Put your mind in JW mode for a sec...

by Darklighter 13 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Darklighter

  ... I know it hurts. Try to supress the gag reflex.

  Now that you're an an active, meeting attenting, service going JW (ONLY in your mind), answer me this question:

  What kind of things would prove or disprove the Governing Body/Watchtower's claim of being God's sole channel of communication?

  Remember, answer from the perspective of a JW as an individual. I think this is an excellent question to ask, and I may use it on my wife, but I want to get a sample of what kinds of answers it might invoke.

  We all know how often the WT reminds us that the "evidence is overwhelming!" But they're ALWAYS a bit light on actually providing some of that evidence, leaving the rank-and-file to fill in the gaps as what the proof actually is.
• 

  yknot

  KH library!

  But this only works for those JWs who know (and can attempt a reasonable explanation of ) the 1914 or 1919 doctrine, not just mindless regurgitation.

  Also interest in the library is being re-established by the society because of it's mentioning of older publications (I'm a thinkin' the elusive and oft rumored undercover apostate has made friends in the writing dept). The Live 4 Jah's Day book has a 1972 reference in chapter one, the Jan 15, 08 WT refs the Finished Mystery 1917 edition.

  Family study is around the bend.....a great time to read the oldies but goodies (according to the WTS).
• 

  Lady Lee

  well like Duhhh They told us.

  I can't find the right scripture at the moment but I'll find out and get back to you.
• 

  M.J.

  They are the only ones that teach and dispense the Truth in fulfillment of Matt 24:45.
  
  They are the only ones directing worldwide work to preach the message of the kingdom.
  
  
  How am I doing for a never-JW?
• 

  Darklighter

  I was thinking (from the perspective of a JW) that the "faithful slave" shows evidence of being spirit-directed because of pointing to 1914 as a "pivotal date", directing world-wide preaching, effect of "the truth" on peoples lives, "healthful words of truth", WT always gives the "Bibilical view" and therefore the correct view, WT always gives good advice. Things like that...

  What else is there?

  Obviously there IS NO EVIDENCE, but yeah, what kinds of things would a JW come up with to support this belief?
• 

  oompa

  I actually think God using his HS would only allow truthful teachings.....not false ones. And that would be 100 percent of the time. Now you might could forgive or allow one or two screw ups.....but when the overwhelming number of things taught are wrong or turn out to be wrong...false.....then you have to have only one conclusion....logically....oompa

  by their fruits you will know them....and fruits are what is being taught...............oompa

  I have asked several active jw's....just how many thing do we have to be wrong about before we can conclude we are not the ones with the only truth???
• 

  Bendrr

  What kind of things would prove or disprove the Governing Body/Watchtower's claim of being God's sole channel of communication?

  How about their old publications, and I mean the really old ones from the days of Charles Taze Russell? The wacky teachings written in them such as the return of the "ancient worthies" in 1925 or how the architecture of the Great Pyramid at Giza predicted some date (think it was 1914) or that Jehovah lives in the Pleiades star cluster.

  I've got a copy of 'Millions Now Living Will Never Die', a reprint sent to me by Nathan Natas, and the book is absolutely nuts! I've shown it to some current JW's and they were speechless.

  If you go back and look at the early teachings of the Bible Students, it really strains the credibility of their claim that Jehovah chose the small group led by Pastor Russell to be his chosen religion and his sole channel of "truth". Apparently, Jehovah was looking for someone really gullible in the beginning who'd believe anything and once he'd established trust, began to slowly dispense the "truth" over a period of decades.

  With plenty of "forget I said that" moments along the way.
• 

  Finally-Free

  This is what started me thinking.

  1. Spouse was sexually abused as a child. Elders covered it up.
  2. Two of the abusers later became elders.
  3. Elders are "appointed by Holy Spirit" according to the watchtower.
  4. I had to conclude that: a) Holy Spirit was too stupid to recognize child molesters b) Holy Spirit was wicked and condoned child molestation or c) Holy Spirit had nothing to do with it and the watchtower was full of shit.

  I concluded that the watchtower was full of shit. If they were full of shit on that point, then they were likely full of shit about a lot of other things. That's all I needed.

  W
• 

  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  Well, let's see, a dub would say, "Without the direction of the FDS we wouldn't know how to pray." Heard that one this week. "We wouldn't be able to understand the truth about the Bible." "We wouldn't know [insert any JW teaching]"

  Then the finale would be, "Where else would we go to that has sayings of everlasting life?"

  ...sorry, throwing up a little in my mouth now.

  B the X
• 

  WTWizard

  Are we allowed to use the 1975 messup? Remember, there are people at the Kingdumb Hell that remember the messages to sell out and pioneer. You will not grow old in this system of things. If you do not use the remaining few years wisely (that is, in field circus), you won't have any time in the New Dark Ages. If you go to college now, by the time you graduate, you will find this system almost gone if not totally gone.

  All these things were written between 1967 and 1974. And then in 1975, the slogan was "Stay alive 'til '75". Of course, 1976 happened and that all went bust. And now many of them are paying debt, and the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger is blaming people for putting their trust in them.

  And now, they are telling people to trust the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger without questioning them or cross-referencing them (precisely what they got blamed for in 1976). Are they willing to repeat the mistake that people made in 1975?