I finally found the words to describe what's happening with the JWs all around me. It's the difference between faith, and superstitious attachment.
The dictionary describes faith as found below. After which is found the definition of superstition. Go over them first, and then refer back to them as you read my notes posted below them.
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faith (f³th) n. 1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, an idea, or a thing. 2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. 3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance. 4. Often Faith. Theology. The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will. 5. The body of dogma of a religion. 6. A set of principles or beliefs. --idiom. in faith. Indeed; truly.
su·per·sti·tion (s›”p…r-st¹sh“…n) n. 1. An irrational belief that an object, an action, or a circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome. 2.a. A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance. b. A fearful or abject state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality. c. Idolatry.
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Jws profess to have faith. And since I am one, albeit on the surface, and associate with them regularly, I am in a good position to make statements of fact, to the effect of setting out the truth in this regard.
If one were to look carefully at the definitions above, one would see that at some point, the two definitions cross paths. Yet there is a critical difference between the two, and the rank & file JW fits categorically into the latter.
In both situations, the person has a profoundly held belief, but the main difference seems clearly to be that in the case of superstition, the belief is irrational. The dictionary defines irrational as below.
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ir·ra·tion·al (¹-r²sh“…-n…l) adj. 1.a. Not endowed with reason. b. Affected by loss of usual or normal mental clarity; incoherent, as from shock. c. Marked by a lack of accord with reason or sound judgment.
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So, how to set the record straight.
Jws will all talk about reasoning, and they will attempt to hold anyone they talk to this standard. Yet, what happens when the one they talk to knows a little too much for their taste and holds them to their own standard? What happens when you "reason" with them and they begin to see a huge hole in their own theology?
They revert to "we have the truth" and "we have the faithful slave". They SEEK COMFORT in a type of "rabbit's foot" that’s hung around their neck. They begin to rub this "rabbit's foot", their organization "talisman" and to seek comfort in the "irrational" belief that invoking the organization will save them.
Even if they can clearly see that the organization is wrong, the organization is still right, because it's God's organization after all. Circular reasoning it's true. But more interestingly, they don't need "reason" to come to this conclusion.
I remember a conversation I had with one JW I know well. I pointed out the Watchtower's errors in its teaching regarding Pentecost 33CE and what REALLY took place. Once he ran out of arguments and saw that there was no way to refute the truth presented to him, once the WTS's error was made plain, he immediately, and very predictability, reverted to "well we have the faithful slave". Rub, rub.
In another scenario, I inquired about the "generation" teaching from one sister who was going on about the great ORG, and she unequivocally threw in her lot with the WTS's position. Then I asked her to explain it. All I got was a blank stare. She couldn't explain it. Yet she made clear that she wholeheartedly believed it! Irrational?
I reminded her that, a year after the "generation change" came out, brother X gave a public talk on the subject. When he got to the part where he had to explain the "new light", he stumbled, and stumbled. He resembled a man trying to get a rusty nut loose with the wrong tool. This way, then that.
Finally, Brother X reached down below to the bound volume he had brought up there with him. There was a long pause as he fumbled through the book to find it. Then, he read it WORD FOR WORD.
I asked the sister, who attended that same meeting. "Did Brother X understand it?" She acknowledged that he did not. Then I went on to explain that nobody in the hall did either!
Rational? Faith, or SUPERSTITON?
If a JW is cornered, they will almost without exception rub their "rabbit's foot". I imagine them pulling out their Watchtower magazine like a comfort blanket, and staring at it trying to remember the video where they saw the Organizational Bigness with it's tall buildings and printing presses, thus charging up their superstitious batteries.
I hasten to say that the WTS could do away with god entirely and the org would suffice. The great Org. becomes a god in and of itself. I think that if our Lord and Savior and his Father were surgically removed, JWs would still go to the hall, bang the doors, attend the assemblies and do whatever they are told to do,
Take one last look at the final word in the definition of superstition. (above)