Acquire some "common sense" ... the WBTS way

by Frequent_Fader_Miles 13 Replies latest jw friends

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  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  According to the WBTS, common sense is quite uncommon in today's world. http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050515a/article_01.htm

  They then go on to give 3 simple steps to obtaining it:

  1. Study the Bible, and follow its advice. The Bible, written in the finest language and with clear logic, is an excellent aid in gaining wisdom and good sense.

  2. Learn from experience. Associating common sense with experience in life, a Swiss poet stated: “Common sense is . . . composed of experience and prevision [foresight].” Indeed, “anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.” [notice that neither the poet, nor the poem is named]

  3. Choose associates wisely. In using wisdom and common sense, we are also helped or hindered by our associates.

  Do any of these steps facilitate common sense?
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  AlmostAtheist

  LOL! The poet is Henri-Frédéric Amiel and I doubt he would have considered himself a poet, though surely a writer. It's not surprising they did the ol' "..." clip-job on his actual quote. He said:

  "Common sense is the measure of the possible; it is composed of experience and prevision; it is calculation applied to life."

  Wouldn't want the words "possible" and "calculation" being slipped into the mind of a 607/Noah'sFlood believing dub, now would we? ;-)

  Dave
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  Mum

  Einstein said, "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age 18."

  My mother, a dub in her declining years, told me that common sense could not be learned. She asserted that she had it and that I didn't and that I had "book sense" only. However, I will point out that my life was no more screwed up than hers, and mine was improving while hers was getting worse.

  My observation is that when people start talking a lot about "common sense" and claim that others don't have it, if one looks a little closer, he or she will find that the blabberer, most of the time, is a person who has little in the way of skill, education, knowledge or achievement.

  I hope your observations and experiences of those who claim to possess "common sense" are better than my own.

  Regards,

  SandraC
• 

  LtCmd.Lore

  Do any of these steps facilitate common sense?

  Common, adj. 1: Having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual

  2 Of low or inferior quality or value

  3 Lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

  4 To be expected; standard

  Going by those definitions, I'd say maybe...

  ---

  Either way, remember, common sense is what tells you the world is flat. Common sense is what tells you that the stars are smaller than the moon.

  Science tells you otherwise.

  The Bible, written in the finest language and with clear logic, is an excellent aid in gaining wisdom and good sense.

  *coughtalkingdonkeyscough*
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  besty

  and the WTS are uniquely positioned to supply all 3 components - perfect.
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  Abandoned

  Common sense isn't uncommon in today's world. Common sense is listening to that little voice inside of you that warns you that something isn't as it seems. Things that appear too good to be true usually are. People offering paradise not only don't have it to offer, but they don't seem to know how to achieve it. People with common sense see someone come to their door sharing their religion and realize that what they are REALLY offering is the opportunity to do the same thing. People with common sense recognize as liars those who come offering bible studies but who state that they aren't there to change their religion. People with common sense, who are ruled by it, who take advantage of it every day don't get involved in cults to begin with.

  Those of us who have shown an acute lack of common sense, either by joining the cult of our own volition or being raised in an environment where common sense was replaced with blind obedience, have to learn it the hard way. It sure isn't easy but with each misstep, with each stupid error, with each misplaced confidence, we learn what can and what cannot be trusted. We learn to view things not with a cynical, negative eye, but one that is sharp and wary.
• 

  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  and the WTS are uniquely positioned to supply all 3 components - perfect.

  That's the same thing that struck me too!
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  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  People with common sense recognize as liars those who come offering bible studies but who state that they aren't there to change their religion.

  How true.
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  WTWizard

  Studying the Bible and applying it is not in fact common sense. What if the Bible was not written for our day, but someone is merely misapplying it to suit their own agenda? Or, maybe one or more of the writers misapplied things as literal when it was supposed to be a parable? If you are going to study the Bible and apply it, then I highly recommend doing just what the Watchtower Society banned last September and study it independently or in small groups.

  Choosing associates wisely is in fact intelligent. You would not want to associate with a group of people that only want to see how many drugs they can get you to do. You also would not want a group that wants to mislead you and control everything you do all the time. You want a group that encourages you and makes allowances for you to mess up. You learn from mistakes, and a too-controling group will not let you learn that way.

  And learning from experiences is something I have seen the witlesses have a miserable time with. Hardly any of them learn from experience. They only learn from the littera-trash from the Witchtower Society. I have seen many of them have pxxx poor results one day and try the exact same system the next day, and wonder why they are getting pxxx poor results again. People will keep going back out day after day, doing the exact same thing. They go to the boasting sessions every time, hoping for something that never comes. And they keep doing the same things, hoping for different results.

  Not something I recommend doing the Watchtower way. To gain common sense, you need a measure of independence that is not granted by the Tower. Make your mistakes and figure out what went wrong. Study the Bible if you want to follow it, but do so independently. And shun groups that are only out to fill a nefarious agenda. And that especially goes for the Watchtower Society.
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  Frequent_Fader_Miles

  You would not want to associate with a group of people that only want to see how many drugs they can get you to do. You also would not want a group that wants to mislead you and control everything you do all the time.

  Of course! But it takes common sense to make such wise decisions .......