A fair and reasonable question for Jehovah's Witnesses

by Gregor 78 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Gregor
    Gregor

    Your organization has always been intently focused on "witnessing" and this includes going right up to strangers homes, knocking on their door attempting to engage them in a discussion of their beliefs. You come prepared to point out the error of whatever faith they hold. Doctrines such as immortality of the soul, the Trinity and eternal torment in hell you declare as false teachings and can back up your assertions with scriptures and skilled argument. You refer to your belief as "The Truth".

    Why are you forbidden to even listen to questions about your faith? Why are you forbade to read or discuss anything that disagrees with your belief? It seems fair to say that this is hypocritical, is it not? Is it because the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society is vulnerable to honest scrutiny?

  • bite me
    bite me

    That is a very good question. I'll probably get shot down for asking something like that. They'd refuse to answer that question too.

  • Faithful-n-Discreet Wife
    Faithful-n-Discreet Wife

    Jehovah's witnesses believe THEY have the TRUTH. They feel that if they have the TRUTH they have the right to be EXCLUSIVE. All their refusals are not hyporcitical....it is their RIGHT. Since false religions do not have the TRUTH...they won't be exclusive...they are searching for truth....

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    When I was a grade-schooler one of my teachers asked "How many of you children think your religion is the true one?" About three-fourths of the kids raised their hands! As a young JW, I was shocked, since I thought I'd be the only one with my hand up.

    Jehovah's witnesses believe THEY have the TRUTH. They feel that if they have the TRUTH they have the right to be EXCLUSIVE.
    This belief / feeling of JW's could be classified as arrogant.
    All their refusals are not hyporcitical....it is their RIGHT.
    Other religions also believe they have "truth", so by this logic other religious people who think they have truth would be right to refuse to consider the ideas of the JW's.
    Since false religions do not have the TRUTH...they won't be exclusive...they are searching for truth....

    Even a lot of JW's (especially those raised in it) found the WT Society's doctrine unfulfilling, and started a search for "truth". They either found their "truth" outside JW's or came to the conclusion that nobody knows the absolute truth.

  • Open mind
    Open mind

    I really like the way you phrased the question Gregor. At this stage of my recovery I'm really focusing on the "presentation" of ideas. Timing and presentation. Timing and presentation.
    Here's my New Year's Resolution: Memorize key WT quotes.

    For this one I can quote "Book & Chapter" just not the "verse".

    Awake, 1984, "From Our Readers". I think it was in July or August.

    Anyway, some reader blasted the Awake for slamming the Catholics. The Awake's response is perfect for your question, Gregor. The Awake's response was something to the effect of 'The Catholics claim to be God's channel so they shouldn't have a problem with an honest examination of their beliefs.'

    Just substitute JWs for Catholics and it's a green light for questioning JWs to learn whatever they need to.

    Couple other similar quotes are in the Truth Book and the Live Forever book. Remember the "road map" illustration in the Live Forever book? Cuts both ways methinks.

    Again, great post Gregor.

    Open Mind

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    It is true that the Witlesses are hypocrites for expecting people of other religions to read Witless litter-ature, but they will not even touch other religions' literature. And there is a reason for it. Since the Witlesses are living an illusion, reading other viewpoints would shoot so many holes in the Witless belief system that it would collapse. Imagine reading and taking to heart Ephesians 2:8 and 9. Salvation is through grace and not works. So, your salvation is not through the work you are doing. The Watchtower Society owes its existence to people thinking that there is no salvation except through the works you are doing. So, you stop going door to door. After, no one comes in, and the Tower comes down.

    Or, imagine reading Luke 2:10-14 without Watchtower litter-ature. You are reading it independently or through another religion. Of course, they are open at saying that the angels are celebrating Christmas, which would be true. So you go ahead and spend all that money that would otherwise go into the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund on Christmas decorations and gifts. You also take time off to celebrate it instead of going door to door taking advantage of the opportunity to catch people at home. The Tower would suffer.

    That is the sole reason why Witlesses are banned from reading independent religious material. Once you shatter the illusion of the Tower being the truth, it is extremely difficult to put it back together. In fact, for every person that has had that happen and still returns after being out for 5 years (per 1,000 people that see through the illusion), you will have 50 per 1,000 dieters losing weight manage to keep it off. That is pathetic odds. Once the illusions are busted, there is little to no chance that the person is ever going to believe it again. Hence, they put all their energy in prevention and prohibit the members from reading literature from other religions, independently reading the Bible, or speaking to apostates.

  • Confession
    Confession

    “We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with God's Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination.” [The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, 1968, page 13]

  • inkling
    inkling

    A "fair and reasonable question" will only have impact on a fair and reasonable person

    [ink]

  • yourmomma
    yourmomma

    this is my first post here. i am hoping that since i am probably in the minority here that we can show a mutual respect for each other beliefs. im willing to discuss anything if we can keep it respectful. now before i go on, i will say that in my observation many of the active witnesses that come on this site, have an arrogance about them that turns people off. hell, it turns me off. a quick example is there was a witness who was studying on here and the blood issue was brought up. her basic response was a blanket statement that there is nothing wrong with the blood issue and so what if she dies, she has the resurrection. Now that may be true, however its comments like that, that make witnesses look like nut jobs. (in the grand scheme of things, that is a minor one, lol) My comment would be that not all witnesses are like that, and there are witnesses like myself who cringe at the stuff many witnesses say or do. Are alot of witnesses like that? Yes. Are many, many witnesses making life or death decisions based on only what the society allows and not what they themselves have researched? Yes. Thats sad and a mess. But its real. Here is the thing about me, regardless, I try to keep it real as much as possible. Facts are facts. The witnesses that the OP is talking about that believe they are forbade to even entertain opposing viewpoints or debate them are Watchtower Witnesses. These people would deny the ransom sacrifice is the society wrote an article that said Jesus was no longer in the equation. Now, I know many here are going to jump all over me and bring up the fact that the society says not to go on the internet, not to do this, not to do that. my response is, I did not get the memo that said that as one of Jehovah's Witnesses I had to take all suggestions the society makes as laws. Do alot of witnesses think that? Yes. Is it right? No, its clearly scripturally not the case. Anyway, as I said, i am open to discussion, all i ask is we keep it respectful. I will say that I respect the fact that each person on this board has a right to believe whatever they want to just as I do. I am in no way authorized to judge anyone, nor am I authorized to judge anyone an apostate. People that judge other people are idiots. That is one of the most clear scriptural principles there is, and yet people still do it. Oh well, thats another issue. Anyway, I have browsed this place for a while and frankly many of you I would not consider apostates. What I see is that there are people who have been gravely harmed by other witnesses and the society and use this board as therapy. I use the Bibles view of apostates, not anyone elses. An apostate is not a person who talks about real problems and real mistakes the society has made. Talking about the fact that the society and the congregations are in crisis, does not make you an apostate, at least not Bibilicy and frankly any other opinion other than the Bibles, I am not interested in, weather they are apostates or the society. Anyway, I dont want to come off preachy, thats one of the reasons i posted because the original poster is referring to witnesses and due to the fact that alot of witnesses are rude, arrogant, putting their foot in the door mo fo's, he looks at all witnesses that way. I am here to say that not all of them are like that. Most of them are, lol, but not all. haha Keep it real!

  • Open mind
    Open mind

    I would like to be the first to say WELCOME to yourmomma.!!!!!

    I really, really mean that.

    I hope your time here is rewarding and that you'll take any attacks (there's bound to be a few) with at least a grain of salt.

    I look forward to hearing more from you.

    Open Mind

    (3rd gen JW, still "active", can't believe it anymore, in for family)

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