As a JW, What statements made you "stop thinking?"

by Faithful Witness 19 Replies latest jw experiences

  • Faithful Witness
    Faithful Witness

    Thought-stopping platitudes, like "We are in the last days!"

    "Jehovah's Witnesses are the only ones with the Truth..."

    What statements or claims did you use, or hear, that made you feel comforted by the fact that you were part of Jehovah's organization?

  • applehippie
    applehippie

    "Wait on Jehovah"

    "Leave it in Jehovah's hands"

    "Lean not upon our own understanding"

  • breakfast of champions
    breakfast of champions

    I wouldn't say this made me feel "comforted", but it did scare me away from critical thinking:

    "That's how a 'spiritually weak' would reason on that" or "So-and-so is just 'spiritually weak"

    Or my favorite: "Going to college is a sign that someone is 'spiritually weak'"

    Those kinds of statements always bothered me because I didn't want to be a 'weak' person - I wanted to be strong! But when only 'weak' persons question things like the Genesis account of creation or the Flood, you just try to avoid thinking about it.

    So the term 'spiritually weak' was a big thought-stopping mechanism for me.

    BTW - I am writing this from my college library and am about to hit my first class of the day. . . .

    Evidently, I am "spiritually weak"

  • pixel
    pixel

    "Going to college is a sign that someone is 'spiritually weak'"

    That's sick. BFC, congrats on your class.

  • ABibleStudent
    ABibleStudent

    I feel that JWs use the following thought-stopping platitudes:

    1. "Where else would we go?"
    2. "They (GB) are just imperfect men."
    3. ""True Christians" need an organization to lead them" (or someting similiar)
    4. "We are waiting on Jehovah."
    5. "Only JWs do life-saving work by preaching door-to-door like 1st Century Christians."
    6. "JWs are the happiest (or most loving, most trust-worthy, most caring, most giving, etc.) people in the world."
    7. "All JWs behave the same."
    8. "JWs are the most knowlegable about the Bible." (or something similiar)
    9. "The End is soo sooon."
    10. "The End must be soon, because there are sooo many earthquakes (or another natural disaster, war, grisley murder, etc.)."

    How would you overcome the WTBTS's thought-stopping platitudes when JWs say them? Since the WTBTS teaches JWs to use thought-stopping platitudes to imprison JWs' minds, IMHO overcoming platitudes may be a very effective way to help JWs to critically think for themselves. If JWs' cult persona feel that saying a platitude will absolutely protect them, how would JWs respond if someone could help JWs' authentic personas to easily destroy platitudes?

    For instance, how would a JW react to the following to overcome the thought-stopping platitude of "Where else will we go?":

    Don't you mean, " to whom shall we go ?" Simon-Peter answered that rhetorical question in John 6:60-70 when he said "(Lord) You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

    Why do ask "Where else will we go?" (wait for a JW's answer)

    Do you follow teachings and examples of organizations made by men or the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ?

    Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

    Robert

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Faithful Witness - "As a JW, what statements made you 'stop thinking'?

    None, really; I was always one of those weird types who simply wasn't able to turn my brain off, no matter what.

    Funny, considering I stayed in as long as I did.

  • StephaneLaliberte
    StephaneLaliberte

    1. JWs are the only one truely promoting pure worship as they keeping the congregation pure through disfellowshipping.
    2. We live in a spiritual paradise
    3. JWs are the only one bearing the fruits: No one else preaches like they do!
    4. JWs are the only ones preaching truths such as : No hell fire, no Trinity and an earthly paradise.
    5. JWs are of the few willing to die for their beliefs
    6. JWs don't go to war unlike all other religions
  • mauiboy
    mauiboy

    ANYTHING that my mind tried to convince my heart was truth, when my heart totally rejected it was evidence I had stopped thinking... All of everything mentioned above. Finally it was too much to bear and the heart said: "OK, brain, either we get the hell out of this organization alive, or end living". 7 years ago and will not stomach the idea of returning.

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    Our problem should be easy to solve, in that none of the platitudes mentioned, not a single one, is true !

    It is not easy though, it only works if someone is ready for the Truth.

    Most JW's are not ready for the truth, could not take the Truth, and would not recognise Truth if it bit them on the arse.

  • Londo111
    Londo111

    When confronted with Organizational history and past teachings: The Light gets brighter!

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