Why this is not "gnat stuff":
Is it acceptable to question what the Watchtower Society teaches?
Having lived first hand through the persecution the WTS perpetuates against those who question it, this is a big deal. There is no room for explicit questioning, let alone doubting, each and every utterance of the WTS. When you question, participation in the religion (and therefore eternal life) are withheld. I have seen, in my family even, a letter to the WTS asking questions being used as evidence of "self disassociation". The emotional toll on those (dysfunctional) good-hearted people, trying in vain to live with both their conscience and be in the good graces of the WTS, truly is heartbreaking.
The WTS shows itself to be hypocritical - something Jehovah detests - when it both encourages questioning of dogma, and punishes questioning of it's own dogma.
Should you follow a hypocrite?
When Jesus inspected the Watchtower Society in 1919, what did he find?
The WTS rests it's entire claim to being Jejovah's visible organization on on being recognized by Jesus in an act of invisible presence in 1919. Yet it seems incredible that, given what the WTS was promulgating then, that they would have been judged as being a Faithful and Discreet Servant. Without credibility in 1919, the WTS has no claim to being Jehovah's organization.
And...no, Virginia, just claiming to have been chosen by Jehovah is not enough to prove you have been chosen by Jehovah. The claimed evidence of that choice was the purity of the WTS dogma...and it doesn't hold up.
Should you follow an organization that claims a special relationship with God that it cannot defend?
Do Witness teachings come from the Bible or from the Watchtower Society?
For a follower if the Bible, it must be very important to actually follow what the Bible says. Since the WTS repeatedly tells its followers that you cannot rely on the Bible (despite the Bible saying explicitly that you can), it is impossible to not see a disconnect between the WTS and following the Bible.
Do you want to be told what the Bible says, or read it for yourself?
Why does a religion claiming to be the only group to have truth revealed to them by Jehovah require ongoing changes in doctrine? Does truth change?
The WTS has for decades flip-flopped between being infallible and being only human. It claims infallibility when demanding its followers believe, and imperfection when it is wrong. If it's infallible, well, we're done then, see ya later! But, since we know it is instead imperfect, we must follow that truth to a not-so-startling conclusion:
If they're wrong on some things, they may be wrong on many others.
And, since there are other religions that share some basic dogma as the WTS, perhaps these other religions are less wrong than the WTS and should be explored more.
Or, maybe you don't really need an organization per se after all.
Doyou want to follow someone that keeps changing the rules? When people die by those rules that are later changed? When there is only arrogance where contrition and apologies should be forthcoming?
Is the Watchtower Society inspired by God's holy spirit?
See above.
Does the Watchtower Society encourage people to read the Bible?
Only as part of the sales pitch. We have examples of their own words telling followers they cannot live by the utterance of Jehovah alone, they need to have someone chew it for them first. If you follow the Bible, I don't see how you need the WTS to give it to you in small quotes in a Watchtower or some other publication. Indeed, there are the examples where followers are sternly told to NOT study the Bible on their own.
Isn't that doing the same thing that the WTS accused the Catholic church of doing - keeping the Bible away from its followers by keeping it hidden in Latin?
Is Bible reading important to you? Do you want to follow an organization that discourages individual studying, or small group studying?
Do you want to be told you are incapable of understanding the Bible? Why would the Holy Spirit avoid you when you read?
Does the Bible really support the teaching that God disapproves of blood transfusions?
Is the Watchtower Society's practice of disfellowshipping consistent with the Bible?
If the Bible says to cut off all contact with your family over a disagreement in dogma, then what can anyone due to gainsay it? But, instead, the Bible shows that all manner of unbelievers are to be treated as regular people. It's not Biblical to shun.
That then asks the questions: Where does this shunning come from (could it be from imperfect men)? Why must family ties be cut in the case of DA or DF (could it be to keep controlling followers' minds)?
Why would you cause the pain and anguish of shunning when it is NOT Biblical? Why follow the WTS when it DEMANDS you shun?
Should a minor child be allowed to make a baptismal vow?
If a minor does not understand enough of life to consent to contracts, to consent to sex, to consent to anything, really, then they cannot be in a position to consent to baptism: surely the most important, significant event in a human's life.
Unless your Catholic, of course, in which case the formality is more important than an individual's commitment.
I don't know at what age an individual becomes competent for such consent, and it can be different for different persons. But if they're not old enough to consent to a contract, they're not ready for baptism.
Would you want to follow an organization that takes advantage of - and may even be coercing in certain ways - children?
Is belonging to an Organization a requirement for salvation?
The WTS says yes. The Bible says all you need is faith.
Who do you follow?
Who is your mediator?
This is perhaps the fundamental point of doctrine that is most important to a Christian's life: how is your relationship with God and Jesus defined?
The WTS says only some (144,000) have a right to pray to Jehovah through Jesus, have a right to his mediation, have a right to being redeemed by Jesus sacrifice. The rest only gain these benefits through their association with the FDS. In other words, they really are saying "the rest of us" must pray to the FDS, are redeemed on the coattails of the FDS, we must believe in the FDS.
Who do you think you should pray to, and gain salvation by? The remaining members of a "generation" or Christ?
If you really agree with what the WTS says, more power to you - celebrate in the Truth!
If you can't agree with some of what the WTS says, get out of her.
