WT 4-15-60--re: relevance of false beliefs

by sd-7 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  sd-7

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  “PEOPLE will go to any church,” admits a Honolulu clergyman, “without suspicion as to false doctrine.” Thus in this age of deception and falsehood millions of persons are uncritical even when it comes to the vital sphere of religious beliefs; they accept what they hear without investigation, even though doctrines of the various churches conflict with one another.

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  An educator recently pointed out why people are not taught to test their beliefs and why people often accept even implausible doctrines. Professor Walter Kaufmann of Princeton University, in an address at Colby College, Waterville, Maine, spoke on the moral and intellectual failure of organized religion. Reporting on the educator’s address, the Portland (Maine) PressHerald of February 24, 1959, said:

  “Asserting that critical thought is still discouraged, he pointed out that even in the United States today one rarely hears anything of that nature on radio, TV, or mass circulation magazines. Prof. Kaufmann suggested that the desire for social approval prompts the verbal acceptance of religious beliefs in many instances. . . . Affirming that many religious leaders privately concede the implausibility of their doctrines, Prof. Kaufmann denounced hypocrisy which prevents them from stating as much in public. ‘If these leaders said what they really believed,’ he commented, ‘organized religion would crumble, and we would wind up with individual religions.’”

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  Should the crumbling of what is false be feared? Of course not, for Jesus Christ said: “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Falsehood cannot make one free. But because of the desire for social approval, the desire to please the crowd, people accept many doctrines without testing them for truthfulness. Because it is easier to go along with the crowd than to explain to the crowd why one cannot go along with it, many persons will believe whatever the crowd believes; but popularity has never proved a reliable means for judging the quality of a belief. As one writer has put it: “The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed, in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.”

  Jesus never accepted a doctrine or belief because the crowd did; Jesus did not found a please-the-crowd religion. The Christian should please God.

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  The very fact that clergymen admit privately and sometimes even publicly that many doctrines are implausible and false should make one want to check his beliefs with the Bible

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  Another clergyman, Dr. Daniel A. Poling, answered a question in the March, 1957, issue of the ChristianHerald in the column “Doctor Poling Answers Your Questions.” To a questioner who had heard that there were at least eighty false doctrines in popular religion this clergyman writes: “As to false doctrines there may be 80 or there may be a thousand. I am sure they are quite beyond numbering, but since you know the Lord and have been within His grace all these years, surely you have the witness in your heart day by day. You have everything that is required for your peace of mind now and for your eternal salvation.”

  But does Jehovah God talk this way? Does his holy Word, the Bible, whitewash false doctrines, dismiss them as something trivial, as if the Christian is under no responsibility to know whether or not he is believing truth or error? What are we to think of a Christianity with false beliefs “quite beyond numbering”? Said Jesus Christ: “There is not a fine tree producing rotten fruit.” False beliefs are rotten fruit that identify religious organizations according to the rule stated by Jesus: “Each tree is known by its own fruit.”—Luke 6:43, 44

  Instead of saying that beliefs do not matter, God’s Word declares: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are.” (2 Cor. 13:5) There is nothing to fear by making this test, by proving our beliefs by the only standard for judging religious teachings—the Holy Bible. Indeed, we should fear not to make this test. Christians must not be man-pleasers but God-pleasers.

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  Why take a chance with false beliefs? Prove what is false and reject it. Prove what is true and hold to it. Only the truth can set one free and enable one to bring forth the fine fruit of right religion that is acceptable to God.

  --It calls to mind an admission that occurred during my recent judicial committee, where an elder said, and I quote, "I could care less about 1914!" I spent most of the night researching articles on the WT CD-ROM, and this one in particular was a very eye-opening one. It highlights the stark contrast between what is said to the public and what is said to JWs on the inside. Thought it was worth posting.

  --SD-7
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  FuzzyPaul

  “Prof. Kaufmann suggested that the desire for social approval prompts the verbal acceptance of religious beliefs in many instances”

  Does not equal the Watchtower’s representation “An educator recently pointed out why people are not taught to test their beliefs”

  Christopher, you recently wrote how you were confused about how to proceed in the future since you are now out. It will be difficult for a while but you should believe that God will make it up to you!

  “it is easier to go along with the crowd than to explain to the crowd why one cannot go along with it, many persons will believe whatever the crowd believes; but popularity has never proved a reliable means for judging the quality of a belief.”

  SD-7, Don’t give in to any temptation to go to meetings or speak approvingly of WT associations as if that would make having a relationship with Our Savior possible. Lead your wife out, don’t allow her to lead you back in to that den of baby snakes (”offspring of vipers”).

  Blessings,

  Paul
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  sd-7

  Well, thanks, Paul. Was hoping to get more thoughts on this post. But I stayed up until 5 in the morning putting together some interesting quotes that I hope the Society will sue me for posting. Nah--I don't think I can afford that. Seriously though, I do agree with the sentiments of this article--Jesus did not found a follow-the-crowd religion. Yet that is exactly what we're told to do when there's a new teaching that "we don't understand". "Wait on Jehovah" really just means follow the crowd, ultimately, and to whitewash the falsehoods as part of a "progressively revealed truth".

  But I am thinking. Things have gotten really hurtful in our home, the arguments and the like. She doesn't even know most of the basic doctrines like 1914 and when the 'slave' was appointed, yet she'll defend it to the grave. It's amazing to see how a relationship with people she isn't even acquainted with takes priority over her marriage.

  I'd like to consider some other church, maybe sooner than I thought. But I'm going to post some more thoughts in due time.
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  darkl1ght3r

  "But I am thinking. Things have gotten really hurtful in our home, the arguments and the like. She doesn't even know most of the basic doctrines like 1914 and when the 'slave' was appointed, yet she'll defend it to the grave. It's amazing to see how a relationship with people she isn't even acquainted with takes priority over her marriage."

  That makes me sad. I went through the exact same thing a little over a year ago. My wife, for some reason, never cared to really put forth the effort to be able to explain the JW doctrines from the Bible. She was content to do the basic Wt/school/service/bookstudy studying. I did care. I wanted to be able to do what 1 Peter 3:15 said to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." She was always impressed with my ability to explain our ridiculous doctrines. And then when I started to see the gaping holes in JW teachings, all of a sudden she came out defending them like I didn't know my ass from a hole in the ground. Even though she couldn't tell me where I was wrong. The simple fact that "God's channel" was providing the info was good enough for her. Her attitude was completely opposite from the admonitions in what you quoted above. Actually, the WT's attitude is also completely hypocritical in that regard as well.

  'Examine your beliefs! Seek evidence! Use reason! And once you come to agree with us, chuck that sh!t out the window!' - That's a fundamental mistake the JWs make. They think that critical examination stops once you've arrived at the(ir) "Truth". They don't realize that intellectual honesty demands constantly testing the efficacy of any given belief against the best information/evidence available, and having the willingness to change those beliefs if proven false. Sure they pay lip service to the notion, but it's shown to be bullsh!t by the simple fact that researching in "worldly" publications is essentially forbidden. But the hypocrisy is even further revealed when they are shown to be wrong on a matter. Like you said, at that point you're simply required to "wait on Jehovah", a.k.a. follow the crowd. So it's all about "reason, evidence, and critical examination", UNTIL such things lead you to disagree with them.

  And then there's this: "I could care less about 1914!"

  I had elders tell me the same thing. That's cognitive dissonance at it's finest. They would like to believe that their world view doesn't rest on something as silly as a "foretold" year. So they'll say things like that while fully knowing that they must accept the "truth" of it without question, and keeping the implications of that doctrine being wrong far from conscious consideration. Not to mention that its a perfect example of them only paying lip service to the ideals quoted above. It's like they think that a building can still stand even if you knock out the first few floors. They're essentially saying, "My beliefs are founded on solid evidence, but even if that evidence is in error, I still know I'm right."

  Anyway... yeah. Interesting thoughts. Sorry for the long rant.

  Ben S.
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  sd-7

  Long rant, but a very good one. Thanks for sharing those thoughts.