Why?

by SuperBoy 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Giordano

  Keep in mind that this is a 19th century concept and that concept and it's attending culture continues to this day. Everything that permeates the Kingdom Hall is part and parcel of the 19th century even the educational level, treatment of women and all of the huge mistakes about medical advancements. Their knowledge of the bible comes from uneducated people born in that century.

  At this point in time the average JW is so infected with that old time religion they believe their corporate culture like no beards or no pants for women are beliefs.

  It's most glaring in the 32 reasons that you can be DF for when the bible only mentions a few things. Like a few other religions they cherish their delusions. Why else would a group like the JW's finish so poorly by every social metric then every other religion in the Pew survey?
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  DATA-DOG

  I love the amusement park ride from hell illustration. BAFS's was great too. My only disagreement it that Jws practice a form of pseudo-self actualization. If they were actually reaching the point of self-actualization then they would not be Jdubs. There is no such person as a self-actualizing Jw, because they are deluded and ignore facts while allowing others to think for them.
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  new hope and happiness

  I think its simply that the life within the lie is better for them than life outside the lie, so the compromise of any moral and ethical standards they may once have had becomes a small price to pay.

  Its a great shame that theses people can go through life and not be held accountable for the pain and suffering they have caused.
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  designs

  Why do wealthy individuals hide money in Off-Shore havens.

  There's never enough....greed.
• 

  ballistic

  Don't forget that the Witnesses were just one of many apocalyptic movements which began around that time in the 19th century. It's very possible that Rutherford and the others were serious.

  The thing is, when you formulate a complex set of ideas, whether it be a religion or the theories of particle physics or whatever, you can then build an entire world of theory around it. When something doesn't fit or make sense with the original ideas (think Rutherford's Pyramids etc), then these ideas can be thrown out or changed slightly to adjust.

  Gradually over time, ideas are formulated which seem to answer most questions and provide a convinsing enough solution for enough people. They even then develop a doctrine which explains why the teachings are gradually changing, so in other words, even the mechanism by which the religion evolves is explained as a religious doctrine.
• 

  Fernando

  We all want to be relevant - to matter.

  Some more than others, to the point of supremacy - ultimate power, control and authority.

  If I can convince several million followers that God uses ME as his sole channel, and that salvation belongs to members of MY organisation, then I'm more relevant than anyone else.
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  Fernando

  SuperBoy, to me this question is like asking why do control freaks do what they do.