first Bible/book! study

by luffy 9 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  luffy

  Having posted here in the past, and having gained much useful and appreciated advise, my ex and I are still in contact, and stuck in as many of you warned, a deadlock. He hoping I will come round to the witness way of "thinking" and I hoping that he will wake up and smell the roses!.

  I am reluctant to give up on the relationship, and feel that as he approaches the two year mark since being baptised as a witness, he is beginning to show cracks and is weakening in his stance. I remain there for him and although am careful with my words when we discuss the subject of witnesses, use every opportunity I can to plant seeds of doubt through information and research I have accquired over the internet.

  I would greatly appreciate if anybody could enlighten me on the discussion and study points that a first Bible/book study would entail.I am entrigued to know how they "lured" him in, as these first studies seemed to have such a dramatic effect on him. I feel that knowing what he was subjected to, (without going through it myself, which I refuse to do!!!) would further help me understand and would give me a stronger stance from which to discuss and defend my position when talking to him, as he often comments that if only I would have a study I would change my attitude!!!!

  Thanks in advance for your help.
• 

  dedpoet

  Hi luffy,

  Do you know which book he studied? If it was the "what does the
  bible really teach" book, I am not familiar with that one, having left
  the watchtower long before that was published.

  However, I am very familiar with jw study tactics. It's not a bible
  study at all really, although they call it that. The initial chapters
  of all the books they use on new victims are all more or less the
  same - basic jw doctrine with a few hints of the eventual "reward"
  those who become jws will recieve, such as being part of "god's
  chosen organisation", surviving armageddon and living in an earthly
  paradise.

  One of the things they do is read each paragraph out loud, then
  ask the student review questions. The student is soon encouraged
  to read out the paragraphs himself, which helps him to remember
  the point being made. The whole exercise is designed to indoctrinate
  him into jw beliefs as quickly as possible. The bible is used very
  sparingly, and usually quoted out of context. All the time, they are
  trying to impress on the student that he is learning the "truth", and
  that studying with them is the only means by which he can learn it.

  If the person he studied with is an exoerienced jw, I'm not at all
  surprised that the whole experience had such a dramatic effect
  on him. They are very good at what they do.
• 

  jgnat

  I am entrigued to know how they "lured" him in, as these first studies seemed to have such a dramatic effect on him

  I'll summarize it nicely for you.

  1. God exists and has a plan for our life. We know this because the bible tells us so.

  2. Beware that satan will try and lure you away from these amazing truths. Even close family members!

  3. Believe everything in the bible because God wrote it.

  4. Let me show a few requirements from the bible. Remember, it was written by God.

  5. See how satan has twisted every other religion. Beware that even close family members may try and warn you off this life-saving advice!

  The warnings start by the second study. It's ingenious, as an early study may very well bring up to family membrs and friends that they are studying with the witnesses, and the the warnings will come true! Proof they are on the "right track". Aren't human minds an amazing thing?

  I think the second clincher happens at about the six month mark. Most of the material studied is crushingly boring. The study keeps hoping that some real "meat" will be coming along soon. Hard questions are deferred for "later". Nothing ever arrives. But the study has now invested six months of his life on a lemon! Dare he admit it? When people have to face unpleasant facts, they often get caught in a brain trick called cognitive dissonance. To ease the discomfort, he'll come up with all kinds of excuses why the lemon is really what he was looking for all along. Now the study is convincing himself. The harder you try and show him otherwise, the harder he digs in. This is about the time that the study leader will suggest baptism. They will hold off on the suggestion if they sense that the study is not fully convince that the Witnesses are "right". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

  It's an ingenious system, and with the right people, highly effective at sucking them in.

  Here's a popular study book, posted conveniently right on the Watchtower site. "What does the Bible Really Teach?" You can see for yourself on the first few pages how they suck the study in. Awww, heck. They took off the link. http://www.watchtower.org/e/publications/index.htm
• 

  oompa

  At this early stage, as quick as you can, get him to realize JW have "their own" Bible. If he has an old Bible, have him compare the new testament of his with the JW Bible. Nowhere in recorded history does the name Jehovah appear in early Bible manuscripts of the NT, but the name has been "put in" 237" times. You just CANT change the Bible because you so love a name you want to see it a part of Christianity when it is NOT there. JW's will say it has been "restored where quoting" from the old testament". UNTRUE in many instances, and that is no excuse for changing the bible (Rev 22:18,19). By the way, Rev is the best place to show him this abomination of change. the name is in Rev. about a dozen times and not a SINGLE one is a quote from the OT. Would anyone but a cult would write "their own" Bible version and make changes to it to suit their fancy?

  really simple....oompa
• 

  V1710

  Do whatever you can do to challenge his intellect with other interests. Encourage him to take classes at a local university. Travel together, visit places of interest-museums, zoos, concerts. Introduce him to and meet educated and good people so he can see JW's don't hold the monopoly on goodness. Focus on the positive things in life. There's a lot of goodness if one looks for it. Talk to him about GRACE and how God loves us just the way we are. We don't have to do anything to earn his love. This will counteract all the crap he's being fed at the meetings.
• 

  greendawn

  Basically they lure people with the grand promise of immortality in a paradise earth that will arrive not after centuries but within a few years and well within the life time of anyone under the age of 70. It is this proximity in time that makes it really alluring, it is within reach.
  
  They then attach the conditions that someone to see this promise realised must obey everything the leaders of the cult say and never antagonise their doctrines or style of administration.
  
  It is nothing but a clever marketing ploy and so successful for them that they are using it even now long after they admitted in 1995 that the end may well be centuries away.
• 

  eclipse

  Everyone's responses here so far are great!

  I really liked how jgnat broke it down, into the steps of a study.

  One thing that they use to get their interest - paradise and peace and security. It is the carrot.

  The other carrot is the ressurection of their loved ones.

  They make promises that you will see all your dead loved ones again.

  ''Who doesn't want that?''
• 

  BluesBrother

  entrigued to know how they "lured" him in, as these first studies seemed to have such a dramatic effect on him.

  It's the hypnotism - When they dangle it before your eyes and you see the demons on the run and the angels singing!!

  - NO , that was just a joke... the studies are quiet , warm and chatty affairs . A lot depends on the person conducting it.I am being Honest now..but they can still make the most preposterous precepts seem entirely logical and believable. eg " If you had the power to do so would you not want to change this world for the better? " of course you would. "Then it surely reasonable that God will do so"..and "His means is to bring a New World" obvious isn't it?, "that means that some people ,bad people will have to die, but we need not worry about them...."

  We do not know which study book or brochure will be used, they have a repertoire to chose from . The most widely used one is still , I believe a paperback 224 page book called " What Does The Bible Really teach". I have scanned a couple of introductory pages and there is a useful Wikipedia link

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Does_the_Bible_Really_Teach%3F

  

  
• 

  WTWizard

  The whole thing is a scam. First, you promise them the everlasting life, forgetting to tell them that it will involve giving up everything that means anything to them or that the "new" order is going to be stagnant. Then you cut off outside sources by demonizing them. You gradually get them to get rid of any ties to Babylon the Great (meaning other religions), and then teach them the basic doctrinal lies. Then they have to give up the holidays, smoking, the opposite sex (unless they are married), and other "sins". By now, they are supposed to be going to all the boasting sessions.

  After this, they join the Theocraptic Misery "School(??)". From there, they totally cut ties to other religions, and then they start going out in field circus. At first, they don't make it too hard for them. But, by now they are supposedly ready to be baptized. Of course, if they stall, you hound them that they are going to die if they don't keep moving ahead. This fear usually gets them to get baptized. From there, they take The Dip, and then they find out that they are in a cult. Of course, at this point canceling their membership is no longer an option, since it will result in getting cut off.

  This has to be one of the worst cults about leaving once you are in. At least, with the MLMs, all you have to do is officially cancel your membership (or not pay it) and you are out. Then, if you later wish to try again, you can open another account. Not so with the Witlesses. They sucker you in, and then you are stuck in. I firmly believe that the first study should be where they are introduced to as many apostate Web sites, and Crisis of Conscience, so they will have the chance to make a fully integrated, unbiased decision. They also deserve to know about the verification of the dates from independent sources, and the multiple busted predictions for Armageddon. I think once people realize it's all a scam, they are unlikely to continue. And that's when it's better to drop it, before they have wasted time in it or made that commitment.
• 

  Sarah Smiles

  I bet they showed him God's name and how important it is to use God's name, Jehovah. That is important to all Jehovah's Witnesses, after all that is what they are witnesses for God's name.

  How many people know God's name? do you see them using God's Name? Do they pray using God's name?

  Something else, after they teach him God's name they will teach him what God is not! Trinity! because the majority of Christian faith believe in Trinity! Not the Jehovah Witnesses. There is the big hook, once they have him there will it time to get baptized. Because after they debunk Trinity which is Satan organizational plan he is hooked!

  They will show him books about many false gods with their godheads and then they will show him Jehovah God who is not a Trinity God!

  A sceme Rutherford came up with!

  Buy a Catholisim book and have it around your house! Most JDUB are miss guided on the subject.