Do Jehovah's Witnesses even know their own teachings... (page 2)

PSacramento

I think that if JW's would focus their "ctricial mind" that they use VS other religions, on their own, many would have quite the revelation.

Tuesday

This post may come from my own frustration, it is just kind of mind-boggling.

If someone was at the door and asked about blood portions, they specifically state that a blood transfusion is not made up of whole blood but only the red blood cells. Then points out that mature red blood cells are made up of hemoglobin and cell membranes, and hemoglobin can continue all of it's functions without a cell membrane. Finishing up asking exactly how one of them is considered a conscience matter and the other is not, when they are essentially the same thing, neither are whole blood they are both portions of blood, stored the same way and even complete the same function.

Then someone responds with "Blood fractions aren't whole blood, so they're conscience matters", I don't see how anyone could even consider that as an acceptable answer to the question at hand. If you were asked at a door a question like the one above, would you conclude an acceptable answer should at least include information about parts of blood, what exactly is considered a blood fraction, what the blood has to be able to do in order to be considered blood?

For the active JWs on here (fading or whatever), if someone asked you about this at a door and was asking because they had knowledge about blood components would you be able to respond? What would you say to your partner in the door-to-door work if they responded with something that didn't really deal with the issue at hand, would you tell them that their response is making JWs look like they don't understand their own beliefs?

insearchoftruth

Then someone responds with "Blood fractions aren't whole blood, so they're conscience matters

And that is pretty much the exact answer I got from my wife and then she told me how the Thursday book study article made it so clear to her, she even read the article to me.....it is a taught answer, and the blind adornment of the GB is what makes it all possible......the witnesses don't know their own teachings, I have asked what I consider very simple questions on their doctrines of some of the folks my wife has studied with, either getting 'let me research that in the bible (really WT disc) and get back with you or an attempt to shift back to either the book my wife was studying or an area of comfort.

Blood fractions, 1914, 1919, even the sealing of the anointed being changed, no clue whatsoever, and with the teaching on nulite and the ever increasing role and power of the GB, it really does not matter to any of the JWs.

As long as there are bad things going on and being broadcast in the news, the JWs have something to lean on and talk about us being in the worst times ever, so no need to rely on the old and unknown doctrines......

villabolo

I think that what is happening to the JWs is happening nationwide. People are dumbing down everywhere.

villabolo

yknot

Well speaking of dates......

I noticed the great 'dumbing down' started in the 80's.

No, most JWs don't know their own doctrine, they just know to follow the slave (versus the lamb).

A few have mastered the sales pitch and deliver the spiel with 'authority'.

Our TMS conductor recently spoke of the 'generation' via 1995 light and pioneers being directly appointed by FDS! He has been an elder for almost 50 years! He is the WT conductor and makes majority of the SM announcements! Yet in his mind he can't handle the 2008 change so he just keeps with the version he can stomach. No one corrects him.

...........................

Blood questions at the door: I would politely listen to the householder and if I wasn't able to field the question (nor FS buddie) I would say they made some interesting points and that admittedly I pretty much trust those taking the lead in these matters. If the householder would accept a return visit I would arrange for a more knowledgeable person to answer their questions. Thus I was ignorant of the full ins and outs as an individual (but so ever grateful for the HLC provision) versus bringing reproach on the Org/Jah by overstating my intelligence.

JeffT

There are a raft of things they don't know about their own doctrine. A couple of years ago I had two JW's (who looked and sounded like elders) at my door. They didn't believe me when I told them that, according to the WT, Jesus isn't their mediator. I don't think anybody understands what they say about blood, probably because it makes no sense no matter how you look at it. I could, if called upon to do so, demonstrate from memory how they come up with 1914. (I won't because my stomach is already bothering me today), but I agree most of them can't do it now.

What is today's position on Sodom and Gomorrah being resurrected? I wonder how many know that.

BadBettie

I remember they used to, about once a year do a meeting where they discussed 1914, 607 etc. I always remember my Mom sitting in deep concentration. When I asked her what it was she said "I'm studying for the meeting, I don't get this part because it is hard stuff".

I've also heard people over the years refer to it as "The dense stuff", the "HEAVY stuff", "all that crazy date stuff".

I have only had it explained to me once, by a person who was not a witness at all, and was able to discredit it in the same breath. I facepalmed. The reason? We changed the way we do calanders in between then and now. How the heck do we even know we are in the "right" year?

Weight or no weight directly on this matter, it is a thing to ponder. Is ALL religion wrong based on this? I don't know myself. I didn't remember it until I read this thread and it happened a decade ago. (looks like I have some reading to do)

That same person did a "study" with me we used it as an excuse to hang out [school friend that studied theology in spare time but as said was non religious]. He had expected a very enriched study in the knowledge book, but I was not taking the study for the first one as I had never taken one before and I was being taught by my (forced) mentor at the time, so it was done the "proper" Q&A way.

Afterwards we got online and he basically said, "No wonder you all come to the same conclusion, if you wander from what's there in the paragraph its...wrong somehow, WTF?" . He knew why, he just wanted me to see why. That's when I slowly subconciously was working towards getting myself out (as we both knew I questioned everything but was too prideful/scared to admit it).

A few days later I went back online (I was never big on the internet, just computers in general) it was 2005. I had gone online and rejoined some communities, and through that I met normal, kind , rational, people that supported me on my way out, and that was even before I got here (now out in all but title), for some better, more specific help.

As for the blood thing, for the conscience stuff my favourite, common JW answer is "Well, that person will have to deal with Jehovah when their day comes".....okay so lets totally discount the fact that it is happening, and according to many nurses I know personally, common.

In fact that is an answer I get for a lot of the unjust things I complain about. Yeah you can wait, but why doesn't god care about how those people feel about it now and how it affects them in this life? This applies especially to abuse/rape victims.

Black Sheep

My lot knows what the current teachings are, but are dishonest about them to make themselves sound/feel less cultish.

Tuesday

So the general consensus is that the majority know the basics of the teachings but when questioned as to why or in detail can only parrot responses. There is a small percentage who don't even know the basics of their teachings, which is only a slightly higher percentage than those who can actually understand and defend their beliefs.

In a similar vein because I find this the most frustrating, do you feel that JWs can see that their parrotted answers do not answer the questions at hand or do they actually think that a canned parrotted response that generally deals with a subject should suffice in a detailed question situation?

darkl1ght3r

BadBettie -"We changed the way we do calanders in between then and now. How the heck do we even know we are in the "right" year?"

Right. And to make matters WORSE for the dubs, the old Jewish calender was a LUNAR calender, based on the lunar cycle. But they figure for a so-called "prophetic year" of 360 days in their calculations. They then take the result and apply it to the modern Gregorian year of 365 days. It's alot of cherry picking to pull some significance out of thin air.

From the NONsight book:

***it-2p.505Nisan***

AdjustingtheLunarCalendar. God’s command required that the Israelites offer up a sheaf of the firstfruits of their harvest on the 16th day of Nisan (Abib) and that, on the 50th day thereafter, they offer up a second grain offering. These offerings corresponded naturally with the barley and wheat harvests, respectively. This precept made essential an adjustment in the calendar of lunar months used by the Israelites. There was need to compensate for the difference of 11 1⁄4 days between the full solar year and the shorter lunar year. Otherwise, within the space of three years, the month of Nisan would arrive some 33 days earlier in the season and far ahead of the barley harvest. The Bible record does not specify what method was originally used by the Israelites to accomplish such coordination, but the evidence indicates that a 13th month was added every two or three years to restore the seasons to their proper position in the calendar year.

Do Jehovah's Witnesses even know their own teachings...

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