If you could ask one question to an active JW to get them to open their mind about their beliefs, what would it be? (page 3)

pirata

There is no universal question.

I think the only effective question is one that matches their existing dissapointment or issue OR is something that they have never heard before and will want to research.

I discovered the 587 thing by myself 12 years ago and it never dawned on me to do confirm it because the Society obviously already researched it well for me. I also discoverd that our debunking of the Trinity was not the same Trinity that most Christians believe in about 10 years ago, again, didn't really bother me too much either. Although it might be a small thing, what shook me was that I felt that the society overstates the effectiveness of EPO after watching one of my friends die because they took EPO and iron instead of blood. If that didn't happen, I may have just kept shelving my doubts. To most other witnesses, I doubt EPO misrepresentation would be a big deal. To others 587 could be a big deal.

Snoozy

Already mentioned in other ways but:

Do you feel you have the freedom to examine other beliefs?

Or

Do you feel you have the freedom to compare other beliefs vs yours to the bible?

Snoozy..

dontplaceliterature

@pirata

Timing is everything. You are on point, for sure. I don't think there is a "catch-all" question to rock someone's foundation in Jehovah's Witness doctrine. Although, I do think Ding's question is incredibly insightful.

If a Jehovah's Witness had a closed mind, they wouldn't be an talking to an "apostate" or visiting an "apostate" website. So, when would an active closed minded Jehovah's Witness really ever get the chance to hear such a good question, Ding?

Common sense told me that a number of our beliefs weren't scripturally defensible. That is what inspired me to keep reading when I stumbled on this site. Since I was already open to the idea that the GB had some things wrong, it was easy to confirm in my mind that my suspicions were well founded.

@Ding,

Please elaborate here, or via a PM to me about The Trinity and what the 'world's' acutally explanation is, if Jehovah's Witnesses have it wrong. I've always been taught that the Trinity was different depending on the person you asked. No one has ever explained it to me the same way as the previous person, and frankly, their explinations were silly, at best (It's like and Egg...apple...or some such illustration). I'll never forget asking my Sister-In-Law (a Methodist) to explain it to me, and she just sounded rediculous. Her boyfriend at the time was Bahai (sp?). He also found her explination silly. But, they do not believe in a Trinity either, nor do Muslims (largest religion in the world (if JWs are excluded from Christianity), nor the Jews. I would like to hear a good, common sense explination.

The Bible is pretty simple when it comes down to it. This should be something easy to understand if it is a fundamental teaching of God.

pirata

I don't believe in the Trinity, but there is a thorough discussion of the brochure "should you believe in the Trinity" by Christians who believe in the Trinity:

http://4witness.org/jwysbt/ysbt_contents.php

It's a long read, but addresses the context of all quotations made in the brochure.

pirata

Okay, I'll take a stab at it.

Q1: If we ever think that the Bible teaches differently than the Governing Body, is it safe to trust our reasoning?

A1: No, human reasoning can be misleading. We should wait on Jehovah and trust the faithful slave.

Q2: If human reasoning is misleading, then how can we trust our reasoning that we have the Truth?

ablebodiedman

When studying 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 2 consider these questions:

1/ Is it the true Christian Temple or the false Christian temple that gets undermined by a "man of lawlessness"?

2/ Are Jehovah's Witnesses and their faithful and discreet slave in the true Christian Temple?

3/ Is Satan successful because he undermined false religion or true religion?

4/ If Satan is to undermine false religion then why did Paul bother warning those Christians who would be around immediately before Jesus Christ returns at the conclusion of the system of things?

5/ Do the Watchtower Publications REALLY answer those pertinent questions?

6/ Why not?

ablebodiedman

Here is another very important scripture in the bible which comes with a command from Jesus Christ:

Luke 21:7-8
He said: “Look out that YOU are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them.

Here are some questions:

1/ Has the Watchtower Society and its Governing body ever claimed to speak for Jesus Christ?

2/ Has the Watchtower Society and its Governing body ever announced that; "the due time has approached"?

3/ Is it more important to obey Jesus Christ, or the men who claim to speak on his behalf?

Band on the Run

If they could ask themselves questions, certainly they were born-in and will graduate out. A similar problem was debated when I was an undergrad. Columbia College was the site of student strikes and building take-overs. The faculty were detached. They were very antiwar, too. There was an immense problem administratively for those headed to medical school. The administration decided to actively recruit deferential students from Catholic and Jewish religious families. Yeshiva girls/boys we called them. They knew ever fact but could not reason or think. The faculty was fed up with this new ideal student. Outside the Witnesses, hard questions are appreciated.

On another tangent, I'm now Anglican and have gone bonkers with all the different heresies/discussions concerning the nature of Christ. I know the Trinity is an extrapolition of the Bible. Recently, our priest rejected all the teachings of the Great Councils to observe that God has different aspects from our experience. The Trinity is a way of affirming that we experience God differently but the same God is present. They should make law grads read the formulations and answer questions as a bar exam feat.

I never know what to say to them b/c I feel I should plant a seed of doubt that might gestate later. The primacy of the Bible has always been my stuffed toy. Jesus probably wouldl think someone with a lot of Jeopardy type Bible knowledge was a trickseter. Good character seems a good test. The problem with good character is that many, many atheists have good character. It is back to the folly of the cross. What truly bothered me most of all for me to leave was knowing that all my dear friends and family members, the very government that provided order from chaos, was coming to a very painful and tortured end at Armageddon. I hated 98% of JWs, esp. my local KH. Even as a child, I knew God was not that god. It must be a lesser god, one that is not evolved. A few years later I sat and heard about Gnosticism for the first time.

I imagined the Bible always existed. Next, I learned about canonization, an overtly political process. Gnosticism showed me other views of Christianity were just as valid. Paul vs. James was the next step.

Most people believe in the Bible as the sacred document.

Snoozy

But you would still be better off asking them If they felt they had the freedom to research any question brought up...( or are they too afraid of the witnesses)

A yes answer would open up an opportunity to ask any questions , a No answer would keep you from wasting your time and make them question their answer....

OnTheWayOut

There is no universal question that will work.

Mine is: If you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free, then shouldn't you be able to say that those with the truth don't need to be afraid of the lies and that they can freely investigate any outside sources to simply rely on Jehovah to protect them from the mechanations of the devil?

A good JW will simply say: Don't put Jehovah to the test. Satan is crafty. Beware the dark side.
Crap like that.

If you could ask one question to an active JW to get them to open their mind about their beliefs, what would it be?

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