Hidden Doctrines

jhine

" Religions do not volunteer their most offensive doctrines to newcomers "

The above sentence was posted on another thread as part of a quote taken from JWfacts .

l commented that this was a sweeping generalisation of the kind often made about all religions . l asked how does the person making the statement know about hidden doctrine if it is only made known to the initiated in that religion . Does he have intimate knowledge of all faiths ?

Obviously most of the people on this forum do know about The Watchtower and it's practise of hiding much of it's teaching until a newcomer has been suitably prepared .

So has anyone on here joined a faith group only to find that there were unpalatable teachings that they were not aware of until they were fully initiated ?

Jan

OneEyedJoe

If you subscribe to a particular faith, perhaps you'd like to put forth a counterexample to disprove the statement. It seems to be, if not entirely infallible, a pretty solid heuristic.

Do remember, though, that you could provide a counterexample in two forms - either by presenting a faith that has nothing offensive about it, or by presenting one that openly volunteers its most offensive doctrine.

Tameria2001

This was involving my husband's aunt and several of his other close relatives. There were several who were actually studying to become JWs. That was until they saw the darker side of the organization. My husband's dad became a JW back in around 1974, and he was the first one of the family to become one. Shortly after that his mother (my husband's grandmother), and one of his sisters (aunt) also became JWs as well. There were a total of 3 biological sisters in this side of the family. The middle sister had studied with the JWs for a while but stopped because things just got to busy for this her. For a very long time, she thought that the JWs were a good route to go as far as religion is concerned. Now fast forward to 2001 she decided she wanted to see about getting going with the JWs again with a bible study, and eventually become baptized herself. At this point in time, she did not know about the shunning practices. In the fall of 2001, my husband and I left, and she got to see first hand how they treat their own children who disagreed with the religion, and it was not a pleasant site. Her family is very important to her and she could not even comprehend how a parent can turn their backs on their own children and grandchildren just because they don't see eye to eye on the same subject.

She did try very hard to get her current and former JW relatives in the same location but failed every time. The JW relatives would always make up some lame excuse and not show up if they knew we were showing up. This was what opened her eyes to the JWs, and she refuses to have anything to do with that group as a result. It didn't help their case and when they were saying untrue things to her about us as well.

Vanderhoven7

Here are 7 questions JWs will usually not want to answer honestly to new prospects.

1. Is your religion is the only true religion on earth?

2. Do you think that all the other churches claiming to be Christian are essentially satanic or part of Satan's organization?

3. Do you believe, that with rare exceptions, only baptized JWs will survive Armageddon?

4. In a medical emergency would you refuse a blood transfusion that might save your life or the life of a family member?

5. Is there some valid or honorable way out of your religion?

6. Would you shun a family member who left your religion because they no longer believe it to be the truth?

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

jhine

The statement is an accusation , one that l find offensive . Like saying " all people with who can afford a Porsche must be criminals " There is no basis for either statement .

Vanderhoven7 no1 , no . no2 , no . no3 , no . no4 , no . no5 , yes l am perfectly free to stop going to church if l wish , l do not have to give any reason , and would suffer no negative consequences . no6 , no . no7 no .

Jan

OneEyedJoe

The statement is an accusation , one that l find offensive . Like saying " all people with who can afford a Porsche must be criminals " There is no basis for either statement .

It's certainly not remotely as baseless as the example you gave. There are offensive doctrines in all christian denominations, all forms of judaism, and islam - that covers a huge swath of religious belief. Throw in some newer religions like scientology, mormonism (which, although it shares many of the offensive doctrines of christianity, managed to add its own novel ones), etc and there definitely seems to be a pattern here. None of these religions advertise their most offensive parts to outsiders, though they're all exposed in the modern age of free information.

dynamiterose77

Many religions gloss over their own histories and cherry pick doctrines. Some are more blatant. Obvious cults are blatant. Scientology makes members pay for the next level of information, and hides the information from the public and their own members by legal means (their lawyers are notorious) and by claiming that if you aren't ready for the information it can be dangerous. By the time members learn about Xenu, it's a sunk cost issue. They are less likely to leave at higher levels because they've invested a lot of time and money (they also collect collateral on members to control them)

However other groups are pretty open about every belief regardless of public offense, like Westboro.

It is a pretty broad brush to paint with, but it's hyperbole and shorthand on a site about a cult, written by someone volunteering their time to an effort to spread information about that cult. I wouldn't read too much into it past its purpose to talk about JWs.

jhine

OneEyed Joe ,

l am an Anglican , a member of the Church of England . What do you consider are the offensive doctrines of my faith group ? Or Buddhism ? The reason that l find this statement offensive is because when JWs talk to people at front doors , on carts etc they do gloss over much of the stuff that would cause someone to cut and run , and will actually lie ( Theocratic Warfare ) if asked about the more embarrassing stuff . To say that all religions do this implies that l .as a member of a faith group , do the same . Neither l , nor anyone l know would do this . As main stream faith groups make up the biggest percentage of Christians in the world that is tarring a lot of people with the JW brush . The nasty stuff like the Crusades and the religious intolerance of the Tudors is taught in schools and is widely known about .

As to cherry picking verses l am not sure how to even start on that one. The reality is l am FREE , even typing that seems ludicrous - that l need to say it , to read any part of the Bible , in fact reading the Bible from cover to cover is positively encouraged .

The people who make these statements clearly have no idea as to what being an Anglican , Methodist etc actually means . l am part of a bible Study group , we meet on Tuesday nights , and we decide what we want to look , no being told what to study a la WT .

This has turned into a rant , sorry , l just get sooooo frustrated at the general ignorance shown by people who actually have no idea what they are on about .

Jan

jhine

P.S. dynamiterose77 , l do appreciate what you are saying and l take nothing away from the work done by volunteers to spread accurate information to warn people about cults .

Jan

Vidiot

Once again, for the newbies, lurkers, and trolls...

...if you have to cheat to defend your beliefs, your beliefs don't deserve to be defended.

Hidden Doctrines

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