An elder wants to study with me...please help!

by shotgun 27 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • shotgun
    shotgun

    Hello all

    After my recent barrage of elder visits I've been told that to truly show I'm willing to work at restoring my faith a BS is needed.

    I want to be able to pick a few recent publications (last 10 yrs) and sit down with him and examine all the quotes and references in the publications to show how the society has misquoted and misrepresented so much in their publications.

    Do you know which publications would be best..keeping in mind the reference material will also have to readily accessible to be of any use. I don't think searching on the internet will be acceptable to him.

    Thanks

  • blondie
    blondie

    shotgun, will you be DF'd if you don't do this? If not, don't do it. As soon as you bring up a point questioning the WTS, the elder's mind will shut down and he will view you suspiciously. If you want to one-up an elder, why? I consider it pearls before swine. JWs are trained to turn away from anything that seems "apostate." Just be unavailable, busy with work or school, family issues, health issues, but be unavailable.

    Blondie

  • earthdreamer
    earthdreamer

    Just say NO! Unless there's a reason for you to say yes?

    Earthdreamer

  • shotgun
    shotgun

    I guess I'm not ready to make that final leap and unless I submit to some type of torture it will be the outward sign of rebellion thats needed to push my family away.

    I was looking to study a publication and do an honest examination of it with him to see what his and my wifes reaction is. I'll even try to dismiss the contradictions so it looks like I'm truly moving ahead...when the contradictions keep coming maybe they will have to admit if only internally this is not all its cracked up to be.

  • worldlygirl
    worldlygirl
    ...when the contradictions keep coming maybe they will have to admit if only internally this is not all its cracked up to be.

    Don't count on it.

  • Nathan Natas
    Nathan Natas

    Shotgun said,

    "...unless I submit to some type of torture it will be the outward sign of rebellion..."

    You are absolutely correct.

    This is all about you SUBMITTING to THEIR "AUTHORITAY" (as Eric Cartman would say).

    There is no room in this equation for your personal preferences, personal doubts, or personal interests.

    Anything you do that even hints of an inclination toward the dreaded "independent thinking" will be held against you with extreme prejudice.

    You need to know this going in, and you need to accept your torture however THEY CHOOSE to dish it out - without complaint - if you want to have them accept you.

  • RedhorseWoman
    RedhorseWoman

    Very precarious position. My husband and I had been inactive for quite a long time, but we finally decided that we really wanted to re-activate ourselves.

    We sought out the Kingdom Hall, and attended the Public Talk and Watchtower study. An elder approached us after the meeting to determine our "status" and we explained that we were trying to re-activate ourselves. A study was arranged.

    Now, here we were, REALLY trying to get back in, but my husband had gotten baptized without having much of an understanding of many points (he did it mainly so that I would date him). Therefore, my husband began asking lots of questions, only because he really wanted to understand the points being presented and wasn't willing to accept the "you'll just have to wait on Jehovah" or "you'll just have to accept this on faith" responses.

    Even this legitimate questioning in an attempt to understand made the elders very uncomfortable and suspicious, and they began casting around for something that would allow them to get off the hook with this "obvious disbeliever."

    They noticed an empty ashtray on our coffeetable, and asked my husband if he smoked. Since we had been inactive for years, he had gone back to smoking, and he admitted it. They gave him an ultimatum that he could not meet, and he was summarily disfellowshipped.....all for asking too many questions in an attempt to fully understand everything.

    It's very dangerous to study unless you're willing to concede every point and agree with everything they tell you.

  • johnny cip
    johnny cip

    shotgun: heres how to get the elder easy.ask him if jesus did an inspection of all religions from 1914-1918 he will say yes. and jesus choose the wt and fds in 1919 based on what they were teaching ? and you caqn find this teaching in any wt study book. now say jesus must have read all the wt books from 1914-1918 right . and jesus liked the books and choose the wt because they were teaching the proper spritual food at the proper time . and what the wt was teaching at the time was worship acceptable to jehovah ? ok so now i want to study the books till 1919 that were acceptable to jesus ... if they were good enough for jesus they are good enough for us to STUDY TODAY. WOULD NOT AGREE.... HOW HE IS IN HOT WATER. tell him you want to be convinced just like juses was in 1919. so which studies in the scriptures book we going to start the book study on ..vol 1 or are going to start with vol. 7 tell him to get the books till 1919 and we can srart the study any time. he will try to change the subject or tell you those books are old etc. tell him the bible is 1000"s of years old. and it is still good today right. tell him you only want to study the wt books till 1919 that jesus loved so much .. and if jesus loved them so then i'm sure we will love them just as much! he will try to back out the whole time. tell him bottom line what are you hiding. if jesus choose the wt in 1919 then these have to be the best books since the bible so when does the study start on these wt books till 1919. if you hold him to this study and no other study . he will leave you alone . because you can always bring up the same point everytime you need to ..john

  • JT
    JT

    sad to say you will lose my friend- please listen to those who know-

    If your goal is "Make a Point" with the jw, you will lose, but if you just want to have some fun, then go for it-

    but since you stated that you are not ready to be DF then you are setting yourself up to be emotionally abused-

    i highly suggest that you don;t do it

    james

  • happyout
    happyout

    I'm with Blondie on this one, make yourself completely unavailable. You will be playing on their court with their ball and their rules. No matter how honestly and innocently you try to ask the questions, a refusal to immediately swallow whatever drivel they are peddling is seen as suspicious. Instead of answering your questions, they will start to question you and your beliefs and your motives.

    No good can come of this if you want to avoid being judged and perhaps DF'd. However, the choice is up to you, and I wish you all the best, whatever you decide.

    Happyout

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