"He was really smart. Smart people leave all the time" <- Unwitting Witness Tells The Truth (page 3)

daniel-p

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Uh, not in my book.

My Mom typically tells me that I have to do a study with one of the brothers from bethel, my questions are to hard and complex for her or the elders to answer, I pose questions that require facts and refuting of secular evidence and call into question interpretation, not just doctrine.

Last time we chated about this I asked her what answers she got to those questions, she said she never asked them...

I asked why? why had seh not questioned the doctrines and posed the questions that I have?

Her Answer was that she never had those questions, that she put faith that those that knew more than her, know what they are doing and that some stuff is not for "us" to know.

My head still hurts when I think of that conversation...

The very questions and critique I have of the WT are the same ones I have of ANY religion, matter of fact, most of them were put in my head BY the WT !!

journey-on

Poor poor Reniaa. I don't usually respond to your posts, but your above words make me hurt for you. Your mind is in a loop of trigger scriptures put there by the WTS for every "objection" imaginable. You could just as easily have found a scripture to support the admiration of the quest for knowledge and wisdom. They are there, too.

I, too, was told by an elder that I think too much. But, my spiritual quest was too important a matter to allow an organization of men claiming to be God's instrument to suffocate my mind. My intention and heart was right and I knew it. I figured that if I was wrong, at least I would not have lived the life I was given in the darkness of religious dogma. I had to be free to find out for myself and free to search under every crack and crevice for Truth without the feeling of guilt always looming over my shoulder. As a witness, you can't even pick up a book on Eastern philosophy or New Age philosophy, or Christian Gnostism, or any number of spiritual disciplines and examine it without feeling like the demons are watching and waiting.

willyloman

In Barbara Harrison Grizzuti's memoirs of growing up JW (she was a pioneer and was at Bethel, quit and went on to become a successful author and travel writer), she records a conversation between her and Nathan Knorr, who was WT President at the time. She had decided to leave Bethel and was asked to talk with Knorr.

The convo went something like this (you could look it up):

Knorr: You were valedictorian at your high school, right?

Harrison: No.

Knorr: No, but you were smart.

Harrison: I got good grades, yes. I was on the honor roll.

Knorr: Of course. It's always the smart ones who leave.

(I am paraphrasing from memory, but that's the pretty close).

rebel8

1 Corinthians 1:19-20 (New International Version)

19 For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Thanks reniaa. You keep supplying me with even more reasons not to put my faith in the Bible.

Uzzah

For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail. - Ecclesiates 2:26

For wisdom is a defense and money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom giveth life to them that have it - Ecclesiates 7:12

"The chief aim of wisdom is to enable one to bear with the stupidty of the ignorant" - Winston Churchill ...... ahem.... cough cough reniaa cough cough

besty

George Carlin reprised

"God loves you. God loves you, and he needs your money. God loves you, needs your money* and would prefer it if you were unintelligent."

*God loves a cheerful giver.

Tuesday

I got the "You're going to think yourself right out of the truth" all the time. To which I would always respond "You're asking me not to think?"

startingovernow

No, I haven't heard that. The only "smart" people I heard about while a JW were all the ones that were top in their HS class, could have gone to college, could have done anything they wanted in the "world," but instead decided to pioneer, go to Bethel, etc. Guess they weren't so smart after all.

knock knock

willyloman...

That is what came to mind when I read the thread title.

Franz: You're smart aren't you. (not really a question though)

BH: Yes.

Franz: Well, that's your problem!

That little exchange made me stop and think something isn't right here. Good book that one.

Also, do you get alot of praise for being smart as regards many other things... family will heap praises on you about how you can do anything etc. but raise one little question about the WT and you become deluded or even evil. See a problem with the Catholic church and you get high marks for being so observant. Notice the same thing going on in the WT and congratulations, you're an instant apostate. Crazy, man. Crazy.

"He was really smart. Smart people leave all the time" <- Unwitting Witness Tells The Truth