Do JW's actually have "beliefs"?

still_in74

I have thought about this a lot recently. As a JW, did/do I really have "beliefs"?

How can a person have "beleifs" only to turn a page in a magazine - the same mag that tought them what they believe - and now completely change their "beliefs"?

Are they really beliefs? Do JW's have a belief system?

I have come to the conclusion that JW's do not have beliefs...... they have only loyalties.

This is compounded by the fact that likely 95% of JW's cannot answer a simple doctrinal question without doing research. Have you noticed that? Ask a question and they are told to reach for the handy-dandy quick answer book, the JW Coles notes on what they believe - the Reasoning Book.
Well I hope they dont get asked about the Generation, the RB still teaches the Generation of 1914 theory!

How can you not know what you "believe"? Dont you need to know something to believe it? NO BELIEF SYSTEM. ONLY LOYALTY TO THE WTS.

For any JW's lurking, ask yourself what you believe. What do you B-E-L-I-E-V-E ?Show me in the bible & only the bible what you believe, or explain it to me off the top of your head - you must be able to after all - you believe it!

Your answer may surprise you, it wont' surprise me. You think you believe you worship god, in fact you renew your vow of loyalty to the WTS at every meeting you attend. Perhaps at the next District Assembly you will listen to the actual words used in the "Vow" the audience takes more carefully before saying "Aye". Who are you really saying "Aye" to?

***w629/1p.533Christians—NotFollowersofMen***This tendency to follow men, even when one is claiming to worship God, is understandable but not excusable. Imperfect creatures are attracted to individuals who seem to be especially endowed with ability, knowledge, experience, prominence, wealth or some other gift such as a pleasing personality or voice

*** w569/15pp.547-548LearnHowtoLearnNo one can come to an accurate knowledge of the truth unless the teaching he receives actually leads to the truth. Jesus said there would be many false Christian teachers in these "last days." So the Christian who has learned how to learn will "make sure of all things." He will "keep testing whether" he has accurate knowledge and is "in the faith." This requires a willingness to examine what he has already learned to make sure that it is the right kind of teaching, that it is in harmony with the standard for accurate knowledge, the Bible.—1 Thess. 5:21; 2 Cor. 13:5, NW.
Even with the right teaching some are ever learning and never growing up. What is wrong? The Bible says: "The fool multiplies words" but "wise men store up knowledge."There may be too much talking. Some people just like to talk. They like to talk more than listen. If one spends more time multiplying words than storing up knowledge, such a person may be ever learning but "never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth."Talk has its place; it must not be allowed to crowd out listening and diligent personal study

Oh if only you JW's knew what your organization actually teaches......

JWdaughter

I always thought it was a religion of what they DON'T believe. I see exactly where you are coming from though in the perspective you shared.

Narkissos

In any religion there is bound to be a difference between actual (individual) beliefs and official (collective) dogma. A survey of 1,000 Catholics and an official RC Catechism will provide wildly different answers to the question, "what do Catholics believe?"

I would tend to think that, due to constant indoctrination, the gap between actual and official beliefs is comparatively small among JWs. But the practical tolerance for such a gap is even smaller. Ignorance will be admitted (although frowned upon), disagreement will not.

Would JWs buy any belief sold under the Watchtower label, for the sake of loyalty? At slow pace, little by little over the years, probably. But I doubt the Watchtower could drastically change the official JW belief system suddenly -- it would meet resistance from actual JW beliefs.

OUTLAW

Jehovah`s Witness`s actually have only "One Belief".......#1:To do as the WBT$ tells them!!..........

Laughing Mutley ...OUTLAW

V

This is true, JWs do not believe anything except what is currently printed in the publications.

Thus they do not have a personal belief (notice how teachings on 'anointed', 'the generation' cause JWs to turn on a dime), except for one belief...

...that the Governing Body is channeling God.

C. U. L. T.

BabaYaga

Maddening... and spot-on. Great thread.

OnTheWayOut

My wife believes that the Bible is the Word of God.
My wife believes that the world is in Satan's power.
My wife believes that Armageddon will come one day and God will destroy
all those who are wicked.

The rest- like definition of "wicked" is subject to WTS applications.

As long as those "beliefs" are not rocked, she seems stable in the WT organization.
They can change dates and refine fractions or rules all they want. For she believes
that the WT Society is guided by God.

garybuss

Do JW's actually have "beliefs"?

No! They are a business. They have policies.

(A policy is a law when it is enforced as if it were a law.)

Dogpatch

No! They are a business. They have policies.

yes, a scam life insurance policy.

Ready to rock, Buss?

Dust off that pen!

Randy

Mrs. Fiorini

I think all JWs have their true beliefs, which vary from person to person. The WT tells them they must adopt a particular set of beliefs, which can and do change at the org's request. Since they use manipulative techniques on their followers, JWs think they believe the WT dogma.

When I was still a dub, we had a conversation in our fs car group one day about what we would believe if we were not JWs. The answer to that question is what individual JWs really believe, in my opinion. And I'm not talking about the WT implanted phobias such as 'I would probably be so lost that I would have become a drug addicit, prostitute, criminal, committed suicide,' etc. But instead I'm talking about what the individual really thinks makes sense in life.

When asked what their beliefs are, most JWs will say whatever the org currently teaches, and promptly change their "beliefs" as the org reveals "new light." That's why the question "if you weren't a JW what would you believe?" is important to ask.

Do JW's actually have "beliefs"?

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