the case I would not have had the experience of spending several years on the Governing Body and gaining the perspective that this made possible, something of potential benefit that could be conveyed to others who had not had this experience.
Life is a journey, and we cannot make progress in it if our focus is mainly on where we have been; that could lead to emotional inertia or even spiritual decline. What is done is done. The past is beyond our changing, but the present and future are things we can work with, focus on. The journey inevitably contains challenge, but we can find encouragement in knowing that we are moving on, making at least some progress, and can feel confident that what lies ahead can be fulfilling.—Psalm 5:8; Proverbs 3:6; 16:9; Jeremiah 29:11.
Whatever our individual circumstances may have been, we can each put confidence in the truth of these words of the apostle, “We know that by turning everything to their good God cooperates with all those who love him.” (Romans 8:28, JB) By holding to conscience and staying true to our Head, God’s Son, we suffer no lasting loss, but do gain that which is of immense and enduring value. Assured of that, we can feel as did the apostle:
Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. . . . one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:7, 13, 14, RSV.
11 Corinthians 3:6, 7; 2 Corinthians 4:7, 15; 6:10.
22 Corinthians 5:14, NRSV.
3Matthew 11:28-30, NIV.
4The Watchtower, February 1, 1952, p. 80.
5The Watchtower, July 1, 1973, p. 402.
6Matthew 10:17, 21; Mark 13:9-12; Luke 21:16.
7Acts 10:35.
8In the 1983 edition of Crisis of Conscience, this information appeared on page 344.
9During my nine years on the Body it was unusual if anything these three members combined in favoring were not supported by sufficient members to control the result of a vote. Their positions were almost always unquestioningly supported by members Barr, Barber, Booth, Gangas,
and Poetzinger. Lyman Swingle’s voice was always heard with respect and certainly carried considerable weight. Yet when issues arose, his viewpoint and position were often overruled if they did not coincide with that of the three members mentioned. Dan Sydlik at times showed a willingness to favor a position other than the traditional one, but his voice did not carry the same weight as that of the three mentioned, or for that matter, of Lyman Swingle.
10As has been noted in Chapter 7, early Watch Tower articles presented the year 1881 as the time when the invitation to be part of the “bride class” of 144,000 would cease, and the “closing of the door to the high calling” would have taken place. After 1881 came and then passed farther and farther into the past, this date’s supposed significance was dropped, to be replaced in essence some half century later by the date of 1935.
11Not only the various “Bible Student” associations, several of which are international, but also some Church of God affiliations hold nearly identical beliefs in these same areas; the Seventh Day Adventist churches believe in soul sleep, do not believe in eternal torment, do believe in a paradise earth ruled by Christ’s kingdom.
12A Question of Conscience (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1967), pp. 65, 66, 77, 78, 81
13As noted earlier, serious problems have arisen for the Witness organization in several European countries as to certain status and related benefits normally available to religious organizations. Governmental agencies in Germany, France, Russia and other countries have implemented policies or assessed fines that have given cause for concern. The change in policy regarding alternative service may relate to this. Disfellowshipping policies, and policies prohibiting blood transfusions are subject to criticism. Efforts to improve their public “image” has led to the formation of public relations staffs and considerable effort to portray a favorable impression in the news media.
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