Bible Study Student With A Ton of Questions

by AddaGirl 48 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Merry Magdalene

  Welcome!

  I have a feeling you would very much appreciate and benefit from Alan Feuerbacher's Research on the Watchtower. (<clickable link) There is a lot there showing both Watchtower mistakes and outright dishonesty.

  Best wishes to you.

  ~Merry
• 

  badboy

  YOU SAY THAT THE WT HAD NGO STAUS AS FAR BACK AS 1972.

  WHAT DETAILS DO YOU HAVE?
• 

  outofthebox

  Welcome to the real world!

  Answering your question: Yes! You can get disfellowshiped if you use your mind and ask for logic explanations. My humble advice: Don't get involved. Read the Bible. Create a personal relationship with God, not man.

  -ootb
• 

  worldtraveller

  Welcome Addagirl. Glad you can think for yourself. Please click on the link below, and understand shortly why this (b)org. is the ultimate in corruption. This cannot possibly be Gods channel. It also states in Revelation that it is unwise to read an altered bible. AND John 3 :16 states the way to God is through Jesus, not a worldly organisation. Try to look in the bible for any mention of the Watchtower-you won't. Here is the link.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLAC9kS_EqM trust your instinct. You are a friend here.... .
• 

  parakeet

  AddaGirl wrote: "When I inquired to my teacher the things I was finding, she ... reiterited that I should not have gone looking on the internet for information ..."
  
  Strike One.
  
  
  "When I got real upset with her for passing my concerns off she has now brought another book over to my lessons that talk about Satan being involved in every organization, the Witnesses included."
  
  Strike Two.
  
  
  "I should clarify here that when I first inquired about the UN involvement, 2 teachers, both long-timers in the truth denied that it existed."
  
  Strike Three. Get out of their game, the goal of which is to deaden your reasoning powers and turn you into a robotic book peddler for the Watchtower Society.
• 

  Leolaia

  Very succiently put, parakeet.
• 

  5go

  Ask your teacher about the recent pedophile settlement the watchtower hid from the faithful as well.

  The Watchtower Bible Society Continues to Deceive the Media and Jehovah’s Witnesses

  The Brooklyn headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses has published a deceptive and misleading press release on their public relations website in response to the broadcast of NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams expose of the Watchtower Society’s secret, multi-million dollar payout to victims of child abuse.

  In February, 2007, the Watchtower secretly made an out-of-court settlement with 16 plaintiffs who accused their congregation elders and the leadership of the organization for the mishandling of instances of child abuse that were reported to them. According to court documents acquired and published by Watchtower whistle-blower, Barbara Anderson, the Watchtower secretly paid out 12.5 million dollars to prevent the cases from going to open court. The plaintiffs were also bound with gag orders to legally prevent them from speaking about the crimes committed against them by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  Because the Watchtower Society has never published any of these matters in their own literature Jehovah’s Witnesses are largely ignorant of the leadership’s legal doings as well as the extent of pedophilia within the organization. But on their public relations website directed to the media, the Watchtower claims that cases of child abuse among Jehovah’s Witnesses are rare. As an example of the Watchtower’s legerdemain, the press release misleadingly cites a recently published Awake! Magazine article entitled, Keep Your Children Safe, as proof that the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are well-informed about the dangers posed by pedophiles within the congregations. The obvious intent is to give the uninformed media the impression that pedophilia among Jehovah’s Witnesses is candidly discussed. That simply is not true. Instead the articles warn parents to be wary of entrusting their children to neighbors, coaches, teachers, and relatives. But the Awake articles make no mention of the fact that the most imminent danger facing the children of Jehovah’s Witnesses comes from child predators who are also Jehovah’s Witnesses!

  Links to relevant articles and other aspects of the Watchtower’s press release are discussed in the latest commentary on http://e-watchman.com

  Robert King (e-watchman) is the author of the book, Jehovah Himself Has Become King.

  http://www.huliq.com/44577/watchtower-bible-society-continues-deceive-media-and-jehovah-s-witnesses
• 

  TooBad TooSad

  Do not get involved. I am in only because of my family. I would give anything

  to get my family out. The meetings are so boring that it is painful. The Watchtower

  is held in higher regard than the Bible. As proof of this just listen to the Sunday

  talks where the elder will say "the June 15, 1988 Watchtower, on page 20 paragraph

  12 it says"...................... They act like they are quoting the Bible. JW's will put

  Watchtower teaching above Bible teaching all of the time. How do I know that?

  I was an elder for 10 years. I did it and I am not proud of it. Get out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  TooBad TooSad
• 

  changeling

  Welcome Addagirl!

  You ask why the WT limits the info their members receive? It's because informed people cannot be JW's. Informed people will see clearly that this org is false and hypocritical.

  Ignorant, naive people are their target.

  changeling
• 

  jwfacts

  Welcome, and great opening post.

  Everything presented or in archive at the UN is being done for an excellent reason--remove religious persecution, make gov'ts aware of the mistreatment of the Witnesses, and allow religious teaching in areas where banned.

  This has always been my gut feel, but I have not been able to find anything to prove it. If you have anything I would love to know more.

  Regarding limiting information, that is a key part of mind control. If you compare Liftons 8 criteria for mind control the Watchtower perfectly aligns with all 8. The following is a summary of Liftons research, compared with Watchtower quotes

  1. Environment Control. Limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. Books, magazines, letters and visits with friends and family are taboo. "Come out and be separate!"

  "False religious propaganda from any source should be avoided like poison! Really, since our Lord has used "the faithful and discreet slave" to convey to us "sayings of everlasting life," why should we ever want to look anywhere else?" Watchtower 1987 November 1 p.20

  "We must also be on guard against extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school friend, a workmate, or a business associate. We may reason, 'He respects the Witnesses, he leads a clean life, and we do talk about the truth occasionally.' Yet, the experience of others proves that in time we may even find ourselves preferring such worldly company to that of a spiritual brother or sister. What are some of the dangers of such a friendship?" Watchtower 1994 Feb 15 p.24

  2. Mystical Manipulation. The potential convert to the group becomes convinced of the higher purpose and special calling of the group through a profound encounter / experience, for example, through an alleged miracle or prophetic word of those in the group.

  Russell - "Then I knew why the Lord had led me to it so slowly and cautiously. I needed a special preparation of heart for the full appreciation of all it contained, and I was all the more assured that it was not of my own wisdom; for if of my own why would it not have come at once?" Zion's Watch Tower 1906 July 15 p.234

  Rutherford - "Enlightenment proceeds from Jehovah... and is given to the faithful anointed.... the remnant are instructed by the angels of the Lord. The remnant do not hear audible sounds, because such is not necessary. Jehovah has provided his own good way to convey thoughts to the minds of his anointed ones." Preparation p.64

  Current Governing Body

  "The point is that Christians have implicit trust in their heavenly Father; they do not question what he tells them through his written Word and organization." Watchtower 1974 July 15 p.441

  "Today, Jehovah provides instruction by means of "the faithful steward." (Luke 12:42)" Pay Attention to Yourself and to All The Flock p.13

  3. Demand for Purity. An explicit goal of the group is to bring about some kind of change, whether it be on a global, social, or personal level. "Perfection is possible if one stays with the group and is committed."

  "The resulting peaceableness of Jehovah's people makes them a refreshing oasis in a violent world." Watchtower 2002 July 1 p.17

  4. Cult of Confession. The unhealthy practice of self disclosure to members in the group. Often in the context of a public gathering in the group, admitting past sins and imperfections, even doubts about the group and critical thoughts about the integrity of the leaders.

  "So, if doubts, complaints, or apostasy threaten to contaminate you spiritually, cut them away quickly! (Compare Matthew 5:29, 30.) Get help from the congregation elders." Watchtower 1989 October 1 p.18

  "It is certainly not easy to confess to others deeds that one feels ashamed of and to seek forgiveness. It takes inner strength." Watchtower 2001 June 1 p.31

  "If he does not do this within a reasonable period of time, concern for the cleanness of the congregation should move you to report the matter to the elders" Watchtower 1989 October 15 pp.14-15

  "Employers have a right to expect that their Christian employees will 'exhibit good fidelity to the full,' including observing rules on confidentiality…. There may be occasions when a faithful servant of God is motivated by his personal convictions, based on his knowledge of God's Word, to strain or even breach the requirements of confidentiality because of the superior demands of divine law. Courage and discretion would be needed. The objective would not be to spy on another's freedom but to help erring ones and to keep the Christian congregation clean." Watchtower 1987 September 1 p.15

  5. Sacred Science. The group's perspective is absolutely true and completely adequate to explain EVERYTHING. The doctrine is not subject to amendments or question. ABSOLUTE conformity to the doctrine is required.

  "First, since "oneness" is to be observed, a mature Christian must be in unity and full harmony with fellow believers as far as faith and knowledge are concerned. He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding." Watchtower 2001 August 1 p.14

  6. Loaded Language. A new vocabulary emerges within the context of the group. Group members "think" within the very abstract and narrow parameters of the group's doctrine. The terminology sufficiently stops members from thinking critically by reinforcing a "black and white" mentality. Loaded terms and clichés prejudice thinking.

  'the truth', 'new system', 'worldly people', 'disfellowship' 'Jehovah's Organization', 'RV's', 'door to door' and 'theocratic'

  7. Doctrine over Person. Pre-group experience and group experience are narrowly and decisively interpreted through the absolute doctrine, even when experience contradicts the doctrine.

  "The world is filled with unhappiness, and people generally have a gloomy outlook on the future. However, we have a bright outlook, knowing that one day all sadness will be a thing of the past." Kingdom Ministry Feb 2002 p.1

  8. Dispensing of Existence. Salvation is possible only in the group. Those who leave the group are doomed.

  "Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the "great crowd," as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil." Watchtower 1989 Sep. 1 p.19

  "To turn away from Jehovah and his organization, to spurn the direction of "the faithful and discreet slave," and to rely simply on personal Bible reading and interpretation is to become like a solitary tree in a parched land." Watchtower 1985 June 1 p.20

  "I suffered much pain and heartache without Jehovah's guidance," says one young woman who for a time left God's organization. "I tried to fit in with the world, but because I was not truly like others, they rejected me. I felt like a lost child who needed a father to guide me. That is when I realized that I needed Jehovah. I never wanted to live independent of him again." Watchtower 1998 October 1 pp.10-11

  "With apostates earth wide being destroyed, what reason can one have for confidence of life in paradise to follow?" Kingdom Ministry September 1973 p.6

  See http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/mindcontrol.htm for a more detailed look at this subject.