Independent thinking

under_believer

Those of us who are still attending meetings for one reason or another often hear the phrase "INDEPENDENT THINKING" bandied about, from the platform, from the Society's literature, and from comments from other Witnesses. Independent thinking, we're told, is a snare. It's dangerous. Rather than indulging or falling victim to the trap of independent thinking, we should "wait on Jehovah" and show loyalty to His "Faithful and Discreet Slave". Otherwise, we may end up falling away and losing out on the rich blessings Jehovah has in store for us.

I'd like to take this opportunity to examine where independent thinking has gotten humanity, and for that matter Jehovah's Witnesses themselves, so far.

INDEPENDENT THINKING led Jesus to defy the established authority structure of his day, God's organization of the time. It caused him to start a whole new religion, one which wasn't obsessed with cleanliness, styles and manners of dress, yearly festivals, dietary restrictions, weekly gatherings, and which could only come to God through one specific class of people.

INDEPENDENT THINKING led the Apostle Paul to reject the authority of the "apostles and older men in Jerusalem" to command him and compel his actions for fourteen years, while still recognizing their merit and holding esteem for their wisdom. It led him to witness to the nations, using politics and the legal system to give a testimony at the highest level of government. It resulted in Christianity's spread to the Gentiles, something that wouldn't have happened without Paul.

INDEPENDENT THINKING led William Tyndale to reject the Catholic ban on translating the Bible into the language of the common man, a language linguists now refer to as Early Modern English. He saw the value of the new medium, print, and used it to spread the Bible far and wide. It led him to say to a corrupt Church official: "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou dost." Independent thinking allowed Tyndale to coin the word "Jehovah". For his "sins," the Catholic Church called him a treasonous heretic, and strangled him, and burnt him at the stake. His final words were "Oh Lord, open the King of England's eyes."

INDEPENDENT THINKING led Galileo to trumpet his discoveries to the world in the face of church persecution. It led him to endure house arrest for LIFE, because he wouldn't recant the truth: that the Earth revolves around the Sun. It led him to defy the Pope. And yet--it was the truth. Without independent thinking, the father of modern astronomy would have been just another nameless philosopher.

INDEPENDENT THINKING, on August 2, 1776, led 56 Americans to sign a document that declared that the Thirteen United Colonies "are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to Great Britain." It led to the birth of modern democracy, and to the formation of a country that holds as ideals freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech. And while that great nation, being of, by, and for imperfect humans, often fails in its abdication of those declarations, it still remains one of the shining lights of freedom in this darkened world.

INDEPENDENT THINKING caused a young man in Philadelphia in the late 1800's to question the Presbyterianism he'd been taught all his life. It caused him to question the religion of his youth. It caused him to fall out of what his family had always considered the truth. It caused him, in 1870, to attend a presentation by a prominent Adventist, Jonas Wendell. In 1879, it caused him to found the religious journal Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, which is still in continuous publication down to this very day. Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the religion now known as Jehovah's Witnesses, was as guilty of independent thinking as any of the visionaries mentioned before. Agree or disagree with his religion, but it's impossible to deny that he practiced independent thinking.

What do all of these independent thinkers have in common?

Without them, Jehovah's Witnesses would not exist today.

Why does the Watch Tower Society deny to its members this hallowed, God-given, sacred, basic human right? When its very existence is built on the blood, sweat, and tears of generations of independent thinkers, both famous and obscure? How can any Witness sit in their Kingdom Hall and nod their head in vacuous agreement when the Circuit Overseer condemns this practice? When the Watchtower Study decries it? When the elders discourage it?

I'll let you meditate on the answer to that question.

Doubting Bro

Awesome post. I think the answer is because while the movement started out saying religion was a snare & a racket, they over time turned into one. No matter how independent a movement becomes, once a bureaucracy is built, the emphasis moves from freedom of thought to self preservation. The power and control monster is given life. Independent thinking is the antidote to control and that's why anyone who wants to control another hates it so much.

greendawn

It's all cunning cultic thinking, why wait on jehovah to put things right why not point them out and ask the so called FDS to correct what is in error? That statement lulls them into a false sense of security because it implies that god is taking proper care of everything, which of course is not the case because the FDS won't let Him do so.

frankiespeakin

The WT's constant reminders against Independent thinking is to tell the JWs that they must let the WTBTS do thier thinking for them, a mind control device that has JWs give up any contrary thought about any teachings of the WTBTS and let them guide the way, this indoctrinated adversion towards independent thoughts is effective in causing the JW to repress anything contrary and causes them to creep along tiredly from the loss of energy due to the amount energy expended on repressing these thoughts. Some may start off with a bang as he give over this control to the WT but the more he supresses the more he loses energy, the more difficult it is to really show zeal, which they may express verbally but mentally and physically find near to impossible. At least that is the way I felt as I was in.

Eventually, or hopefully is more like it, the person sees thru the indoctrination and gaines strenght from nolonger suppressing his thinking, and the find more energy for living, but their will be a period of instability, as one gets used to freedom, sorta like learning to walk again on dry land after months at sea.

under_believer

Now that I'm rereading that post, I'm trying to figure out why I put Galileo in there. I don't think the Witnesses owe their existence to Galileo.

Oh well. It's been a long week (and it's only Wednesday.)

BlackSwan of Memphis

Bravo! Very beautiful post.

When I was questioning things, my sister warned me about independent thinking.

I nearly burst out laughing, but stifled it.

Yes, don't think for yourself.

Let the Organization do all the thinking for you. Lol.

Good points UB.

freedomloverr

awesome post...

thanks for sharing this!

OnTheWayOut

Independent thinking, we're told, is a snare. It's dangerous.

They say this because people who try to help JW's out of the borg use the
words, "I'm just trying to make sure you think for yourself."
"If your choice is a result of your own independent thinking, I will respect it."

Any serious questions about the borg, the elders can just say "you are doing
independent thinking instead of relying on the slave."

It's a thoughtstop process- simple as that. Back in the days of CTR, people
were allowed to leave the borg, but JFR put a stop to that. How else could
he live like a king on only thousands of Bible Students? He had to control
them.

frankiespeakin

UB,

Well he invented the teliscope? Just kidding.

becca1

So true. Whenever they start knocking independent thinking I feel so angry. How does anyone dare to tell others not to think on their own!!!?? And how do over 6 million people go along whith that?

Independent thinking

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