Testing For Transparency - An Honesty Check

Vanderhoven7

Please share any other yes/no questions that might fit with the following 10. Also feel free to critique the 10 listed.

TESTING FOR TRANSPARENCY

There are some facts that Jehovah's Witnesses are reticent to divulge to new prospects. You may want to find out very early in your discussions if the Witnesses you are studying with are open and truthful about their organization's doctrine and practices by asking them a series of sensitive (potentially embarrassing) questions about their personal beliefs. Certainly, their personal beliefs are expected to match the official teachings of their organization which demands complete unity of thought and practice.

It is important to realize that Jehovah's Witnesses are permitted and even encouraged to deceive people whom they deem unworthy of the truth. These would include those who they suspect are “opposers” of their organization and its' doctrines. Witnesses refer to this misleading practice as “Theocratic Warfare”.

SENSITIVE (Yes/No) QUESTIONS

Sample Lead in Question: Are there any aspects of your religion that trouble you or perhaps make you uncomfortable? (or is it all good?)

1. Do you see your religion as being the one true religion on earth today? (or the only religion that God approves of?)

2. Would you say that all other religions are essentially satanic? (or part of Satan's kingdom?)

3. Do you believe that God is planning to destroy all the churches of Christendom and their supporters?

4. Do you believe, perhaps with rare exceptions, that only faithful Jehovah's Witnesses have a scriptural hope of surviving Armageddon?

5. Do you believe that a Jehovah's Witness who willfully accepts blood transfusions would still have a scriptural hope of surviving Armageddon? (or would he forfeit that hope?)

6. Would you say that there is freedom among Jehovah's Witnesses to question or disagree with some things your religion teaches (I mean without repercussion)?

7. Do you know of any honorable way for a Jehovah's Witness to leave your religion?

8. Do you believe that adult Jehovah's Witnesses, who either leave or are disfellowshipped from your religion, should be shunned?

9. If you somehow lost faith in your religion's primary leadership, would you lose your faith in God and the Bible?

10. Do you believe that the gospel Jehovah's Witnesses preach today is the same gospel that Paul preached?

Pete Zahut

Are Young people who grew up as JW's encouraged or even allowed to look into other religions before they get baptized?
People who leave their religion to become a Jehovah's Witness often get opposition from their families and are sometimes disowned. Do you think their families are right to do this?
Are JW's allowed to see in detail how their donations are allocated and what they're invested in.

Biahi

Great questions!

wallsofjericho

Is the governing body ever “wrong”?

Ding

How do you know that what you are being taught as truth today won't be dismissed as "old light" next month?

Does that uncertainty trouble you at all?

Vidiot

wallsofjericho - "Is the governing body ever 'wrong'?"

And if so, are you allowed to say so?

The Fall Guy

What Bible evidence convinced you that only Mr. Rutherford and a few of his friends were chosen in 1919 by God & Jesus to be 'the faithful slave?' Can you share that proof with me?

Brainfloss

Are you or any members of your congregation currently shunning any of their children?

truth_b_known

1 Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the accurate knowledge of the truth that is according to godly devotion 2 and is based on a hope of the everlasting life+ that God, who cannot lie,+ promised long ago; 3 but in his own due time, he made his word known through the preaching entrusted to me+ according to the command of our Savior, God; 4 to Titus, a genuine child according to the faith we share:

May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. - 1 Titus 1:1-4 NWT

According to the Bible, God cannot lie. Do you believe a God of truth and honesty would allow his alleged appointed representatives on Earth to put his name on inaccurate information as some sort of stop gap or make weight until He is ready to reveal a truth, which may or does invoke unnecessary suffering or death upon those who accept it as truth?

Vanderhoven7

OK, some good additions here. I try to personalize these potentially embarrassing questions because I already know the official WTS responses so I feel dishonest asking questions as if I don't know the organizations' positions. That problem is solved when I ask them what they personally think/believe.

11. Do you believe that less than 150,000 faithful Christians existed prior to the 20th century? (33AD-1900)

12. Do you believe that Jehovah has promised to usher in a safe and secure new world before the 1914 generation expires?

13. Would you say that modern JWs are very similar to early Church Christians?

14. Do you believe that your organization's leaders have been given exclusive mandate and ability to interpret the Bible for Christians today?

15. Do you believe that the Bible can be made to say anything one wants it to say?

16. Would you say that Jehovah's Witnesses generally discourage their children from going on to university?

17. Are JW's able to see in detail how their donations are allocated and what they're invested in.

18. Are you sure that what you are being taught as truth today won't be dismissed as "old light" next month?

19. Are you or any members of your congregation currently shunning any of their children?

20. Do you believe a God of truth and honesty would allow his alleged appointed representatives on Earth to put his name on inaccurate information?

Testing For Transparency - An Honesty Check

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