Talked to a JW at a literature stand today

by nevermind 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  nevermind

  Guys,

  I need your help in trying to wrap my head around this strange experience I had today talking with a JW lady sitting at a literature table in a busy outdoor shopping center.

  I'm a very shy person, but I always wanted to ask these JWs at their literature stands questions to start them thinking about the validity of Watchtower teaching. I finally mustered my strength today to talk to this JW lady. Well, the strange thing is that she outright denied everthing a JW is known to do. Being a shy person, I didn't want to seem confrontational, but I still asked her questions on the failed predictions the WTS made about the coming of Armageddon, the change on the WTS stance on blood tranfusions, the annihilation of those who don't join the WTS, etc.

  She flat out denied everything that the WTS did and taught! Here is what she said to answer my questions:

  - 1914 failed prophecy didn't happen. All Russel did was just say something significant happened.

  - 1975 failed prophecy didn't happen. It was not the Watchtower's fault that JWs believed Armageddon was coming and sold their homes, so they ended up paying for their own mistakes.

  - All her children went to college. JWs as a whole don't condemn higher education. It's up to the individual JW to decide whether to pursue higher ed or not.

  - JWs are free to read anything they want and research is encouraged since they are taught to be like the Bereans.

  - The events transpiring at and after Armageddon, like what's going to be destroyed, what's not going to be destroyed, the logistics of handling the resurrection of dead people onto the new earth, are just theories, so can't stump her on the details of WTS teaching on the new earth.

  Basically, after the last point, I'm like what?!? This must be one liberal JW they chose to sit at that literature stand! But of course, I knew she was outright lying about everything. Perhaps she was just trying to gloss over the details to avoid the discomfort of the fact that her doomsday cult teaches horrible fate for those who don't become a Watchtower slave.

  Can you guys shed some light of this type of behavior? Is it common for JWs to outright lie like this? Please help me understand this odd behavior!
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  blondie

  Some jws have a filter on what they read and hear at the KH. They re-form it into their personal set of beliefs. Many jws are ignorant of their history, the Proclaimers book came out in 1993, and studied at the ministry school shortly after. Most jws who got the book after that never read it...too much other newer stuff. They rely on the flawed memories and filters of other jws.
  
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  Crazyguy

  She's believing the lies that the WT said to excuse thier false dates and everything else is because she's either not been a JW very long or has a major filter on. A lot of JW are this way stupid on the facts and details and completely checked out on other things.
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  smiddy

  The JW organisation are always re-writing their history and what has been written before is always "old truths" so they just mentally discard what was "true" to them previously -even facts of history.

  I know its hard to get your head around this.Our minds boggle at the thought of it.

  She is just obviously swallowing hook line and sinker whatever the GB says and refusing to use her own brain .

  She is a typical WT robot.
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  nevermind

  Typical WT robot she is.

  But she sent her kids to college and still gets to be qualified to witness at a literature stand? This is big time double standard right there!

  I'm glad I'm not the only one who boggles at this JW behavior, which is doubletalk, outright lying while maintaining a straight face, saying stuff like it's fact without first verifying. It's borderline mental I must say. But these mindless robots make perfect JWs.
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  baker

  It use to be called Theocratic Warfare, many years ago, it was taught that telling a white lie in defense of the Society was to be a proud event
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  Listener

  Good on you Nevermind for your courage and especially for discussing a number of topics.
  
  Her answers do not surprise me and it is the denial that you often see in JWs, not always to this extent though. Once you've done your research it becomes so obvious just how brainwashed they are. If you ever have doubts about being an apostate one of the best ways to confirm that you're not wrong in your thinking is by questioning a JW.
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  jwfacts

  I don't think she was lying. What she is saying about 1914 and 1975 is how the Watchtower dishonestly describes their history. Higher education is not forbidden as a disfellowshipping sin, but more of a conscience matter, so some JW's do go. It is hard to pin down a JW when you know more than they do about their religion. Add cognitive dissonance and you understand why seemingly intelligent and logical people can belong to such cults.
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  smiddy

  By the way welcome to the board nevermind .
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  Chook

  If I come across wittnesses who don't recognise me , I get the hypothetical story going.

  "Hi I have a very good friend who is a Jehovah witness and he no longer talks to his 18 year old daughter " then ask? " have they heard of any in the JW church been baptised at 12yo , they answer yes , "then ask are they free to examine other religions at an age of maturity", as they swirm pin them down on the story of your friends daughter. Tell them the father shuns this girl based on a decision the child made when she was 12. Ask them if there church still practices this arrangement. Ask why the prodigal son didn't have a judicial inquiry.