Have you read Crisis of Conscience and still remained a JW in good conscience? (page 2)

Franklin Massey

CoC broke my heart. When I finally had the courage to read it, I devoured it quickly. With each turn of the page, my suspicions about the Org were proved correct. In the rare event that I begin to question my current stance on the JW religion, I just think back to the incredible amount of facts and documentation provided in the book and just like *that,* I snap back to reality.

But the serious brainwashing - and inevitable cognitive dissonance - that comes with being a Witness makes it possible to read the book (or at least parts of it) and dismiss it as a really, really clever trick of that wicked master deceiver, Satan. He makes lies look like truth. He makes darkness look like light. For many JWs, 2 Corinthians 11:14 is all they need to ignore the cold, hard facts that prove that all is not well in Watchtowerland.

Ding

Regardless of what a JW believes about the character and motives of Ray Franz, much of what he wrote in CoC can be verified out of WT literature simply by reading originals of the old WT publications that he cites.

Yet most JWs won't do this. Why? I think there are two basic reasons: (1) Fear of what they will find and (2) fear of what will happen to them and their families if the WTS discovers their "apostate thinking."

But some JWs DO check these things out and STILL stay loyal to the WTS anyway. Why? I think the heart of it is that they have bought hook, line, and sinker into the WT teaching that everything in life is a loyalty-and-endurance test by Jehovah. So no matter how much evidence they see against the WTS, they process it all as being nothing more than a huge loyalty and endurance challenge by God. Having invested so much of their lives in the organization and Armageddon being SOOOOOOO close, they can't afford to waver now.

Viewing things through this WT prism, they convince themselves that it is actually NOBLE to ignore what their eyes are telling them in order to stay loyal to "Jehovah and his organization." Those who leave the organization are weak and evil; they remain strong and faithful.

Because they are captives to this concept, the stronger the evidence against the organization, the more tenaciously they defend it. They will shun their own DFd or DAd flesh and blood and treat them like scum, all the while believing that Jehovah must be proud of them because of their loyalty.

Franklin Massey

Good point, Ding. Another scripture comes to mind: 1 Corinthians 10:13. They reason that God would never allow something to come before them that could totally break their faith.

jay88

@ Ding

You definitely, nailed it.

agent zero

i recently started reading CoC.

i have a good conscience because i know i'm just seeking truth.

have also remained an ok-ish JW outwardly, in terms of what the members of the congregation think of me.

but i think what you mean to ask is if they could stay a Believing-JW.. and THAT i doubt. the only way is what Ding said, but for the vast majority it would cause, at least, severe cognitive dissonance.

DesirousOfChange

DING: But some JWs DO check these things out and STILL stay loyal to the WTS anyway.

AGENT ZERO: i recently started reading CoC. i have a good conscience because i know i'm just seeking truth. have also remained an ok-ish JW outwardly, in terms of what the members of the congregation think of me. but i think what you mean to ask is if they could stay a Believing-JW.. and THAT i doubt.

I think AZ says it right on. They APPEAR to stay loyal to the WTS. Anyone who goes against all the apostate warnings and reads CoC, has already given up their "JW trained conscience". They have already partially disconnected. They may remain a JW for personal reasons. And, they may maintain what they consider a "good conscience". But, they were already past the point of being "a JW in good conscience".

What path their life takes from this point on is a tough decision with lots of things that factor into it. Family. Friends. Relationships.

DOC

blondie

Hey, I just remember the bible in Acts said the "by divine providence" Jesus' followers were named "Christians." It is not important to be a good jw but rather a good Christian. Reading Ray's books confirmed my own experence and research. I was so glad to know I was not the only one. Ray remained a good Christian and his conscience was good because he was no longer teaching WT lies.

Terry

jonathan dough

I think the heart of it is that they have bought hook, line, and sinker into the WT teaching that everything in life is a loyalty-and-endurance test by Jehovah.

It's hard to believe they fall for this and refuse to verify the accuracy of information proving the Society wrong when the Bible clearly states at 1 Thess. 5:21 to "test all things."

If you don't have a copy of C of C you can probably pick up a copy here:

http://www.144000.110mb.com/directory/Jehovahs_Witnesses_books_%20documents.html

Ding

Jonathan Dough said:

It's hard to believe they fall for this and refuse to verify the accuracy of information proving the Society wrong when the Bible clearly states at 1 Thess. 5:21 to "test all things."

I think most JWs feel that they did this when they got baptized as JWs, that they tested all things and committed themselves irrevocably to "Jehovah and his organization." They see any further investigating and testing of the organization to be a rebellious dishonoring of this commitment.

As the charts Terry posted above show, once you become a JW, you see your individual responsibility for determining truth as having ended. Henceforth, determining truth is the job of the Governing Body. Your responsibility is to believe whatever it is that THEY make sure of and to change whenever they get "new light" from Jehovah.

Because of this, JWs accept without question whatever the GB tells them and consider this blind loyalty and submission to be a virtue.

Have you read Crisis of Conscience and still remained a JW in good conscience?

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