by UnDisfellowshipped 36 Replies latest jw friends
I swear when last I studied they kept insisting that the organization was jehovahs chariot, like in Ezekiel and how jehovah was directing the chariot using his son jesus christ as mediator and the FDS. They even had pictures of the chariot on the back of the publications . Then they tried to use some twisted logic to convince people that the organization could change their doctrine just like the chariot changing direction by moving the wheels .
Damn... I remember that!
Such BS!
Check this group of Watchtower quotes out! Print this list out and show it to the next JW who knocks on your doors:
The Watchtower, May 1, 2004 Issue, Page 11, Paragraph 15:
"Jehovah does not communicate directly with anyone today."
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The Watchtower, August 1, 2002 Issue, Pages 14 and 22:
"Although no organization directed by humans can be perfect, we are delighted to be able to serve God in the company of faithful fellow believers, who gladly submit to godly authority!"
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Quote from J.R. Brown (May 9th, 2002):
"please do not conclude that we believe that our system is perfect. No human organization is perfect. But we do believe that we have a strong, Bible-based policy on child abuse."
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Awake!, March 22nd 1993 Issue, Pages 3-4:
"Why So Many False Alarms?"
Jehovah's Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus' second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions 'in the name of Jehovah.' Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.' The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah's Witnesses, has said: "We have not the gift of prophecy." (January 1883, page 425) "Nor would we have our writings reverenced or regarded as infallible." (December 15, 1896, page 306) The Watchtower has also said that the fact that some have Jehovah's spirit "does not mean those now serving as Jehovah's witnesses are inspired. It does not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired and infallible and without mistakes." (May 15, 1947, page 157) "The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic." (August 15, 1950, page 263) "The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18)"--February 15, 1981, page 19.
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The Watchtower October 15th, 1954 Issue, Pages 638-639:
Questions from Readers
How does Jehovah's spirit help the "faithful and discreet slave" arrive at the truth of a matter? The Society does not claim infallibility or inspiration. How much is dependent upon the written Word? How can we be sure that this is the organization Jehovah is using when some things are published and later changed?-C. P., United States.
In regard to how the truth is brought forth through Jehovah's organization, please note that if the Watch Tower Society were infallible there would be no need for future correction of viewpoints held; but because it is not infallible and has never claimed to be, from time to time corrections are necessary. If Jehovah's spirit operated in the way it did upon Bible writers, inspiring them to write according to Jehovah's thoughts, then no future corrections in matters would ever be necessary. But because the spirit does not operate in this way today some corrections are made from time to time.
Jehovah God, in fact, foretold or indicated that such would be the case. At Proverbs 4:18 (AS) it states: "The path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." While the light is still dim the broad outline of an object may be visible but the details of it are not always distinct, and as the light increases these details may be seen with more clarity and a corrected view is obtained. Full dependence is placed upon Jehovah's Word in the formulation of truth and it is from his Word that proof should be forthcoming. However, with greater clarity and understanding, new truths are discerned and something that previously appeared very logical may require revision.
Jehovah did not say that the entire matter would be seen in crystal clarity instantaneously. With these last days in mind, Jesus spoke of the "faithful and discreet slave" that would be appointed to bring forth "food at the proper time." (Matt. 24:45, NW) This is a progressive process, food being continually provided, and as we advance in the stream of time and observe further fulfillment of prophecy new truths are discerned and brought forth and constitute fresh and nourishing food for our day. Some truths were not essential for us prior to the time of their discernment, otherwise Jehovah would have caused them to become known earlier.
Even the erroneous viewpoints held by Jehovah's witnesses during the first world war served their purpose in contributing to the fulfillment of prophecy, for Jehovah had long ago foretold a condition of spiritual uncleanness upon his people at that particular time and the cleansing work that would be done. Hence such things are to be expected according to prophecy and their occurrence is a confirmation that this is Jehovah's organization, rather than a cause for raising question concerning Jehovah's use of the organization.
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The Watchtower, May 15th 1976 Issue, Page 298:
It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating--'wishy-washy'--about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons?
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The Watchtower, December 1st, 1981 Issue, Pages 26-27:
it may have seemed to some as though that path has not always gone straight forward. At times explanations given by Jehovah's visible organization have shown adjustments, seemingly to previous points of view. But this has not actually been the case. This might be compared to what is known in navigational circles as "tacking." By maneuvering the sails the sailors can cause a ship to go from right to left, back and forth, but all the time making progress toward their destination in spite of contrary winds. __________________________________________
So Jehovah does not communicate with the WTS today, but spirit beings do?
*** Revelation, It's Grand Climax at Hand p.125 ch.20 A Multitudinous Great Crowd ***"This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today."
*** The Watchtower. April 1 1972 p.200 ***"This would indicate that Jehovah's Witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic direction and support... the nations will see the fulfillment of what these witnesses say as directed from the heaven."
*** Light. Volume I. 1930. p. 218 ***"Again the Lord sent his angel to carry out matters of great importance as pertaining to his people on earth. He caused his representatives or deputies, who are invisible to men, to direct what should be done by his visible servants on the earth."
*** The Watchtower. September 1. 1932. p. 263 ***
"There cannot be a question or doubt that Jesus Christ can and does direct every division of his organization and that he can and does use his holy angels to carry into operation his orders and direct the course of the remnant on earth."
From quotes.watchtower.ca
I swear when last I studied they kept insisting that the organization was jehovahs chariot, like in Ezekiel and how jehovah was directing the chariot using his son jesus christ as mediator and the FDS. They even had pictures of the chariot on the back of the publications .
Yes, I remember that chariot too and the emphasis given was how we had to keep running to keep up with the chariot as it was Jehovah's spirit directed org and the way we were to keep up with that chariot was by bible study, field service, meeting attendance and all the rest. So we were warned not to fall behind and be left in the dust--we needed to keep pace with the chariot..and on and on--seems like they had a whole assembly about it--probably dragged the subject on for hours and hours....
When you think of cults in "direct communication with God", most westeners think of Reverend Jim Jones (Guyana massacre) and David Koresh (Waco, Texas), so I told my wife and she offered an interesting insight:
After being shunned by the UN itself (which might have given them some "credibility"), they MAY be trying to go mainstream in order to obtain some acceptance.
Gerry
Good point Leolaia!
cyber- sista--- That sounds like it to me .The late eighties and early nineties . If jesus is supplying the proper food at the proper time then I don't see how they can flip flop on the issue of being spirit directed . They often referred to it as the mana from heaven but in a spiritual way and can only be understood by the WTBTS and distributed . It just all sounds like a c-y-a strategy so that people can't sue over the blood doctrine and other bad policies that have caused alot of pain and suffering to many people .
Cold reading refers to a set of techniques used by professional manipulators to get a subject to behave in a certain way or to think that the cold reader has some sort of special ability that allows him to "mysteriously" know things about the subject. Cold reading goes beyond the usual tools of manipulation: suggestion and flattery. In cold reading, salespersons, hypnotists, advertising pros, faith healers, con men and some therapists bank upon their subject's inclination to find more meaning in a situation than there actually is. The desire to make sense out of our experience has led us to many wonderful discoveries, but it has also led some of us to many follies. The manipulator knows that his mark will be inclined to try to make sense out of whatever he is told, no matter how farfetched or improbable. He knows, too, that people are generally self-centered, that we tend to have unrealistic views of ourselves and that we will generally accept claims about us that reflect not how we are or even how we really think we are but how we wish we were or think we should be. He also knows that for every several claims he makes about you which you reject as being inaccurate, he will make one that meets with your approval; and he knows that you will remember the hits he makes and forget the misses.
Thus, a good manipulator can provide a reading of a total stranger, which will make the stranger feel that the manipulator possesses some special power. For example, Bertram Forer has never met you, the reader, yet he offers the following cold reading of you:
Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary and reserved. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. You pride yourself on being an independent thinker and do not accept others' opinions without satisfactory proof. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety, and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. Disciplined and controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside.
Your sexual adjustment has presented some problems for you. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a strong need for other people to like you and for them to admire you.
Here's another reading:
People close to you have been taking advantage of you. Your basic honesty has been getting in your way. Many opportunities that you have had offered to you in the past have had to be surrendered because you refuse to take advantage of others. You like to read books and articles to improve your mind. In fact, if you're not already in some sort of personal service business, you should be. You have an infinite capacity for understanding people's problems and you can sympathize with them. But you are firm when confronted with obstinacy or outright stupidity. Law enforcement would be another field you understand. Your sense of justice is quite strong.
The last one was from astrologer Sidney Omarr. He's never even met you and yet he knows so much about you (Flim-Flam!, 61). The first one was taken by Forer from a newsstand astrology book.
The selectivity of the human mind is always at work. We pick and choose what data we will remember and what we will give significance to. In part, we do so because of what we already believe or want to believe. In part, we do so in order to make sense out of what we are experiencing. We are not manipulated simply because we are gullible or suggestible, or just because the signs and symbols of the manipulator are vague or ambiguous. Even when the signs are clear and we are skeptical, we can still be manipulated. In fact, it may even be the case that particularly bright persons are more likely to be manipulated when the language is clear and they are thinking logically. To make the connections that the manipulator wants you to make, you must be thinking logically.
Not all cold readings are done by malicious manipulators. Some readings are done by astrologers, graphologists, tarot readers, and psychics who genuinely believe they have paranormal powers. They are as impressed by their correct predictions or "insights" as are their clients. We should remember, however, that just as scientists can be wrong in their predictions, so pseudoscientists and quacks can sometimes be right in theirs.
There seem to be three common factors in these kinds of readings. One factor involves fishing for details. The psychic says something at once vague and suggestive, e.g., "I'm getting a strong feeling about January here." If the subject responds, positively or negatively, the psychic's next move is to play off the response. E.g., if the subject says, "I was born in January" or my mother died in January" then the psychic says something like "Yes, I can see that," anything to reinforce the idea that the psychic was more precise that he or she really was. If the subject responds negatively, e.g., "I can't think of anything particularly special about January," the psychic might reply, "Yes, I see that you've suppressed a memory about it. You don't want to be reminded of it. Something painful in January. Yes, I feel it. It's in the lower back [fishing]...oh, now it's in the heart [fishing]...umm, there seems to be a sharp pain in the head [fishing]...or the neck [fishing]." If the subject gives no response, the psychic can leave the area, having firmly implanted in everybody's mind that the psychic really did 'see' something but the subject's suppression of the event hinders both the psychic and the subject from realizing the specifics of it. If the subject gives a positive response to any of the fishing expeditions, the psychic follows up with more of "I see that very clearly, now. Yes, the feeling in the heart is getting stronger."
Fishing is a real art and a good mentalist carries a variety of bait in his memory. For example, professional mentalist and author of one of the best books on cold reading, Ian Rowland (2002), says that he has committed to memory such things as the most common male and female names and a list of items likely to be laying about the house such as an old calendar, a photo album, newspaper clippings, and so on. Rowland also works on certain themes that are likely to resonate with most people who consult psychics: love, money, career, health, and travel. Since cold reading can occur in many contexts, there are several tactics Rowland covers. But whether one is working with astrology, graphology, palmistry, psychometry, or Tarot cards, or whether one is channeling messages from the dead à la James Van Praagh, there are specific techniques one can use to impress clients with one?s ability to know things that seem to require paranormal powers.
Another characteristic of these readings is that many claims are put in either vague statement form ("I'm getting a warm feeling in the crotch area") or in the form of a question ("I sense that you have strong feelings about someone in this room. Am I right?") Most of the specific claims are provided by the subject himself.
Some experts on cold reading emphasize paying attention to body language and such things as the dress of the client.
The reader begins with generalities which are applicable to large segments of the population. He or she pays careful attention to reactions: words, body language, skin color, breathing patterns, dilation or contraction of the pupils of the eye, and more. The subject of the reading will usually convey important information to the reader: sometimes in words, and sometimes in bodily reactions to the reading.
From observation, the reader will feed back to the subject what the latter wants to hear. That is the overwhelming guiding principle of the mystics: Tell 'em what they want to hear. That will keep them coming back for more (Steiner 1989: 21).
Finally, those occasions where the psychic has guessed wrongly about the subject will be forgotten by the subject and the audience. What will be remembered are the seeming hits, giving the overall impression of "wow, how else could she have known all this stuff unless she is psychic." This same phenomenon of suppression of contrary evidence and selective thinking is so predominant in every form of psychic demonstration that it seems to be related to the old psychological principle: a man sees what he wants to see and disregards the rest.
See related entries on ad hoc hypotheses, communal reinforcement, confirmation bias, control study, medium, Occam's razor, the placebo effect, the post hoc fallacy, psychic, selective thinking, self-deception, subjective validation, testimonials, James Van Praagh and wishful thinking.
further reading
Dickson, D.H., & Kelly, I.W. "The 'Barnum effect' in personality assessment: A review of the literature," Psychological Reports, 57, 367-382, (1985).
Hyman, Ray. "'Cold Reading': How to Convince Strangers That You Know All About Them," The Skeptical Inquirer Spring/Summer 1977.
Hyman, Ray. The Elusive Quarry : A Scientific Appraisal of Psychical Research (Prometheus Books, 1989).
Randi, James. Flim-Flam! (Buffalo, New York: Prometheus Books,1982).
Rowland, Ian. The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading, 3rd. ed (2000).
Steiner, Robert A. Don't Get Taken! - Bunco and Bunkum Exposed - How to Protect Yourself (Wide-Awake Books 1989).
Note: If you really want to learn about cold reading do not buy Basil Hoffman's Cold Reading and How to Be Good at It. As one disappointed buyer at Amazon.com notes: "this book is an instructional for actors who are going to auditions." Read Hyman, Rowland, or Steiner.
©copyright 2003rRobert Todd Carrollcollective hallucinations SkepDic.com| Search the Skeptic's Dictionary |
This is how the watchtower gets its spirit direction they Cold Read the bible, and look at the news paper to see "God's" reply (they used to use a magic detecting radio). More proof the watchtower knows it is inert, and that it does not think JWs are God's only church. The funny part is the watchtower is actually being truthful and nobody cares.
I am not name calling but it seems that most "anti-cult" people would be jumping for joy with all this recent night vision the WTS is letting out. The WTS is becoming less "cult like" every issue (they probably are being motivated by the legal dpt. the real FDS). I think some people are harboring animosity because they found out Jehovah?s witnesses are just a church. Now that the WTS is confirming it I wonder what the new criticism will be that we are an "evil church"?
Oh BTW those quotes are like over 16 years old, and that is referring to a direct link to God in JW speak. Because we are deist, and Jehovah never interacts with anything, but angels, or the other demigod Jesus. They can't use that angel link because that is what they thought was "spirit direction". They are saying the party is over please throw you beer cans in the recycle bin and find your designated driver.
XQsThaiPoes--- very interesting . Did you happen to see the southpark episode with john edwards ? lol
I don't think the WTBTS only cold reads the bible they also use the afore mentioned technique . I think they start out with something like , are you aware that your life is in danger ? then they point out some of the latest atrocities then it's did you know the bible mentions these things ? Then it builds to, we have all the answer that will bring you eternal happiness. They spend countless hours preparing rebuttals for every sort of comment an individual might bring up . The next thing you know you can't do enough to please a publishing corporation for fear that God will catch you naked .
