The Fear of Regret & Apostasy

by Emery 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Emery

  There must have been a some sort of misunderstanding within my posts. If you're thinking that I want to remain associated with JWs, that is incorrect. Let me make this clear, I plan on exiting this organization as soon as possible, hopefully in the near future. I reject many of the Watchtower's doctrines like; the blood doctrine, 2 class system of christians, armageddon, 1914, bible being fully inspired of God, and the faithful and discreet slave.

  What real studies do you suggest? This topic has absolutely nothing to do with my personal theology, so there is no reason to state my set of bias here. The goal is to encourage others to set aside their own prejudices and feelings for truth. Do we all have a form of bias when delving into subjects? Of course! That is why one must keep to the facts and be self aware of such things. Let's look at a definition of the word "objective" to fully comprehend it's meaning.

  Objective: Not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion.

  The information i've read so far has adjusted my beliefs due to facts. Those adjustments would not be possible had I approached such "apostate" information with Watchtower bias. Also, I wouldn't consider books like; Misquoting Jesus, God's Problem, and Forged to be part a devout Jehovah's Witness study.

  So, they are totally making up their ecclesiology, but everything else is right on.

  You are misrepresenting my position and the argument here is fallacious. Your using the composition/division fallacy. The assumption that one part of something has to apply to all, or other parts of it; or that the whole must apply to its parts. I am not entirely sure what the agenda of your argument is, but it's not helping anyone here.
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  rip van winkle

  Joyfyl Fader- Welcome. I look forward to your thoughts and experiences.

  Maybe you can your start your own post to introduce yourself.

  This way everyone will Welcome you and get to share with you their pearls of wisdom.
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  flamegrilled

  Sulla: But I've had dealings with more than my share of JW apologists and know enough to say that they all have the same diseases

  That is generalization straight out of the WT. They would call all who were formerly associated who disagree with them "mentally diseased". To generalize in such a blanket way is to stoop to the level of someone who doesn't understand the issues or is trying to press a very specific agenda.

  I think Emery made a perfectly reasonable post, and your response tries to undermine the strength of it. Many of us know the upside of the org. Denying it as if to say that someone is effectively "still in" by acknowledgeing any positive aspect does little to show a balanced view to those others who are on the fence.
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  Sulla

  No misunderstanding, Emery; I don't think you want to stay a JW and that's not what I've said. What I've said is that you aren't objective or unbiased at all, you have simply exchanged one set of biases for another set of biases. You seem to think that refusing to acknowledge your biases is the same thing as overcoming them. It is not.

  One problem with JW-ism is that people tend to think the teachings and attitude are somehow exogenously imposed on otherwise really groovy people. Instead, JW-ism is a religion designed to appeal to people who are very over-confident and very under-qualified; JW apologists are the worst of the lot. To give an example, observe that you suggested we check the dictionary definition of "objective," so that we could "fully comprehend" what it means. I mean, that's asshattery on an epic scale, right?

  I guess what I'm saying is: why not just stay a JW? It's not like you are being harmed by it and the practice of knocking on doors might actually do you some good if you are less convinced that you are so right about everything. Jw apologists who turn around and leave the JWs are just guys for whom even the gigantic reservoir of JW's unearned arrogance isn't enough. Dude, you got bigger problems than the JWs. My advice is to fix those first.
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  jgnat

  Sulla, you are off the mark. What's your agenda?
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  Emery

  Sulla, one day I hope to obtain your majestic intellectual powers of heart reading. Anyways, everyone I hope you read these books and keep an open mind to facts, thanks again!
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  Sulla

  jgnat, no particular agenda. I don't like JW apologists. I don't like JW apologists who aren't JWs any longer. Known too many of them, I guess. They do things like quote the dictionary and it really pisses me off.