I know that some will disagree on this, and say you can ask questions. Yet, I ask you to honestly think what would happen if you openly started asking questions on JW doctrine or evolution. Likely you would be made to feel like I did below if you started asking these questions to other JWs.
I grew up in a family that were JWs for a few generations. I was raised in the JW ideaology from birth, and had only a view into the world around me in small fragments. I really think this is the reason that I never had any questions my entire life on JW doctrine, evolution, or the Bible. Everything seemed to make total sense in my limited view. Yet, when I became witness to certain things both in the congregation and in my personal life I started to have some questions. In addition, a householder sparked some additional questions for me. Unfortunately, I found out right away that there is no open forum for asking questions available to JWs inside the org. I found that having questions is conflated with being spiritually weak or being an apostate. Because of this I felt guilty for even asking questions. They caused me to stop asking questions, but not forever. I started having questions again, but this time I decided to research my questions in the publications. I will admit that sometimes my question had reasonable answers in the JW publications, but alot of my question were not answered in the publications. Since I still have questions after reading diligently the publications it raises the question, why can't I ask questions openly? Why do I hit a road block, possibly even being called an apostate if I do?
Note: To avoid distracting from the main question, I will not post any of my questions in this thread.
Why can't you ask questions?
by ihadnoidea 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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ihadnoidea
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cantleave
You are absolutely right, there are is no way to ask questions. Most elders are stumped by good question and give the "wait on Jehovah" response when presented with awkward questions.
If you show doubts of any sort, you will be considered weak. Weakness requires further indoctrination (or help) until you either fall back into line or are forced to leave the group.
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kimbo
stop thinking
all hail the governing body
I don`t no why asking questions is so bad
maby they are covering some thing up
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zeroday*
It's Mind Control Cult 101...you don't want the faithful asking questions or stepping out of line. Have you ever wondered why when "New Light" appears the rank and file fall in lock step with the WTS. When the "1914 and this Generation" doctrine was turned on its head, a bed rock doctrine for over 80 years over night flipped no one questioned it or even batted an eyelash. Makes you wonder...
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NomadSoul
It's called information control. I was a born in, and that's how I began discovering that it was a cult. I was discouraged from asking questions and verifying the sources in the publications.
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life is to short
I too am a born in. When I was 16 years old I questioned something for a talk I had, it was really a small question about how old Jesus was when he was bapitzed truly no big deal and I was shut down like I had questioned the validity of the truth. It toally took me back to why was I being slammed like that over a small question but I thought I was in the wrong to even have a question. How I wish I had listened to the nagging doubt inside.
LITS
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simon17
Here's how questions will be answered this organization:
"Here is the current answer. If you don't like it, wait for the next answer. Until then, you must believe, or at least pretend to believe, the current answer."
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james_woods
I'll answer any question you have, as best I can, from the bible, secular sources, and my own logic which may help.
OK - how about this: Why are you posting on an apostate website when the society clearly has told you not to do this?
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punkofnice
Reminds me of this sweet little article = "Minds must be cleansed" (Watchtower, June 1, 1953, p. 350 par. 24).
ALSO - Not only is it 'Information Control' but I found this of interest -
SACRED SCIENCE - Absolute "Truth"
Their "truth" is the absolute truth. It is sacred - beyond
questioning. There is a reverence demanded for the leadership. They
have ALL the answers. Only to them is given the revelation of "truth".
The ultimate moral vision becomes the ultimate science and the
person who dares to criticise it, or even think criticism, is immoral,
irreverent and "unscientific".
The assumption here is not so much that man can be God, but rather
that man's IDEAS can be God.
This gives sense of security to the member. They are confident
they can get the answer to the most difficult problem or question.
e.g. In Jehovah's Witnesses you can be disfellowshipped (kicked out)
for daring to question what is taught in their publications.
- Watchtower demands full devotion of members. Must not question
the Organization (= questioning God)
- There is an answer to everything, if you cannot find it in the
publications you must 'wait on Jehovah' and not 'push ahead'.
- Organisation itself will survive Armageddon but individual
Jehovah's Witnesses have no such assurance.
