Is There Any Thing That Would Make A JW SERIOUSLY Question Their Religion?

by minimus 38 Replies latest jw friends

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  pbrow

  I was a born in. Thinking talking snakes were real and the end of the world was literally coming any day now were normal for me. I asked questions as a child but when that gets pounded out of you at a young age you just come to terms with it and just go along.

  When I had kids I resolved to not give the same old insufficient answers to my kids that I received as a child. Not until I really made an effort to "make the truth my own" did I realize that my younger self was right all along.... The reason to not play sports was bullshit. The reason i could not do boy scouts was bullshit. The reason I could not do holidays did not make sense. The further I dug, the more I realized the farce I had been raised in.

  15 years later my kids have absolutely no desire to get baptized or become a dub despite being raised in the religion by their mother.

  Break the bubble.... do not allow the jdub thinking to become normal for your children

  pbrow
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  Phizzy

  I think the Poster who said it has to be something personal to the individual JW had it about right.

  If they are still in with all the nonsensical new Doctrine, all the re-branding, and all the overt money grabbing the only thing left is something that hits the JW right in the Heart, a purely emotional thing.

  Sadly this will not happen to most of our loved ones still in,we have to gulp and swallow the fact that they are stuck in that Cult forever, unless ............
• 

  vienne

  IN 1924 Rutherford suggested in a Watch Tower article that the behavior other Witnesses was the biggest stumbling block. I think that remains true. Some offenses appear unforgivable. Elders and others prominent in the Witness organization are the 'face' of the religion. If they are insulting, as they often are, or domineering or self-entitled, they will drive others away. I have no reliable statistical data, but from incidental interviews with lapsed Witnesses this and a desire to live a life style different that that expected of adherents seems to be the most significant cause of disaffection.
  
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  smiddy3

  The G.B.used to say that the annointed numbers would fall as the end got nearer pre the year`s 1890`s- 2000`s.

  For about 30-40 years the numbers of the annointed never went below 8000 ,it was pretty stagnant for all that time

  Then after the year 2000 the numbers of the annointed have started going up to where they are today at about 18-20000 , the official version to explain this has been to say they are either new or they are not mentally stable .?

  If they are" new" then the WT is obviously not doing a good job in training new ones about the "truth" and their role in the congregation.

  If they are mentally unstable ? what does that tell you about the organization apart from the fact they are still lax in educating properly the role of a JW in the congregation .

  My belief for the reason of such an increase by long time JW`s is because they are sick and tired of the continued delay of Armageddon and they are cutting their losses and not relying on a time frame but know that when they die whenever that is they will get a heavenly resurrection.

  Simply put the vast majority have lost faith in Armageddon being just around the corner they have come to the realization they will most likely die before Armageddon comes ,so being one of the anointed gives them security they will be resurrected to heaven.
• 

  Onager

  The only thing I can think of to answer the OP's question "Is there anything that would make a JW seriously question their religion" is god actually revealing himself in the heavens and saying "The Catholics were right all along."

  I really can't think of anything other than a universal divine revelation.
  
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  Zyron

  In fact, many JWs will outright tell you they do not want to hear it, if they know you're about to share negative information with them. Classic burying the head in the sand!

  This is so true. If my wife senses I'm going to say anything at all negative about JWs she doesn't want to hear it and starts to get angry if I persist.

  Because the religion locks people in emotionally, only when they're affected emotionally will they start to ask is this really the truth. People inherently curious mostly likely had a seed of doubt even while doing public talks. Something sparks their curiosity and they leave or become PIMO.

  Everyone reacts differently on hearing the same facts, some act, others dismiss them. The earth is flat brigade.
• 

  Magnum

  Anders Andersen - All of us questioned and got out, didn't we? We aren't Superior to anyone who still is a JW.... we're just in a different life phase and/or lucky that our right buttons were pushed at the right time...
  

  I respectfully disagree. I believe we could be "superior" or at least different in some ways. Take, for example, me and my JW mother. She is extremely stubborn and unreasonable. When confronted, she gets angry and won't open-mindedly listen to reason/evidence. She employs argumentum ad hominem - attacking the other person in the discussion rather than addressing the issue. I, however, will open-mindedly listen to and consider the other side of the discussion (or argument).

  Also, my mother is inferior to me in intelligence and knowledge and understanding. She is scientifically illiterate and couldn't figure what 1/2 of 1/3 is. She is also inferior to me in her knowledge and understanding of JWdom. I know far more about JW doctrine, history, etc. than she does, and she's still active and has been a JW for 50 years.

  I am logical and reasonable; my mother is the opposite. The logical fallacy meter blows a fuse when she is arguing. Also, her emotions overshadow any sense of reason she might have.

  LongHairGal - At this point, I don't think anything is going to make the remaining JWs look seriously at their religion. I'm inclined to believe most of the thinking people are either out or are in the process of heading for the door.

  I agree with this. I think the smarter, more reasonable, more knowledgeable, more honest, etc. ones have already left or are at least seriously questioning/doubting. There's been plenty of evidence to make honest, smart, reasonable JWs question/doubt/leave. What about failed predictions? Good grief - it's 2018 with no new world!!! What about the ludicrous "generation" doctrine? What about the wimpy preaching work? What about the money grabbing, congregation closures, etc.?
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  BluesBrother

  My uber-dub Missus has endured elder bullying, being frozen out of Watchtower answers and seen with disdain the doctrine changes and dumbing down. She detests the modern digital video culture.....but her faith in the basic core of it is as strong as ever.

  She once said that if the GB were seen to be raking off personal fortunes, that would make her think again. I watch the Panama Papers revelations in hope..... Mind you , she would take a lot of convincing that it was not fake news.
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  Finkelstein

  The WTS has had a long history of false date setting of certain events which were NOT scriptural, in a matter of fact they were unscriptural against the teachings within the Bible and of Jesus Christ.
  

  The bible also clearly states how to identify a false prophet and what to do when you come upon them.

  Jesus himself admonished his true followers to not set a time on god's own sacred time.

  Maybe he should have been more specific and stated to be watchful of false prophets who owned and ran their own publishing house.
  

  The Watchtower Corporation along with its GB leaders is a organized religious publishing house.