Cognitive Dissonance

by Robert7 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  Robert7

  I am trying to compile a list of the key areas of Cognitive Dissonance in the JW faith. Again, this is the case of holding two conflicting/contradicting beliefs as true. Here is what I have so far.. I will be using these as ammo for those who question my decision...

  - Governing Body - Although The GB is directed by Holy Spirit and is God's channel of Truth, it contains imperfect men who can provide (and have a history of providing) some false information. This information will get later corrected as "new light"

  - Truth - The Watchtower provides Bible Truths. However one must hold to "Current Truths" and ignore the "past Truths" as 'new light' comes. "Past Truths" were never untrue, aren't untrue now, but just have been replaced with the newer "current Truth". So a "Past Truth" was never false.

  - Loyalty - A Witness should be 100% loyal to the organization, even though it contains imperfect men who can sometimes provide false information, and be otherwise influenced by imperfect men.

  - Research - Witnesses encourage people of other faiths to research and question their faiths, but are strongly discouraged from researching and questioning their own faith.
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  Gopher

  Inspiration -- The WTS teaches that the earthly organization is not inspired (so as to head off criticism when mistakes and false prophecy crops up in their literature), However, they do claim to be "spirit-directed". The $64,000 question: What is the difference, exactly?

  Mediatorship -- The Bible says that Christ is the mediator between God and man. Further, JW's are taught to pray "in the name of Jesus". However...The WTS teaches that Jesus Christ is the Mediator for only the remant of the anointed ones.
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  uninformed

  Great topic.

  Being "spirit directed" and wrong are just not compatible.

  Doctrines in a state of constant "flux" does not indicate they are the sayings of Jesus.

  Brant
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  dawg

  The Bible says to not trust nobles nor the son of earthly men..but we can't even question the GB without committing apostacy... how can we not trust men and yet not be able to question them? Even the apostles were questioned by new converts, they didn't have a problem answering questions.

  They claim to be guided by God, are they saying that questioning them is questioning God, if its not questioning god to question them then how is questioning the GB an act of apostacy?
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  VoidEater

  The Bible is the only inerrant Word of God - but you cannot study it without the aid of the WTS publications.
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  VoidEater

  You cannot be part of this Earthly system nor be a member of a political organization - unless you are the WTS, then you can be a member of the UN (the Great Beast of Babylon).