I thing I find very interesting is that, not once, did they ever explicitly forbid JWs from holing their own personal meetings.
I think to a JW mind the very mention that they do not endorse it is equal to them forbidding it.
OKM 09/07 (english)- Just another brick in the wall...
by metaspy 181 Replies latest jw friends
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drew sagan
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stillajwexelder
History repeats itself friends. In C of C Ray Franz talks about this and what happened in Bethel early 1980. I am sure Dogpatch (Randy Watters) will shed more light on this. Basically reading the bible was viewed with suspicion. Allegedly so the Urban Legen I heard was "After the Monday night Bethel Family WT study" Ed Dunlap then asked " Anyone want a bible study, follow me"
The WTS does not like independent thinking - study - reasoning - anything. IT IS ALL ABOUT CONTROL, CONTROL, CONTROL
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return visitor
I'm with elsewhere, they have been carefull not to say it's not allowed, they only said that they don't endorse it. This way the local elders can pressure groups to cease and desist. While at the same time they can say "we never said that, and if local elders took that stand then they overstepped". They never say anything definitively in the literature, that way they have plausable deniability.
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metaspy
So will the society not want us to reference encyclopedias when giving talks?
I realize they are focusing on "study groups", but doing your own research can go just as far as a group.
Sometimes I can do more research than having to wait and discuss things with people.
I wonder if someone wrote into the society and actually asked this question, or if it was another self-asked question. -
sandy
"I wonder if someone wrote into the society and actually asked this question, or if it was another self-asked question."
LOL That made me laugh . . . -
drew sagan
doing your own research can go just as far as a group
But it is nowhere near as threatening.
The organization wants people to leave on their own. Apostasy can spread rather easily depending upon the circumstances and the last thing they want in an inter-jw network that can inform itself faster than HQ can. -
emptywords
maybe some have asked questions about it, the new lot in the truth many not understand its wrong to study or read other litriture besides the societys stuff, I was always told that it was a no no.
some may have put others in for learning hebrew or greek. I think it is another way for the elders and the toffy r/f to spy on others and report ones they think are reading other stuff or learning ancient languages. the definate NO was what caught my eye rather than the bulk of the letter.
got a feeling this could just be the start of a lot of no no's. and probably has more to do with weeding out potentional apostates or free thinkers.
I wonder if this includes studying history, a close family member of mine studys aramaic and hebrew and greek is a witness and he is a scholor and says that the NWT is not a bad translation.
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LearningToFly
Gosh, this just so validates the fact there must be something to hide, there not wanting independant study. If anything deeper study and knowledge should be encouraged. The more I learn outside through my own personal quest.. the more I feel right about my choices in having nothing to do with this organization. I used to be a good little zombie.. pleased I no longer am...
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Hermano
It's a two part answer. The first clearly says that the Society does not endorse independent groups who engage in Scriptural research or debate. The second part, goes beyond not endorsing and tries to show that such "personal pursuit" is a waste of time and not fruitful. The last paragraph, I think, is the most significant, essentially saying Society's publications are Ok. And this is the whole point of the article. Society's publications are Ok, everything else and everyone else is not OK and you need to stay away from it.
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metaspy
I get your point drew.
One JW leaving for "apostasy" is nothing - an entire cong doing so is dangerous.
That could "infect" other congregations.