“You always have the poor with you.”

(Matthew 26:11)

“Former Indian leader Jawaharlal Nehru stated: ‘The forces of a capitalist society … tend to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.’” (The Watchtower, May 1, 1995, page 4) Many people in our day share his opinion and take a stand for “a fair and righteous financial system.” (Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Astana Economic Forum) But true Christians want to know, what is God’s position on capitalism? Is “a fair and righteous financial system” for Christians?

This must be denied. Jesus Christ summarized the essentials of Christian financial policy: “To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” (Luke 19:26) In compliance with this principle, Jesus supported slavery – this proves that the so-called “modern slavery” is pleasing to God. (Luke 17:7) Exploitation of the poor must be maintained by all means, so that the prophecy is fulfilled: “You always have the poor with you.” – Matthew 26:11.

“The day of Jehovah … will not come.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3)

When will God’s judgment day come? Jesus Christ provided a definitive answer to this question when he said to his disciples: “The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44, NIV) Hence there is no doubt that Armageddon will come when Jesus’ true disciples do not expect it. But “Jesus’ true disciples are eagerly awaiting the end” and think “that the end may come at any time.” (The Watchtower, May 1, 1999, page 20; November 15, 1998, page 18) Thus it can never come; rather “all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” – 2 Peter 3:4.

“Miserable man that I am!”

(Romans 7:24)

As Christians we ‘must love our neighbor as ourselves.’ (Matthew 22:39) That is why the question arises, how should we consider ourselves? The apostle Paul was without doubt “an outstanding model for us today.” (“All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial”, page 217) He said of himself: “Miserable man that I am!” (Romans 7:24) On another occasion he explained: “My life is worth nothing.” (Acts 20:24, NLT) Obviously, Paul hated himself.

His attitude was in full compliance with Jesus’ words: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate … himself, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26, ABPE) Jesus considered himself “a worm.” (Psalm 22:6) We too must first learn to hate ourselves – a thorough study of the Bible can help us achieve that goal. (Job 25:6) Only then we can start hating our neighbors as ourselves. We need to consider them ‘miserable men’ and worthless ‘worms.’ This is the only way to gain God’s approval.

“They were bowing down to the sun in the east.”

(Ezekiel 8:16)

In Ezekiel’s day there were some people “bowing down to the sun.” (Ezekiel 8:16) Jehovah God considered this “detestable,” and he sent “his executional forces” to put an end to their activities. (The Watchtower, September 15, 1988, page 13) He instructed them: “Old man, young man, virgin, little child, and women you should kill off completely … Fill the courtyards with the slain.” (Ezekiel 9:6, 7) So he clearly showed that he doesn’t take a joke when it comes to sun worship.

How could we ‘bow down to the sun’ today? Bowing down to someone means acknowledging his power. In our day there are millions of people acknowledging the sun’s power by rubbing sunscreen into their skin. Others pay tribute to the sun by wearing sunglasses. People who sunbathe regularly are not for nothing called “sun worshippers.” Sunbathing as well as the use of sunscreen and sunglasses are definitely idolatry and hence “detestable things” to God. – Ezekiel 8:15.

There are more ways to defile oneself with sun worshipping, though. A reference work says: “For instance, on July 20, 1969, when for the first time a human astronaut set foot upon the moon, who was glorified thereby, according to the way that the scientific group responsible for it named things that were involved? … The mythological sun-god. How so? Because the man-made spacecraft with which the successful moon-shot for putting Americans on our lunar satellite was made was named Apollo, Number Eleven. Phoebus Apollo was the sun-god of the ancient Greeks … namely, Nimrod … Since that first landing on the moon, further moon-shots have been made in spacecrafts of the ‘Apollo’ series. All a part of sun worship!” (“The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah” – How?, page 157, 158) By showing admiration for the Apollo missions we would be guilty of sun worship accordingly. Driving a Volkswagen Apollo or using a mobile phone with Windows Phone 8 (Codename Apollo) would be something detestable to God, too.

The apostate Israelites “reintroduced sun worship and practiced it right inside the temple of Jehovah.” (“The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah” – How?, page 155) So they mixed the worship of the sun with the worship of Jehovah. Something similar is happening in our day, where many people hold “sacred gatherings” for Jehovah on Sunday of all days, “the venerable day of the Sun!” (The Watchtower, June 15, 1988, page 13; Corpus Juris Civilis) Jehovah will not watch these detestable things much longer. “Soon God’s executional forces will unceremoniously dump false religion” – including all people who wear sunglasses, use sunscreen or practice the worship of Jehovah on Sunday – “into the pit of eternal extinction.” (Awake!, December 22, 1989, page 16) Let us therefore avoid “bowing down to the sun” in a transferred sense!

“Drag these people away …

… like sheep to be butchered! Set them aside to be slaughtered!” (Jeremiah 12:3, NLT)

”Jesus had described his followers as sheep.” (Jehovah’s Witnesses – Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, page 212) He called himself “the fine shepherd.” (John 10:14) That is why Jehovah’s Witnesses are working hard to turn ever more people into “sheeplike persons.” – 1996 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, page 254.

What fate awaits the “little flock” and the “other sheep?” (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) “More than 30 million sheep are slaughtered … each year in Australia … A single abattoir kills thousands of sheep and lambs every day. Their final moments are spent surrounded by … the screams of their companions.” (The Truth About Sheep Used For Food) Even the “mother ewes will be slaughtered … after they have been worn out mentally and physically.” – Sheep and Lambs.

The butchering of sheep is absolutely in compliance with Jehovah’s purpose. “Sheep have from earliest times been offered in sacrifice.” (Insight on the Scriptures, volume II, page 916) They “are born to be caught and destroyed” like all animals. (2 Peter 2:12) In Biblical times, sheep were ‘singled out for slaughtering and set apart for the day of killing.’ (Jeremiah 12:3) King Solomon had “120,000 sheep” slaughtered on one day to provide food during the inauguration of the temple. (1 Kings 8:63) The same fate will befall the “’great crowd’ of ‘other sheep.’” – The Watchtower, May 15, 2008, page 26.