I know there are some intelligent Witnesses that really research their beliefs, but the more I learn, the simpler and more ignorant Watchtower doctrine appears. That opinion is certainly not helped by some of the apologists that appear on this site.
Most Watchtower doctrine is a product of the Black and White syndrome, where all the obvious shades of grey in between are simply ignored with statements such as "wait on Jehovah". For example:
Paradise eternally on Earth - it is not Biblical, not scientific and a simple concept based on the idea that Adam was never told what would happen if he did not sin.
Soul - the concept that a person will die and not exist is very unfulfilling. It does away with any concept of self. If you are just a restoration or photocopy from God’s memory, then what is to stop God making many of you, or even resurrecting you now whilst you are still alive.
Blood – a black and white concept that fails to recognise Jewish pikuach nefesh, that saving life overrides law
Jehovah – It never appears in the New Testament, but the Watchtower adds it because it does not know how to explain that it doesn’t appear. They would rather dishonestly add it than address the issue.
Trinity – Jesus was addressed as God and referred to by many prophecies that applied to YHWH. But the Watchtower chooses to ignore the Scriptural implications the Jesus is YHWH and dismisses the Trinity as too hard to comprehend.
Disfellowshipping – A blanket rule that applies to any kind of sin. How can a minor disfellowshipped for smoking a 16 years old who since gave it up get the same treatment of family shunning for life as a murderer or drug dealer. Because it is simple to have a black and white rule that covers every situation.
Birthdays - Someone died at a birthday so it must be wrong. Well, makeup must be wrong then since evil Jezebel wore it ... oh no that is too confusing.
Abortion – it’s wrong, end of story. Bad luck for teenage girl raped by a stranger, or a person with a badly deformed fetus, abortion is wrong in every situation.
Preaching – If its not door-to-door, it is not preaching. Other religions grow quicker by using more effective methods. Christians devote themselves to missionary service and volutneers in Campus Crusades, but it doesn’t count because it is not house-to-house.
Probably the only Watchtower teaching that is mildly difficult to explain is the Seven Times and that is because it has more than two steps and some simple maths.
As soon as you start reading the New Catholic Encyclopaedia it becomes apparent that there have been many sincere people that have devoted centuries to coming up with a coherent explanation of the Bible. It is comical that Russell, Rutherford and Franz could combine imagination and plagiarisation to come up with second rate teachings, and have their followers convinced they are the most Scripturally educated people on earth.
