by Sojourn 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
It's obvious to anyone who's spent time on this site with an open mind that major brainwashing and mind control are at work in the WTS.
How do you reconcile that with the idea of free will?
It's like if I said that I know my decisions were mine, but at the same time they weren't. How does one make sense of that?
can you please be more specific?
It's like this:
If you choose A, then I give you a hug.
If you choose B, then I will punch you in the face.
You have the free will to choose A or B.
Mil
Free will is an impossible concept that people do not want to consider too deeply. One of the greatest fears is that we are not in control of our mind and hence fears of mental disorders such as Schizophrenia and Alzheimer's. People are equally adverse to admitting that it is possible to be manipulated by religion. Yet it is obvious that we can have our minds changed simply by observing the affect of marketing, such as when we start to a item as soon as seeing an ad on tv for it.
No one has free will. We are influenced by and a product of our genes, our upbringing from our parents and other people that touch our lives. That is why it is most important to learn critical thinking skills, so that we at least become somewhat aware of why we hold certain beliefs and make certain choices. I think the education system should be more geared towards learning about critical thinking and logical fallacies to help people not be too easily manipulated by religion, politics and corporations.
Well said JWFacts,as usual.
We do have the freedom to choose whatever we want, as long as we can pay for it, financially or emotionally.
Freedom is a dangerous thing, hence as JWFacts so rightly says, people need education so as to not be fooled, and so as to be able to make wise choices.
You are free to choose, so choose well.
For me freewill and independent thinking cannot be separated, JW's always use negative examples
when using independent thinking, They conveniently leave out the example of Christ being tempted
in the wilderness and the choice he made, using his freewill and independent thinking.
"Give me the boy until he is seven, and I will give you the man." - St. Ignatius of Loyola
So by 7 we have been thoroughly brainwashed and indoctrinated, no wonder it is difficult to leave the WTS by the time we are adults.
George
