Pot? Meet Kettle...
How to convince someone to question the authority of the WT
by LanaMich19 45 Replies latest jw friends
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DesirousOfChange
BLUES BROTHER: Sometimes it takes a special event or a problem to shake their foundations . Then they may be ready to listen.
I think that sums it up. Nothing is new about the WT teachings or methods. What IS new, is the way I perceive it all now. My "special event/problem" caused ME to change -- caused me to begin to examine everything else once my original doubt was confirmed. It starts as a little crack or chip in the armor, but it takes time for things to really start to crumble. I think I even went through a phase where I DID NOT WANT IT TO CRUMBLE. I WANTED TO HOLD IT TOGETHER. I wanted the changes to make things right "again". But then you realize it's just not gonna happen. It is what it is. (As opposed to what you used to think it was.)
It's a traumatic revelation. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/217341/1/The-Impact-of-Leaving
(Sorry, can't figure out how to hyperlink it.)
DOC
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Voices
Maybe you should have her speak to my girlfriend who seems to say the opposite of EVERYTHING I say
Me
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lola-rabbit
I believe asking questions usually works better in getting the wheels in the head turning. Let the person come up with their reasoning.
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ShadesofGrey
I absolutely believe that it is possible to help your loved one. Jesus rescued me from the organization when I realized that He was not my mediator.
Get the book by Steven Hassan along with David Reed's http://www.amazon.com/How-Rescue-Your-Loved-Watchtower/dp/0801077524
The first thing I realized, actually, was that Jesus promised to save me from the tribulation! All JWs are scared to death of the great tribulation and armageddon, so I would start there. It took me years from that point to actually realize that the JWs did not have the truth at all.
I think that getting JWs to realize that Jesus is not their mediator is very important, once I accepted that Jesus was my only mediator He was there to help me and everything else fell into place.
The doctrine of the 144,000 anointed ones is another to tackle. Along with those, they need to realize that as Christians we already have eternal life. We don't have to endure test after test. JWs have also been taught about a paradise earth, so that needs to be explained.If you read Revelation 21:1-4 and take God at his word, then heaven and earth will be one!
Pray about which of these points might reach her the most. Also remember that we are engaged in a spiritual battle, so pray that the scales be removed from her eyes, and her spirit of oppression lifted.
Most JWs have to have the contradictions in their literature shown to them, not just scriptures.
I will be following this thread, dear one, and will continue to post as I find things that will help. I don't know how to send privately?
Your sister in Christ,
SOG
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LanaMich19
Thank you for the additional resources. I'm working on formulating questions. I agree that is the best approach. Try to lead her to the rabbit hole and let her jump in on her own. Over time she'll get there. I can see how it would be scary to leave. She has been involved for 15 years or more.
ShadesofGrey-Thank you for your kind words. I just send you a private message. Go to the top right of the page and click on the envelop. It should take you to your inbox.
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jay88
Bigmouth: In fact, a highly educated person has a greater capacity to juggle concepts and abstract thought and come up with a complicated belief and then defend it against all attacks.
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Yes, indeed.
PSOC
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LanaMich19
I guess I just thought an educated/intellectual person could be reasoned with...but I can see how Bigmouth's statement is true in this case.
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satinka
It seems to me that people never willingly leave their religiously brainwashed state. The depth of their conditioning is astounding.
Their own soul will lead them out if it is part of their journey to do so in this lifetime.
I look back years later and see that it was time for me to leave. I see that now. No one could have told me that at the time. I had to figure it out for myself.
satinka
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Ding
@LanaMich19, I've sent you a PM.
Drewcoul said:
Ask her how long the Faithful and Discreet Slave have been on earth. She'll say that they've always been here. Then ask her why Charles Taze Russell didn't find them and started his own group. Shouldn't he have consulted the FDS?
Or ask how the Governing Body is different from the Pope for the Catholics. She'll probably tell you they don't consider themselves infallible. Then ask why JW's are required to accept everything that comes from the GB as if they're infallible, no matter what the teaching is.
Asking questions usually works better than making statements. These are great questions, LanaMich19. Just be aware that what works great with one person may fall totally flat with someone else. A lot of JWs won't question the organization no matter what. They see everything as a loyalty and endurance test by Jehovah so the more telling the question, the more they think they need to close their minds and remain loyal to the organization.
Try a number of different questions and don't let them change the subject until they've given you a satisfactory answer.
You can ask them, "Do you see why this question troubles me?" The diehards will often say, "No." Rather than arguing with them, just say, "Well, it does, and before I could believe that the WT religion is the truth, I would need to have a satisfactory answer." That will put the monkey on their back to try to come up with a good answer.