Geez, Terry - you are on a roll. Great post as always!
JV
Stop making the BINARY error of Jehovah's Witness theology
by Terry 54 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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N.drew
Sorry, I don't buy it. People who say SEE! the Bible isn't God's gift SEE! Jesus is Jehovah as man???? That's a good one!
SEE! The end isn't coming SEE! you can be happy without Jesus. These are lies that keep people from leaving
the Jehovah's Witnesses. It did not take them to convince me of the Bible's power, or the goodness of Jehovah, or
the love of Christ. I don't blame them for staying. There is a problem though. Them who did not separate themselves
from Korah (Numbers 16:26) died. I knew that if I went door to door as a JW then I would be bringing danger as they who
knew, would be punished if they did not choose "the truth". But on the other hand Jesus said he who would save his
soul will lose it. I got baptized to learn the Bible better. Do some people get baptized to be saved?
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Terry
Ever notice that Jehovah's Witnesses don't often use the word SALVATION?
I guess it is too Christendomy.
Being "saved" is less a condition of SAFETY for JW's. It is moment to moment. Event to event. Performance to performance.
Like an actor on a stage the Jehovah's Witness is judged anew without regard to previous success.
Even salvation is Binary because any slip whatsoever will flip the switch from LIFE to DEATH.
This is why the brothers and sisters at the Kingdom Hall who are your loving "family" don't send a THANK YOU for all your fine service card to disfellowshipped persons when they leave. THERE IS NO GRATITUDE in them.
All the good you do for years and years of faithful service is like a dish of ice cream in the Sahara desert once you leave.
Good riddance to you!
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Hadit
Excellent post Terry! I really liked this point: Authority must be earned and accessible or it is fascist.
The black and white thinking is also evidence of cognitive immaturity. If the frontal lobes develop normally then the black and white can be blended. The WT does an excellent job of messing with our brains to keep us childlike. The first thing they instill in parents is to use the rod. This starts off the process of never questioning, never expanding our mind and keeps us is fear. When the developing brain is kept in a state of fear - it cannot grow properly and then you have frontal lobe arrestment and a very dependent person who is easy to manipulate and control.
Hadit
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N.drew
Terry! You hit the nail SMACK! on the head. But it happened to me while I was active.
I gave a sister a small slap. In 15 years of quiet contemplation I had one nutty in field service.
In the "world" they would consider that as a ticket to "just say sorry AGAIN and don't do it any more"
But they restricted me for months and months. A nice vacation actually, I'm not complaining.
Someone doesn't believe in Jehovah? OMG I can't never not.
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HintOfLime
Heh... stop making the Jehvoah's Witness error of thinking people need preachers and sermons on a discussion board. Here's a novel concept: "Here is what I think. What are your thoughts?" Say a little bit, and then invite discussion! Thought - real, free thought - doesn't start with reading, it starts with responding.
How best do we get the mind thinking - with long rants or with questions?
- Lime
PS: (No offense meant - merely food for thought.)
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Perry
The number one question for Jehovah's Witnesses is DOES YOUR ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY not come from your INABILITY to QUESTION your own AUTHORITY?
Terry, I have to disagree a bit with you on labelling JW's "absolutely certain". I think you are confusing certainty (knowing) and stubborness (cognitive dissonance).
Jehovahs Witnesses don't really publically claim to KNOW or to be absolutely certain about a number of things, especially about their own salvation from Judgment .... at least not in a Christian sense. The average JW will tell you they have "hope". However, this is totally different than the New Testament hope which includes "knowing". "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God". JW's do not confess this.
Jehovah's Witnesses are not at all certain about their fate. This drives much of their hypervigilance.
I think JW's main doctrinal argument for just about everything when backed into a corner is to compare themselves with the filthy dregs of Christendom; with the Ace-in-the-Hole phony issue of military service.
That was the position of my long-time elder brother when I talked to him. He basically just skipped over all the issues I raised and declared that no one else could be right with God because all the other churches let their membes join the military. In other words, he was only realitively sure of his position by comparing himself to others. JW's have the same problem as the Pharisee in Jesus parable:
"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are"
However the sure hope of the NT that guarantees knowing is :
He that hath the Son has life, and he that has not the Son of God has not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:11-13).
JW's do not claim this certitude simply because they do not have a contractural relationship with "the Son".
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designs
Tooth Fairy time.
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garyneal
As you pointed out Terry, the problem I have with this certainty thinking is what it does to people who believe that they are amongst the religious self righteous holier than thou crowd. (Which sadly, my wife is becoming a part of.)
She and I spoke of Santa Claus and whether or not I would teach him to our child. I tried to be balanced. I said I would teach her the Christmas songs concerning him and the idea that he flies around on Christmas Eve but I would teach her that her Christmas gifts came from family and friends. "In other word, I would be teaching a lie," she said. The only problem I have with teaching our children that Santa is a myth right now is that she may have a lot of friends who believe in him and I did not want her going back and saying, "Santa's a lie, Santa's a lie!!!!"
The tolerance and respect for others is a trait that is becoming more and more lost on her with each passing day. Thank God she's going back to work full time tomorrow, maybe she'll get around more worldly people and hopefully get herself more balanced again.
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smiddy
"A JW doesn`t listen so much as they wait their turn to counter your argument"
Good post terry
smiddy