In another thread I saw it mentioned that this elder and his wife were trying to preach to the poster here and said that they liked that JW's had answers to their questions. I've heard that over and over throughout the years, and it does make sense on a level. People in other religions sometimes have questions and are told that this or that is a mystery, or that they just have to have faith, etc. Not that the same can't ever happen in the JW faith, but I really think it is possible that a lot of people just get sucked in because JW's will come up with an answer for just about anything. In thinking about it, it made me realize that simply being in possession of an answer doesn't make a person right. However, for many people they've never been given anything, and I think that for many it boils down to something being better than nothing. At least JW's answered their questions. In the past I too had answers for everything. They were programmed into me. Now I realize that many of those answers had no foundation, but back then I knew that JW's had all of the answers. Too bad many of those answers should have been an honest "we just don't truly know that for sure" instead of "it is definitely (regurgitate whatever they read in a magazine without any fact checking).
Is this a big reason that JW's are so attractive to some out there?
by dubstepped 11 Replies latest jw experiences
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DesirousOfChange
I think the attraction, at least for people who have problems (and that is how is most often attracted to the JWs), is not that they "have answers", but they have THE ANSWER: It's not your fault that you have problems and your life sucks. It's Satan and his wicked cohorts. YOU are good. God will make it all better for you (when no one else gives a sh!t about you). Just do what you're told and you will be special........and God will give you a Big House..........and solve all of your problems.............and give you a special spot in Panda Petting Paradise..........REAL SOON.
Now all you have to do to get this is.....................(there's always a catch).
Plus, "these people" (the kind with the problems, be hey financial, mental, social, etc) are avoided like the plague by other people. No one wants to deal with the problems of others (esp when they typically have brought on the problems themselves by not listening to wiser people). Now all of a sudden, they are love-bombed by the pioneer or publisher that has been praying for a Bible Study. Feeling loved or needed is a powerful feeling.
Doc
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Magnum
I think in the past what you mentioned was the case - that people were attracted to JWdom because it provided black and white answers (even though they might have been wrong) to questions about death, resurrection, the future, etc.
However, I don't think people are attracted to JWdom anymore because of that. Now, the availability of information has hurt JWs. People can check JWs' answers, compare to what others say, more easily find the fallacy, see the bad history of JWdom, etc.
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OUTLAW
In another thread I saw it mentioned that this elder and his wife were trying to preach to the poster here and said that they liked that JW's had answers to their questions.....dubstepped
JWs Eventually find out,they can`t Question WBT$ Answers..
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Ding
When I started studying with the WT, I was told that I ought to question everything my religion taught and to check it out thoroughly. The study conductor seemed to have an immediate answer for every one of my questions. It was very impressive and intimidating.
Ironically, once you become a JW, you aren't allowed to question anything your religion teaches or to check it out further. You supposedly settled all that forever when you decided to get baptized. From then on, you are just supposed to accept by faith that the GB speaks for God. To question that claim is seen as open rebellion against Jehovah and is therefore the greatest sin possible for a JW.
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kaik
Many people joined JW as an act of desperation during the personal crisis and they have not see any way out like did my parents. WT offered a hope of impending changes, new world with petting zoos and good health. It suppose to happen really, really soon. I often wonder why my parents accepted bible studies with my JW relatives, but eventually only my mom got baptized. I think it was all due the difficulties the faced in the communist era. My father was a military officer, but was anticommunist and deeply Catholic. He was able to do his job during much liberal, and relaxed 1960's era in Czechoslovakia until Soviets crushed Prague Spring in 1968. Later my dad was purged from his job and lost everything, income, friends, allowances, social prestige. We had no place to live, he could not find job as he was enemy of the state. My aunt offered bible studies and my parents were on the hook. Jehovah was coming and he was much stronger than Soviet Union their tanks crushing the society. New world looked so good, and early 1970's WT promised the end of the system was months away. My parents got hope. My father eventually backed of from baptism, because he said that WT was making too much BS, and he could not reconcile his Catholic education with WT doctrine. After 1975 came and go, he said WT is based on lies. My mom 40+ years later still maintaining the hopes that the New World is coming really soon and she will not die. -
umbertoecho
I would have considered the JWs having an answer for everything to be wonderful many years ago. Now I consider those priests or pastors who admit they don't know it all, to be the more honest. They are not tickling my ears so to speak. And, like many of the responses hear, I agree that the society has made a royal f(*& up of just about all they once held so dear regarding doctrine. -
jhine
I think that is right dubstepped. I know one JW who was a Baptist and one a Methodist and both were draw to the Watchtower because " they had all the answers " . Pity was neither of these ladies , along with many others stopped to check if they were the right answers .!
It is surely more honest for a church to say " we don' t know about this " than make up answers . The Bible says that some things cannot be understood in this earthly life , how do the GB know better than the Bible ? . Jan
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Vidiot
I've occasionally read statements by formerly religious people, to the effect of "I sometimes miss the certainty of religious belief."
The WTS offers certainty; in fact, I think they've even used that word.
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The_Doctor10
Being a JW is a lot like living a religious version of Family Feud, "7 Members of the Governing Body were surveyed, top answer is in the book, we asked, 'Is homosexuality a sin?' Bible says!"
There's no burden for rationale in being a JW, it's just a do as you're told religion and a lot of people don't mind that or are drawn to it. Doesn't matter if the answers don't make a whole lot of sense, at least they don't have to think about whatever it is anymore, they have their answer in their many, many books.
