No Independent Thinking?

by FrankWTower 11 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  FrankWTower

  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I just realized another WT contradiction. I read a critical analysis of The Origin of Life and Was Life Created brochures called "Weighed and Found Wanting" (which is exellent by the way and recommend it, it's here somewhere). As I read along on the brochures I finally noticed how the society makes constant appeals to your own common sense and intuition. It does this by asking questions like:

  "What do you think? Can life have appeared on its own by chance? What seems more likely?"

  Those questions, you know? You've seen them. They're all over the place.

  Why does the WT ask you to think for yourself when it comes trying to refute science but when it comes to its own beliefs, don't think, don't question; just believe. Appealing to one's own uncritical thinking is most likely to lead one to erroneous reasoning. Common sense is not realiable at all. Five hundred years ago, common sense led people to believe that it was the sun, moon and stars that revolved around the earth, not the other way around.

  Today, the society makes frequent appeals to one's emotions and preconceived ideas to reinforce their point of view. But it also tells it's members not to rely on one's knowledge (at least when it's convenient) because it can mislead us. Wheather you're a creationist or science oriented, you can see the contradiction.

  What say you?
• 

  sd-7

  They only want you to think independently of what you believe.....if it's not what they want you to believe. If you already believe what they want you to believe, then it's irrelevant. Any evidence for their belief will be accepted and any evidence that disproves their belief will either be ignored, denied on the basis of their (read: "the Bible's") authority, or distorted so as to appear weak. This is Awake! style reasoning--open your brain just enough to be assimilated, but no wider.

  --sd-7
• 

  LostGeneration

  Very true.

  Another example, other Christian religions. They want everyone who goes to another church to question, question, question. They slam other religions against the wall and pound them to a bloody pulp. But try that with their reliigion? You are quickly lableled an opposer, tool of the devil, or if you once were in there cult, the dreaded A word. Just a bunch of hypocrites posing as God's mouthpiece.
• 

  sabastious

  The questions you found in that anti-evolution propaganda are posed that way by design. The whole point of propaganda is to appear logical and founded in reason. It's just a bait and switch.

  "God must exist" - does not equal - "The Watchtower is God's chosen organinzation and anyone that does not recognize them will perish in Armageddon"

  -Sab
• 

  sabastious

  Think of the Watchtower like the Verizon Wireless guy:

  "Am I your overlord now?"

  -Sab
• 

  clearpoison

  You see, these piece of works were not designed to inner circle but as tools to convince outsiders. Proportionally how many times book studies move on based on reading through the printed word compared to generating debate/discussion around the theme of the day? Even though these books have been studied on book studies the concept have been based on the knowledge that more or less all people allready believe in stuff, making these questions rethorical and of academic worth only. On the other hand how many outsiders are aware that independent thinking and reasoning are, if not totally banned at least partially discouraged within organisation.

  Whatever happened to concept of making the thruth your own?

  CP
• 

  transhuman68

  The WTS supply the questions AND the answers. The questions are loaded, just pointing you back to the article you have just read. It's a closed loop- they don't REALLY want you to think.
• 

  The Oracle

  Frank W Tower, I say you are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

  Quite ingenius of the Watchtower to use this method. They are tricky bastards aren't they?

  It's a clever technique to reinforce their own brainwashing, by asking question to draw out memories of the ridiculous points they have been hammering in to your head for so many years.

  The Oracle
• 

  wobble

  Yup, along with loaded language like "honest hearted ones ....... " ( = are the people who accept the WT's rubbish, the rest are liars)

  They have inherited the mantle of Russell upon their shoulders, good old C.T pioneered this dishonest style of writing.
• 

  Terry

  The key to understanding the Watchtower methodology is contained in the words:

  "...WHAT SEEMS MORE LIKELY?"

  The Fallacy of presenting only TWO scenarios with loaded language and connecting emotional triggers

  creates only ONE answer: the answer they have rigged.

  The false prophecies and scrap heap theology beliefs they have abandoned time and again

  began by being promoted, sold, repeated and taught with illogical question: "...WHAT SEEMS MORE LIKELY?"

  6000 years of human existence "could well mean" the last 1000 years was set aside as the Millennial Reign of jesus.

  Remember that one?

  1975 was a truly "significant year" according to endless Watchtower articles and books from the 60's and early 70's.

  Solely, it turns out, because readers were driven into the False Dichotomy by the Governing Body!

  What Jehovah's Witnesses think is their own choice and rational decision making is really

  Pavlovian Response triggered again and again by being given a "reasonable alternative between two false choices."

  JW'S NEVER ARE ALLOWED TO QUESTION THE PREMISE of those false choices.

  That is tagged: Evil Slave and Apostate.

  A loyal opposition will never be allowed a foothold in discussions of Watchtower material because

  access to reality is denied.

  False Reality has been substitued.

  Independant Thinking for JW's is making one of only two strategic false choices! Either/Or.