It's like Jack said in "A Few Good Men" yelling, 'you can't handle the truth'. I think a lot of JWs don't want to know if what they believe is really true or not. It's easier never to question, it's easier to have all the answers and not have to think for yourself. For people who've been in it 30 plus years, I don't know if it's kinder to let them have their delusions. For me personally, I needed to know. I pray everyday for my family to get out. It was traumatic enough for me to leave and I was raised a dub, imagine someone who has made choices based on the religion like let their loved one die over the blood issue or they didn't marry someone they really loved 'cause the elders told them too - for them, it better be the truth after sacrifices like that. Those are the ones I feel sorry for.
Still ANOTHER Elder says: "But what does it matter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
by Lady Liberty 22 Replies latest jw friends
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darth frosty
The reason 'it doesn't matter' to most witnesses, is that the WT$ has done such a thorough job of discrediting other religions. When faced with similar evidence against the WT$ the average witness cant help but fall back on the safety net of where will we go. like someone said its the minds way of protecting itself against self destruction.
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Honesty
I think a lot of them stay in the Watchtower Lie is because it gives them a 'comfort zone' that they believe no one can penetrate. All their conditional friends are 'in' and they just can't handle the thought of losing all those wonderful friendships.
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unclebruce
Gary's "they WANT to be witnesses" opens up some interesting lines of thought for me to sleep on.
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All that really matters in JW world is "loyalty to the society™". You can get away with a great deal as long as your "loyalty to the society™" is beyond question. I realized that very early and it kept me out of trouble (almost like a talisman warding off evil).
It was only when almost out the door I began examining the question: but what is "loyalty to the society™". In about 1985/86 a young circuit overseer lectured us about how decisions were made at the weekly meetings of the GB. That had quite an impact. He took away any ideas we had about holy spirit guiding proceedings. In retrospect I believe the lecture was to counteract Ray Franz book Crisis of Conscience.
In 1999 I went on Randy's site and saw the names and photos of the GB for the first time. I felt really stupid that I'd once dedicated my life to being loyal™ to twelve dumb old farts.
I wonder if deep down in the JW psychi Jehovah and 'the society' are interchangable?
unclebruce
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unclebruce
Gary's "they WANT to be witnesses" opens up some interesting lines of thought for me to sleep on.
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The way I see it, all that really matters in JW world is "loyalty to the society™". You can get away with a great deal as long as your "loyalty to the society™" is beyond question. I realized that very early and it kept me out of trouble (almost like a talisman warding off evil).
It was only when almost out the door I began examining the question: but what is "loyalty to the society™". In about 1985/86 a young circuit overseer lectured us about how decisions were made at the weekly meetings of the GB. That had quite an impact. He took away any ideas we had about holy spirit guiding proceedings. In retrospect I believe the lecture was to counteract Ray Franz book Crisis of Conscience.
In 1999 I went on Randy's site and saw the names and photos of the GB for the first time. I felt really stupid that I'd once dedicated my life to being loyal™ to twelve dumb old farts.
I wonder if deep do wn in the JW psychic Jehovah and 'the society' are interchangeable?
unclebruce
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SickofLies
I get this same stupid responce from my parents, and I've tried explaining that it makes a BIG difference! I mean if they are wrong / purposefully lying about 607 then what can we trust them on? Nothing! This would blow away the whole theory that Jesus picked the WTS as the SOLE channel to gain ever lasting life (apparently Jesus doesn't want people following him anymore) and everything would be shattered. It must be terrible being a JW and facing the truth of the situation after having scraficed so much in the name of a religion!
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jeeprube
The common addage these days among Witnesses is "Where else would we go?" Most of these people have spent years, if not decades, in the "truth." To acknowledge that it all has been a lie would be too painful for most of them. The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm on a higher plane.....able to see through their faulty "logic" and to realize that the only thing which matters is faith in Christ.
The political games played by JW's are now comical to me. It's like watching little ants climb all over themselves running in a circle.
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freedomlover
*I wonder if deep down in the JW psychic Jehovah and 'the society' are interchangeable?*
Unclebruce- Of course they are one in the same to JW's! I remember when I first found out the 607 stuff and I started to question the literature and everything I was ever taught. I literally could not, in my own mind, begin to question the society without feeling like I was betraying god himself. It was horrible. I prayed all the time during those first few days for god to not just strike me dead because I was questioning HIS society and HIS words.
makes me sick to think of that now. -
jeeprube
I wonder if deep down in the JW psychic Jehovah and 'the society' are interchangeable?
Yes they are! How many times have we all heard the phrase, "Well, the Society says,"............To the JW the Society IS Jehovah.
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Mary
Amazingly, the Elder made comments almost exactly like all the others recently posted when asked questions. "WHAT DOES IT MATTER??? Yes the 607 date has holes in it, but what does it matter??"
It seemed to matter a hell of a lot when Ray Franz told Uncle Freddie in the 1970s that there was no biblical/historical or archaeological evidence to support 607 BCE. From what Ray described, good ol' Freddie nearly had an apoplectic seizure when he was told about this potential spiritual bomb and was one of the issues that caused Ray's crisis of conscience.
And like Scully said, it matters a great deal when the Catholic Church teaches the Trinity and Hellfire, or the Mormons teach that the Book of Mormon is another inspired book by God, or that any religion celebrates Christmas and Easter........these are all 'proof' that these religions are (supposedly) part of Bablyon the Great, yet when the WTS knowingly promote a FALSE DOCTRINE which they know to be wrong, then it's "what does it matter?"