Even elders don’t know their beliefs

Addison0998

I had a deep conversation with my elder father today about the Bible. First I talked to him about Luke 16:19-31. The one where Jesus makes this crazy illustration regarding the afterlife. Of course he had to look it up on the watchtower library to be spoon fed his beliefs. I couldn’t get him to raise any doubts, although he did say it is so strange and confusing that Jesus decided to talk about life after death like that. I asked him if he could imagine the response if that scripture wasn’t in the Bible and an elder said that from the platform at the KH. He didn’t know what to say.

I told him I had also done research (on the wt library of course) (noooot jwfacts.com lol) on the 607 and 587 deal. He was very surprised, as he had no clue that historians and researchers agree that Jerusalem was destroyed in 587. He said that we have to trust the Bible more than those other people. And that Jehovah will probably provide more evidence later. I can only dream that this has planted seeds in his mind that he will later give more attention to. But I feel like I shouldn’t even try. There is no independent thinking and reasoning skills in this family and they will always be mind controlled. Oh well

hybridous

Yes, it's often this way. One eventually gets the idea that the beliefs don't really even matter.

If the WT Society directed that JWs believe the moon is made of candy, there we go...it's about adherence to the authority. Not any specific idea or belief.

Anyway, it may just be a valuable thing that you can talk to your father - about anything at all, never mind religion. If you place your expectations in the outcome of these conversations, you may just be setting yourself up for frustration.

I say this as someone working on letting go of these expectations. Dragging these along in life can make you weary.

humbled

Yes, it's often this way. One eventually gets the idea that the beliefs don't really even matter.

https://youtu.be/qWS2NVX6VP0

sir82

And that Jehovah will probably provide more evidence later.

That right there is the JW trump card.

No matter how impossible the situation is, somehow "Jehovah will provide the answer in his own due time".

And yet, somehow, that "due time" never comes.

Phizzy

Most JW's are very lazy when it comes to reasoning and to research, as to research they have been commanded to only use WT Library.

" He said that we have to trust the Bible more than those other people."

This shows that he thinks "the Bible" gets us without difficulty to Jerusalem's destruction in 607 BCE and we have to trust that it will be upheld by evidence eventually.

The point is, the Bible does not get us to 607 BCE at all, only the convoluted mental gymnastics of Russell, and later Franz, can do that, and by misunderstanding ( or ignoring) what the Bible actually says.

There is no such thing as "Bible Chronology", we only have the research of scholars, " those other people", to get us to 539 BCE, which then has to be explained partially away by JW Org to get them to 537 BCE, so they can work back to 607 and then forward to their beloved, and baseless, 1914. What a faff !

The problem is that it is impossible to get an active, believing JW to examine this, or any subject properly and with an open mind.

punkofnice

When I was an Elder I got confused between what the Bibble said and what the watchtower corporation proclaimed it said. I was horrified at how unloving, cruel and corporate the watchtower corporation rules are. Absolutely vile!

I decided to do deep research to brush up on my Bliblical understanding. All I found was a barren wasteland of hatred from watchower.

resolute Bandicoot

Hey Humbled, have a look at the video again around the 30 second mark onward, I'm sure the guy driving the boat is a young Stephen Lett.

The Fall Guy

(Galatians 1:9) "Whoever is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him [the GB] be accursed."

Millions of JW's have either gladly or reluctantly exchanged their original truths/beliefs for the "new lights" conjured up by whoever the latest governing body happens to be.

Isn't being "in the truth" today unrecognisable from what it was years ago!!!!

mentalclarity

Be careful- if I was an elder and my daughter, out of nowhere, brought up 607 it would bring up a red flag. Not to deter you from planting seeds, but remember that being labeled an "apostate" will get you swiftly dismissed in the best case scenario and df'ed in the worst case.

Unless you are a person who usually talks doctrine with your dad and it's totally normal.

LongHairGal

ADDISON:

Yes, I noticed this myself. It seems it does not matter at this point to JWs what their teachings are.

They think they are in the “right” club or “team” and that is all that matters. It’s just new system, old system, Armageddon, etc. Everything else is just gobbledygook and they don’t care.

If you question them, you get a cliche answer making some excuse.

Even elders don’t know their beliefs

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