Contradictory beliefs and faulty reasoning re. Jehovah 'blessing' the work

Simon

You will hear JWs coming out with two things that are completely contradictory which they take to both prove the same thing.

1. They have massive growth and that proves that Jehovah is blessing the work they do

2. They are not as large as the Catholic church which proves that they are the 'narrow path' leading to salvation

So, having a lot of followers and also not having a lot of followers are both proof that you are the one and true religion.

Hmmn, Ok ... but there is more.

Think about what they believe regarding #1 above ... that growth is evidence that Jehovah is blessing their work.

How does that work exactly?

God thinks they are doing a sterling job so he does what? Makes people believe? Makes them good? How does free will fit into that?

If that is what god is allowed to do then why can't he just do that for everyone?

Either it makes a mockery of the whole 'free will' thing or he has nothing to do with the growth as he surely cannot influence people's minds if the whole 'free will' test is fair or even necessary.

Of course the only real answer is that the whole belief system is bogus but it's interesting how, if you really think about just one simple part of it, the whole thing just doesn't make sense.

BabaYaga

Simon says:

1. They have massive growth and that proves that Jehovah is blessing the work they do

2. They are not as large as the Catholic church which proves that they are the 'narrow path' leading to salvation

Exactly! And if something awful happens to one of the witnesses, they are being tested for their faith. If something bad happens to an evil apostate, they are being punished for leaving the fold.

If something GOOD happens to a witness, they are being blessed by Jehovah. If something good happens to an evil apostate, well, they are playing by Satan's rules, of course he would reward them!

grump grump grump

nbernat

I hate that. How there's an answer to EVERYTHING. It makes my parents never understand my logic attacks on the JW belief system.

Like this week with the Bible highlights about Lot and him offering his daughters to the gay guys of Sodom...the WORST logic I've ever heard to explain why it wasn't bad for him to do that.

VM44

The JWs simply want to believe that Jehovah is taking action, so they just make up these "attributions to Jehovah."

It is certainly a good example of how cult members look for anything and everything, and say anything, to prop up their belief system.

KAYTEE

If god brought me into the Org. in 1974, and wanted me to stay with them.WHY did he let me find out about ;

Their U.N. involvment.

Their U-turn on blood.

Their collection of Paedophiles.

Their failed prophecies.

Why did he give so many scriptures that contradict their beliefs.

WHY……….WHY…….WHY.

KT

yadda yadda 2

1. They have massive growth and that proves that Jehovah is blessing the work they do

2. They are not as large as the Catholic church which proves that they are the 'narrow path' leading to salvation

Those are not 'completely contradictory' at all! You can still be small in comparison to others but experience 'massive growth'. The second point is about the total size, the first point is about how fast they are growing. Not contradictory at all.

Of course the only real answer is that the whole belief system is bogus but it's interesting how, if you really think about just one simple part of it, the whole thing just doesn't make sense.

Another wrong statement. The 'real answer' is not that the whole belief system is bogus. That is a completely black and white statement and fallacious. The real answer is that JW's, like all other religions, have some true beliefs and some false ones.

Ténébreux

Good point about the "blessing" thing. Presumably there's going to be an awful lot of JWs destroyed at Armageddon on the grounds that they didn't really obey of their own free will but were brought in by God just to bless someone else.

WTWizard

"They have massive growth". True, on paper. That proves nothing--despite what the witlesses like people to believe, having massive inflated or fake growth has nothing to do with anything other than the ability to type inflated numbers in their reports.

"They are nowhere near as large as the Catholic church". And neither is the Cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Which proves that the cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster must be the "narrow and cramped road that few will find". I think I am going to find the meeting places of the Cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster--they seem even smaller than the witlesses, indicating a really narrow and cramped road.

UnConfused

As the work slows down it will be "evidence" of End Times

If the work speeds up it will be evidence of Jehovah's blessing.

If the Catholic Church grows it will be evidence of Satan misleading people even more

If the Catholic Church shrinks it will be evidence of the End Times

Just thinking about it makes my head hurt

Simon

The main thing I was trying to get across were the implications of this beliefe they have that Jehovah must 'make' some people believe.

Surely, if that is the case, then the work is pointless ... he can make anyone believe. And why not just make everyone believe?

Isn't this the ultimate manifestation of evil? Being able to save people with no consequence but chosing to make the suffer instead before killing them?

Contradictory beliefs and faulty reasoning re. Jehovah 'blessing' the work

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