FOR THOSE GOING OUT OF WATCHTOWER INTO "A NEW CHRISTIAN LIFE" Following are some of the fine thoughts which have been condensed from Peter V. Gregerson’s “Coming out of the Watchtower Into a new Christian Life.”  It in turn is based on a speech he gave in Orlando, Florida, on June 30, 2007: Looking at the scriptures we see Christ did not ask people what their beliefs or opinions were about, if there is a resurrection, a spirit surviving the body, how many of the Hebrew books of the Bible they accepted, etc. Rather Christ focused on doing things to help other people and he wanted his disciples to be doing what he was doing, for example, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, comforting those in pain, sorrowing and dying.  Unlike the heads of the Watchtower Society who keep teaching death for 99.9% of humankind, Jesus Christ taught that everyone believing in him would not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16-18)  So Christianity is not about doctrines but about belief in Christ and doing God’s will as Christ did it. In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ spoke of how to deal with other people, which goes to show just how important personal relationships are for us.  We need to be doing God’s will by practicing honesty, fairness, mercy, justice, love, etc. in our lives on earth as an expression of God’s kingdom here. In fact without Christian love our world would not have the now many, widely-spread  hospitals, clinics, asylums, clothing thrift stores, hot meals for the sick, infirm and elderly; soup kitchens and pantries to feed the hungry.  Christianity has now been making a better human society for some 2000 years. How we live is vital.  If people of today at once had paradise on earth, then the way many live it would quickly mess it up again.  God’s way is love and we must freely choose to live a life of love for other people in order to bring about God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.  Love alone is the mark of true Christianity.  Some scriptures to look up and think about are: Matthew 5:13, 14; John 13:34, 35.  Being cynical and skeptical can cause us to not risk potentially finding real meaning in our lives, not let us risk the adventure found in the effort.  Instead let us choose hope, life, an exciting and wonderful world like heaven on earth by having our own lives centered upon conducting our lives as Christ did, as Christians.  It’s a great way to live.

COMMENTS In reading what Peter Gregerson has said I asked myself if Christ while on earth was continually getting into doctrinal discussions or debates or if he was more focused on helping others.  In thinking about Christ's entire life it appeared that the focus was indeed upon showing acts of loving-kindness not just nice-sounding words.  He was more than considerate to people at the wedding party in Cana.  He was constantly healing the sick even from the worst of diseases such as leprosy.  When crowds became hungry he fed them real fish with real bread.  And it's also true his ministry was not focused on doctrines.  As he and the disciples walked from a house in one town on to a house in another town, he definitely had time along the way and in the houses to talk about doctrines but instead he kept the focus on preaching with illustrations the Good News of the kingdom of God and doing numerous good deeds.   The Good News wasn't that many living would never die which is a lie since Paul says all sin so all die.  Instead it was that the Messiah had come and loved mankind so much he was willing to give up his human life so that men could be resurrected from death to leave happily, treating others with kindness and respect, that is LOVE. (John 3:16, Acts 24:15)  Besides being a careful, deep thinker Peter is also well-known for being, and will always be gratefully remembered, as the man who stood up for and gave work to help Raymond V. Franz after Ray quit the Watchtower Society's Governing Body. Sincerely, Joe