Are JWDers focused on the wrong reasons

journey-on

A couple of weeks ago, I had a discussion with an elder's wife. Every now and then, they call on me with the literature. They all know I'm ex-JW, but I'm nice, never da'd nor been df'd, and they think there's hope for me. Also, I'm always good for a return visit on rainy days. I usually just offer coffee or coke (cola, that is), listen to their shpiel, and accept the mags.

But, on this occasion, probably influenced by something from here, I eased into a discussion about the leadership of the governing body and how I don't agree with just blindly following a bunch of old men in New York.

The gist of what she told me was they know the leadership is imperfect and errors have been made in the past. But, Jehovah's Witnesses are the only ones that teach real Bible truth regarding hellfire, the trinity, the immortal soul, the pagan origins of holidays, and they are the only ones that follow Jesus' command to go forth from house to house with the good news of the kingdom. They are the only ones that teach that the earth will be turned back into a paradise which was Jehovah's original purpose for mankind.

So, what I'm saying, is while the leadership of the GB and scandalous issues like the pedophilia and UN issue are what we mainly focus on here along with failed prophecy, they simply say those things are because men are imperfect and make wrong choices. But, JWs have Biblical truths and this is what they stay focused on.

And we all know disproving basic Biblical doctrines on hell, the immortal soul, trinity, etc. is all in which scriptures you use. It's impossible to prove or disprove. After they left, I began to realize I could show them all the info in the world about the cover-up of the pedophilia problem, the info about the U.N. ngo membership status, how families are torn apart because of shunning, etc. but all they hold on to is Biblical doctrine and overlook everything else. Any thoughts?

megsmomma

I think the issues you mentioned are the most surprising ones, and are therefore discussed the most.

When I finally freed myself from the JW mind set....understanding the things the Bible taught with out the JW's influence is what impressed on me the most.

For example.....We all know the verse they use for "proving" when you die you are concious of nothing. It is Eccl. 9:5-6 (Jist of it is For the living know they will die but the dead are concious of nothing) Yet....if you are to take that literally, then read Eccl. 10:19...(Jist of it is Money is everything) Obviously the book of Eccl. isn't meant to be taken literally.

This is the example that hit home for me.

If you just go about reading verses, it may seem JW's are the closest thing to the truth....which makes the best lie.

But, focusing on scandal is more fun and proof to me that the JW's are in no way God's only true religion.

WTWizard

Imperfect? True, we all do stupid things and sin without thinking of it (if you actually believe it's a sin to do something unscriptural that harms neither self nor society). But is it merely a mistake to tamper with the Bible 20,000 times and then claim it's the King James version that was faulty?

minimus

Some believe in the FDS and WHATEVER they say, it's gospel. Others are more into being shown love. Some are into doctrines. Others, dates and prophecies.

If a person doesn't care about anything but teaching the no's---no hellfire, no trinity, no immortality of the soul---that's their reason why they're in. Nothing else matters. Interestingly, the Worldwide Church of God is almost a carbon copy of JWs.

journey-on

I can't fathom believing an organization with such a faulty track record is "the truth." But, the mentality of this elder's wife showed me that they don't care about all the imperfections. They simply KNOW that the doctrines are true and hold on to that. And as far as the NWT of the Bible goes, they actually believe Jehovah's spirit guided the translators to record the real meaning. I'm beginning to think there's no hope for the ones still in it.

Gopher

I'm beginning to think there's no hope for the ones still in it.

There's little hope if their loyalty is to an organization, as seems to be the case for your JW visitors. It's hard to get loyal organizationists out of the box.

But some do come out - maybe not because of the doctrine but more because of the lack of love or the scandalous behavior of the WTS leadership. When they're ready, they can come out. And if they want support, we're here.

undercover

If the WTS/JWs was just a benign religion that taught no hellfire, no trinity, no immortatlity of the soul as their main doctrines, then yea, you could forgive them their occasional error.

But they claim to be speaking for God. They claim to be his only channel to mankind. Yet they have made many predictions in the name of God that were wrong. They constantly change doctrines because of the failed predictions. And then they treat anyone who questions their God given authority and their doctrines with disfellowshipping and shunning.

This is a religion that says they have all the answers, yet allows no one to question them... at least beyond what they teach in a Watchtower.

Narkissos

It sounds like the mirror version of the discussion about "what have the Romans ever done for us" in the Life of Brian...

There are scandals, the dates went wrong, the doctrine is possibly false, but this doesn't matter (although it gets more and more difficult to point out what does matter).

I'd feel like taking a completely different angle and ask, for instance, if JWs offer a more lovable picture of mankind than the world at large. Including the best and the worst, the beautiful and the ugly, on both sides.

nvrgnbk

Some just know it's wrong.

All of it.

GoingGoingGone

But they claim to be speaking for God. They claim to be his only channel to mankind. Yet they have made many predictions in the name of God that were wrong. They constantly change doctrines because of the failed predictions. And then they treat anyone who questions their God given authority and their doctrines with disfellowshipping and shunning.

This is the whole point, for me. One can pretty much make the bible say whatever one wants... it can support hellfire, Paradise earth, immortal soul, no immortal soul, etc. The only way for the WTS to enforce their power is to claim to speak for God, and thus anything they say is indisputable.

If you crush the FDS doctorine, the rest will come tumbling down on it's own.

GGG

Are JWDers focused on the wrong reasons

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