In a recent morning worship talk, Anthony Morris III, member of the governing body, encouraged all Jehovah’s Witnesses that one day their enemies will all vanish like smoke:
Among those identified as expected to receive this fate are not only those that have left the organization for whatever reason, including expressing disagreement with the leadership over doctrinal issues, classified as apostates and strictly avoided, but all those outside of the organization that are considered part of the world. (James 4:4)
However, is this the attitude Christ would want his followers to have? Does his father eagerly anticipate the destruction of billions of people?
Consider:
(Proverbs 24:17, 18) . . .When your enemy falls, do not rejoice, And when he stumbles, do not let your heart be joyful; 18 Otherwise, Jehovah will see and be displeased, And He will turn away his anger from him.
(Proverbs 25:21, 22) 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink, 22 For you will be heaping burning coals on his head, And Jehovah will reward you.
(Ezekiel 33:11) . . .Say to them, ‘“As I am alive,” is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, “I take delight, not in the death of the wicked one, but in that someone wicked turns back from his way and actually keeps living. Turn back, turn back from YOUR bad ways, for why is it that YOU should die, O house of Israel?”’
(Matthew 5:43-48) . . .“You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? 48 You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Romans 12:14) Keep on blessing those who persecute; bless and do not curse.
(Romans 12:20, 21) . . .But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.” 21 Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.
(2 Peter 3:9) . . .Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.
At his crucifixion, instead of calling down evil upon those nailing his hands and feet Jesus set the example by following his own words and prayed for his persecutors:
(Luke 23:34) . . .: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” . . .
The same attitude was expressed by the disciple Stephen as he was being stoned to death:
(Acts 7:59, 60) . . .As they were stoning Stephen, he made this appeal: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then, kneeling down, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.” And after saying this, he fell asleep in death.
One must ask then, if neither God himself, his Son nor first century Christians take pleasure in the death of the wicked one, where does any human today find justification for doing so? Instead, would not the harboring and encouraging of such animosity indicate that one is not from God?
(1 John 4:20, 21) 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And we have this commandment from him, that whoever loves God must also love his brother.
This talk by Anthony Morris is not only in opposition to counsel from God’s word, but even flies in the face of printed direction in the Watchtower:
“Love Your Enemies”
(The Watchtower May 15, 2008 pgs. 7-9 pars. 3-8)
3 In his renowned Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his audience to love their enemies and to pray for those persecuting them. (Read Matthew 5:43-45.) Those present on that occasion were Jews, who were aware of God’s command: “You must not take vengeance nor have a grudge against the sons of your people; and you must love your fellow as yourself.” (Lev. 19:18) First-century Jewish religious leaders held that “the sons of your people” and “your fellow” referred only to Jews. The Mosaic Law required that the Israelites stay separate from other nations, but the viewpoint had developed that all non-Jews were enemies, to be hated as individuals.
4 In contrast, Jesus declared: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you.” (Matt. 5:44) His disciples were to act lovingly toward all who showed hostility to them. According to the Gospel writer Luke, Jesus said: “I say to you who are listening, Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.” (Luke 6:27, 28) Like first-century individuals who took Jesus’ sayings to heart, we “do good to those hating” us by responding to their hostility with gracious actions. We “bless those cursing” us by speaking to them in a kind way. And we “pray for those persecuting” us with physical violence or other forms of “insulting” treatment. Such petitions are loving requests that persecutors might have a change of heart and take action that brings them Jehovah’s favor.
5 Why show love for our enemies? “That you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens,” said Jesus. (Matt. 5:45) If we heed that counsel, we become “sons” of God in that we imitate Jehovah, who “makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.” As Luke’s account puts matters, God “is kind toward the unthankful and wicked.”—Luke 6:35.
6 Stressing how important it was for his disciples to ‘continue loving their enemies,’ Jesus said: “If you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?” (Matt. 5:46, 47) If we were to limit our love to those who reciprocate, this would not merit any “reward,” or favor, from God. Even tax collectors, who were generally despised, showed love for people who loved them.—Luke 5:30; 7:34.
7 The common Jewish greeting included the word “peace.” (Judg. 19:20; John 20:19) This was an implied wish for the health, welfare, and prosperity of the person greeted. It would not be an “extraordinary thing” if we were to greet only those whom we consider to be our “brothers.” As Jesus pointed out, something similar was done by “people of the nations.”
8 Inherited sin made it impossible for Christ’s disciples to be flawless, perfect. (Rom. 5:12) Yet, Jesus concluded this part of his discourse by saying: “You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48) He was thereby encouraging his listeners to imitate their “heavenly Father,” Jehovah, by perfecting their love—making it complete by loving their enemies. The same thing is expected of us.
One of the marks that Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught identify them as true Christians is found in Jesus words in John chapter 13:
(John 13:35) By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”
Here are some examples of what this is understood to mean:
“God’s people show genuine, unselfish love for one another. Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) The early Christians had such love for one another. Godly love overcomes racial, social, and national barriers and draws people together in an unbreakable bond of true brotherhood. (What Does the Bible Really Teach? pg. 148 par. 9)
“Jesus taught his disciples to love one another. (Read John 13:35.) It doesn’t matter where we’re from, what our culture is, or whether we are rich or poor. Our love for one another should unite us as brothers and sisters. (Colossians 3:14) (What Can the Bible Teach Us? pg 156 par. 9)
Notice the emphasis on showing love to fellow witnesses as their Christian brothers. However, in Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus said by showing love to ones Christian brothers alone his disciples would be doing nothing outstanding. So his words in John chapter 13 are by no means to be viewed as being limited to the self-sacrificing love Christians should show toward one another. In fact, unless their love included their enemies in its grasp it would be incomplete. Such an incomplete love, rather than serving as an identifying mark of true Christianity, would serve the opposite. According to Jesus, they would not be considered sons of their father in the heavens.
If Jesus or one of the apostles were the speaker at that morning worship service, can you honestly imagine them eagerly looking forward to the destruction of God’s enemies? Or would they rather do so with tears?
(Matthew 23:37) “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you did not want it.
(Philippians 3:18) For there are many—I used to mention them often but now I mention them also with weeping—who are walking as enemies of the torture stake of the Christ.
In order to condemn others, Anthony Morris would have to have been given authority to judge. Is that the case? The inspired Apostles indicated that Christians were not permitted to do so:
(1 Corinthians 5:12, 13) For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”
(James 4:12) There is only one who is Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you to be judging your neighbor?
Hence, to render condemnatory judgment on another human and then look forward to God carrying out the execution of your personal judgment would be immodestly thinking more of oneself than it is necessary to think.