What are some good ways a "family head" could study with his family, helping them to see the weak points in Watchtower thinking? I wish to start this somehow, but since "family study" is seen as simply going over some misc. Watchtower publication, I don't see where I can make the headway. I possibly thought about using the infamous "secular" sources in the study. I just don't know what angle to tackle this from. Any Suggestions?
Family Bible Study
by drew sagan 16 Replies latest watchtower bible
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jstalin
Start pointing out all the instances of "it seems" and "apparently" which riddle WT literature.
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zen nudist
Eric Hoffer - "The True Believer "
RE Friedman "Who Wrote the Bible?"
"Don't Call Me Brother "- Austin Miles
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Dune
I agree with jstalin.
Take out a watchtower and have the kiddies go through it underlining the words "Probably, can possibly, possibly, might, could, very well, may" and a whole slew of other words.
Of course they have to get some kind of reward for doing all that work. (Miss a meeting for every 20 that they find? lol).
The FBS has been nonexistent in my family for the pass 2 years. It came to a point where whenever a FBS was done, we'd end up at each others throats.
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sinis
I don't know what you mean by "family" - (just you and your wife, you/spouse/kids, if kids how old?, etc.), but I would start by making it "fun". Let them know, especially if you have children, who get bored very quick, that you intend to make the family study enjoyable. I would take a pad of paper and pass it to each "student" in the group and ask them what they would enjoy learning about or have had questions on (not really sure of a certain subject). You could suggest, if some have no clue where to start, that you should learn the societies corner stone doctrines, such as 1914, Faithful and Discreet slave, etc. (I would save these for later discussions). Even if you roll a snake eyes and no one in the group picks those topics, YOU could include that as one of the items on the "list". After getting that down tell each person that they can use the socities pubs but that they must also use secular works to round out the discussion. I wouldn't go over board the first time around, but you might want to suggest topics that YOU know are both consistant with the WTS and secular authorities. That way your students build confidence not only in the WTS but other sources. Then start to add topics (mentioned earlier) that YOU know are NOT consistant, and go from there. Just my .02 cents.
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Finally-Free
It came to a point where whenever a FBS was done, we'd end up at each others throats.
That's how it was for me. I couldn't win. If I didn't conduct a FBS my ex accused me of not "taking the lead". If I did conduct one we'd get into an argument because I wasn't conducting it in a manner that suited her.
Maybe I should have built a podium and put on a f*cking suit.
W
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GoingGoingGone
This was written by Amazing1914 who used to post here:
http://freeminds.org/psych/exithelp.htm
Tells how he used his family study to help his family to reason their way out of the WTS.
GGG
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Dune
lol @ finally free. I think i had the same situation.
I hated the fact that i had to be the one that initiated the familiy study and conducted it, but i still could be punished and disciplined. I thought that since she was the family head, she should do it, regardless of me being baptized.
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GentlyFeral
zen nudist had a good idea:
Eric Hoffer - "The True Believer "
RE Friedman "Who Wrote the Bible?"
"Don't Call Me Brother "- Austin Miles
In short, read "secular literature" looking for contrasts. "Honey, let's see what makes The Truth™ different from Cults™."
I read Steven Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control with this intention – and at the end of the book I was saying, "Well, I don't think the Witnesses are a cult – but I'm reacting to them as if they were!
"I'm going to have to leave just to keep my conscience alive!"
Didn't take more than a few weeks, either – but then I'd already been miserable in Watchtowerland for ten years.
gently feral
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Narkissos
Why not a... Bible study?
Choose a Gospel or an epistle, for instance, read one chapter at a time and let everyone discuss it freely.
I was single when I was df'd (no family BS then), but for the last few months I did that with several families in my last congregation; at first they had asked me to study with unbaptised kids but often the whole family joined and it was a very interesting experience to all.