The Bottom Line

by feelinsketchy 11 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  feelinsketchy

  Not long ago I saw a post to the effect that the writer just doesn't care anymore about the dubs. I understand perfectly. I'll go a step further by saying that although I care about the damage caused by the borg to individuals and families, every experience is important and no doubt painful, for me there is something that hits me to the core.

  The more important (to me anyway) work that is being done by this board and others like it is to proclaim (sorry about the language) that this group advocates the violent destruction of all except those that get to all the meetings and put in ten hours a month. How can anyone get beyond that? And what is the appeal of that doctrine to those that really think about it and consider its consequences?
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  IP_SEC

  And what is the appeal of that doctrine to those that really think about it and consider its consequences?

  Often the consequences arent taught at the beginning. You dont know about dfing until you are snagged by the pair o' dice. Witnesses are all about the new world, but they tend to shy away from the big A at the door and in the study until the victim is vested.

  Go ahead, ask a witness if only witnesses will survive the end. They will sing you a song from here til tomorrow, but wont answer the question with a yes or no.
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  daniel-p

  2 areas of appeal:
  
  
  1. The hope of earthly paradise. This is the one that gets the suckers; the ones who are constantly dumbstruck by the complexities of civilization and embody their fear of the unknown with delusions of a devil.
  
  2. Social benefits. Perhaps this is the first time someone has felt acceptance; they are welcomed, invited; they make several new friends to go along with their new religion. If they don't make friends inside the org. they will not last long. Religions more often today resemble the social communities of yesteryear in what they offer: recreation, economic, emotional connections allowing its adherents to build social capital. This is a huge appeal - a perfect one to complement the former, since this is what really gets people to the meetings.
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  JamesThomas

  And what is the appeal of that doctrine to those that really think about it and consider its consequences?

  What is the appeal to any theist who believes that their way is the only way, and all who believe otherwise will die or be eternally punished? The Witnesses are only one branch on a diseased tree.

  The root of the problem is reducing to a personal god, that which can not be reduced.

  j
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  A Paduan

  I read somewhere that if they preach to you and you reject it, you're dust, but if you didn't get to hear it then the preaching is that you'll get a second life.
  

  If that's true, how come they preach - are they murderers?
  
  -----------------------------------------------------------
  

  A parable
  

  There was a company owner who said to his workers, "Take this threat to my prospective clients - and if they cough up, I'll treat them well, but if they don't I'll treat them like trash - and if you do the job for me I'll treat you well too, but if you don't then you're for it also."
  

  Some workers said, "No way, do what you like, we won't treat others like that for you", but other workers hopped straight to it, happy in the knowledge that both they and some clients would be rewarded, regardless of what happened to everyone else.
  
  So then, who were the kind workers ?
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  MidwichCuckoo

  Dubs view the slaughter of (what I would consider) many innocent people, including children, as GOD'S doing. Remember? GOD closed the door of the ARK, not Noah.
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  carla

  Go ahead, ask a witness if only witnesses will survive the end. They will sing you a song from here til tomorrow, but wont answer the question with a yes or no.

  That's what is so infuriating! My jw claims that they don't believe everyone else will be destroyed, 'nobody knows who, blah, blah,blah'..... I even showed him just a few things from the wt's that pretty much say just that, he either won't even look at them or claims they are taken 'out of context'. Yet he has full access to a kh library (doesn't he?) and has a cd, but will not check into it at all. sigh. lazy s.o.b.'s.
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  luna2

  I was lazy too, carla. I can't believe now how I didn't do more research. I trusted and admired the gal that studied with me...and I just gave up my independance and my will to a stupid cult based on the crap in the literature without looking outside of the box. So stupid. I had to find out the hard way. Ugh.
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  TopHat

  I read somewhere that if they preach to you and you reject it, you're dust, but if you didn't get to hear it then the preaching is that you'll get a second life.
  
  
  

  If that's true, how come they preach - are they murderers?

  
  

  
  

  Paduan, From my view point, JWs are "WANNABE MURDERERS"

  If you don't believe as they do and reject their make-believe message, their hearts gleefully turn to cold blooded murder to see you has dust under their feet. IF only they could see themsleves. How unloving for one's neighbor they really are.
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  drew sagan

  The entire expierance of "learning" from the witnesses is one of gradual progression and conversion. If you where told such things as "Jesus hand selected our group in 1919" when you first let them talk to you, the conversation would have been over. The way their ministry is designed is that individuals members are hand picked, gradually coverted over a long peroid of time. No member can ever understand everything the Witnesses belive, but since everything seems so logical, after time they begin to simply trust what is published and no longer question. It's amazing how questions are encouraged and seen as a sign of desire to learn at the begining and discouraged and viewed as lack of faith once you enter!!!!
  
  Remember too this is why the preaching work is so "secret". No signs on the Kingdom Hall to tell others what the talk will be for the week! Nothing is done is such a public way. It is secretive. I know from discussion with Witnesses that they never can put togeather why people in the territory don't understand them and think they are a cult. I think the answer is obvious.
  
  In conclusion the believer eventually stops making up his own mind and begins to simply accept what is being told. FEAR, let me say that again FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR is what keeps them from going any further. Most cannot sacrifice the COMFORT of what an organization can bring in order to be a free Christian.