**FREETHINKING, HONESTY and WTBS

by MacHislopp 5 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  MacHislopp

  Hello everyone,

  Recently I came across an
  interesting study/research article and I
  would like to share with you the following :

  "…a better definition of a freethinker would be
  someone who has the will to find out, who exhibits
  rational doubts about prevailing intellectual fashions,
  and who is unafraid to apply critical thoughts to
  any subject. "

  and :

  "…really committed to the notionof truth and
  free inquiry, tha he or she cannot stop the inquiring
  mind at the gates of any religion…"

  and :

  " …the first duty of the intellectual is to tell the
  truth. Truth is not much in fashion in this post-
  modern age…"

  and even more : - imho - the icing on top of the cake:

  "…To give up the notion of truth means forsaking
  the goal of acquiring knowledge. But man, as
  Aristotle put it, by nature strives to know.
  Truth, science,intellectual inquiry and rationality
  are inextricably bound together."

  and finally , - imho - the icing on top of the cake:

  "…Democracy depends on freedom of thought and
  free discussion. The notion of infallibility is profoun-
  dly undemocratic and unscientific."

  (from the writer Ibn Warraq - 10.11.2001-)

  I do believe that this has many applications,
  from religious knowledge to the social aspects
  of life and... we could send this reminder to
  theWTBS and …friends.

  Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

  " One who has an accurate knowledge
  of God's Word will have no problem
  in refuting false religious ideas".
• 

  ozziepost

  G'day Mac,

  Re the WTS and democracy:

  The two are mutually exclusive. To the WTS democracy is anathema. Even though it has prospered in the cradle of democracy, it continues to espouse theocratic rule i.e. rule by the elect over the multitudes, a "trickle down" effect as WTS rep Mercante declared in his zone visit talk in Sydney a couple of years back.

  Therefore I believe it would be of no use exhorting the dubs to reflect on true democracy in their organisation, for that is the last thing their leadership wants.

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."
  Anonymous
• 

  Grout

  Get real, man. WTS is all about concentrating power in the hands of a few, not spreading it out to be shared by all. You might as well preach to Saddam Hussein about the virtues of tolerance.

  --
  Chip Salzenberg: Free-Floating Agent of Chaos
• 

  Moxy

  the irony is that a witness reading these points would nod at each, 'yes. yes. yes. yes. thats me! not afraid to question common views in the search for Truth.' musing that if only the people at the doors were more free-thinking like that, the service would be more productive.

  mox
• 

  MacHislopp

  Hello everyone,

  thanks for your comments.

  Moxy: this is the kind of reaction that I wished

  for. Always ...the others...! Great.

  Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

  " One who has an accurate knowledge
  of God's Word will have no problem
  in refuting false religious ideas".
• 

  searcher

  Hi
  It seems to me that a JW will ALWAYS search for the truth.
  The problem comes from WHERE they look.
  steve