Independent Thinking

by Jeffro 34 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Jeffro

  I decided to do a search of the Watchtower Library CD on the phrase 'independent thinking'. Only three times is it ever spoken of as being a good thing. And those three instances are quite telling about the insidiousness of all of the other times that JW publications consider independent thinking to be such a bad thing.

  *** w57 8/1 p. 469 par. 7 Will You Get to Live on Earth Forever? ***
  Independent thinking is difficult, unpopular and even suspect. Thought conformity is the order of our day. To seek solitude for meditation is frowned upon as antisocial and neurotic.

  *** w58 8/1 p. 460 Dawns a New Era for the Irish ***
  To ask a sound religious question is a demonstration of lack of faith in God and the church, according to the clergy. As a result, the Irish people do very little independent thinking. They are victims of the clergy and fear.

  *** w72 3/15 p. 170 The Delight of Jehovah Will Succeed ***
  Man possesses a mind and a heart, not controlled automatically by instinct, but capable of independent thinking and reasoning, making plans and decisions, exercising a free will, building up strong desires and motivation. That is why you are capable of exercising the fine qualities of love and loyalty, of devotion and integrity.

  All of the other times it is mentioned, it is claimed that independent thiniking is "dangerous", and even "demonic" and "Satanic". Sounds a bit like control to me. And I think the writer of the 1958 Watchtower quoted above would have to agree.
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  carla

  Independent thinking is difficult, that's why so few people do it. (there's a quote that goes something like that somewhere)

  As for the wt mentioned, I think 'new light' would show that independent thinking is a dangerous thing. I have a whole folder on this subject but packed it away awhile back. Wouldn't be needed by my jw as independent thinking would only tickle his ears or whatever the assinine jw phrase is.
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  ninja

  Brilliant research Jeffro mate....I will be showing a few folk independent thinking is a "good thing"....more ammo against them....cheers.....ninja
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  LittleToe

  Caught in another hypocrasy, huh?

  The word-association has now been completely made between independant thinking, apostacy and demonism.
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  RAF

  Please Jeffro can you (out of you CD) give me a bunch of other their litterature which associate "independant thinking" with apostasy and demonisme ?.
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  gumb

  Did they actually ever stop to think that if it hadn't been for independent thinking there wouldn't have been a Watchtower Society? Russell certainly was an independent thinker when it came to religion. Of course, they applaud converts from other religions for their independent thinking when (as they see it) it leads them into the WTS, but not when it leads them out!
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  Golf

  I guess there is NO independent thinking going on when the slave class have their meetings!!!! Yeah right!!!!
  
  I like the middle quote about the Irish Catholics doing very little independent thinking. They are victims of the clergy and fear. Hmmmmmm, look who's calling the kettle black.
  
  
  Golf
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  Confession

  This is a really great find. Thanks.
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  Zico

  'I like the middle quote about the Irish Catholics doing very little independent thinking. They are victims of the clergy and fear. Hmmmmmm, look who's calling the kettle black.'
  
  Like those articles on propaganda. Or when they criticise the Catholic Church for covering up for peadophiles. They have NO shame.
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  Qcmbr

  Is there really such a thing as independent thinking? Is it possible - I would list the following counter claims to free thought:
  
  1/ The limits and cultural pressure of language.
  2/ Peer pressure.
  3/ The force of the machinery of state (education, law, media, workplace standards, religion.)
  4/ The inability of the human brain to filter out all other human influences (and the impossibility and undesirabilty of such a position) and then inability of the brain to not be chan.ged by its experiences. You are the sum of what you have been - a pastiche rather than a whole - you're different today than you were yesterday.
  
  The only free thinking I believe is possible is the ability to see which cage you've made your mental home in.