Do Most Witnesses Truly Believe In Their Religion? (page 2)

Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

@undercover: I agree; I've noticed how all the new literature with all the nude light is more "simplified". In this dumbed down state how can one find any understanding of truth? After all we aren't suppose to look anywhere else.

I wonder what new watchtowers will look like in the future when they've gotten rid of all the old literature, I mean, light.

Page 1: GOD IS GOOD

Page 2: GOVERNING BODY BETTER*

Page 3: AYTHING GOVERNING BODY TRUE*

Page 4: GOVERNING BODY SAY, “EVERYTHING ELSE BAD"*

Page 5: EVERYTHING ELSE WITH SATAN, HE BAD!*

Page 6: GOVERNING BODY SAY, “JESUS SAY,"GOD SAY GOVERNING BODY GOOD"”*

Page 7: GOVERNING BODY ONLY TRUTH IN WORLD BECAUSE JEHOVAH AND JESUS SAY SO*

Page 8: ONLY LISTEN TO GOVERNING BODY*

Page 9: *Footnote: No scriptures were used because the Governing Body knows all. If you try looking in your Bible you will be committing the sin of independent study and be disfellowshipped for brazen conduct.

poopsiecakes

I think that most JW's have a lot of years and behavior invested and have to believe in order to keep going. If and when doubts arise, the go-to emotional (conditionned) response is that something isn't right with them, so they push themselves further back in by reading more WT literature. Once you've compromised yourself when it comes to holidays, witnessing, shunning etc. over years of time, it's very difficult to pull back and take a really unprejudiced look at the religion without freaking out. So yeah, I think most active JW's believe - but only because they have never allowed themselves to step outside of the cage they've locked themselves in.

Bungi Bill

Undercover,

An interesting thought.

We used to sneer at members of the "Churches of Christendom", who typically did not know what they believed in, and didn't seem to care too much about it, either! Now it would seem that exactly the same situation prevails amongst the JWs themselves.

This, then, begs the question - what actually attracts people to the JW religion?

They still claim an overall net increase in numbers most years, and "Born-Ins" / "Raised Ins" cannot account for all of that:

- given that at least two thirds of those born in or raised in "The Truth" end up giving it away.

Perhaps this is the subject of a seperate thread?

Bill.

PS: In saying this, I am trying hard not to sound like some disgruntled old veteran, complaining about "the new fellas" not being " as good as we was."

Ding

Granted a JW may not believe every current teaching or like every current practice, but if he/she doesn't believe it's really "God's organization," why would he or she stay in it except:

1. To hold on to family and friends or

2. Out of fear that every alternative is worse?

(I'm not counting children here, since they have no choice)

NewChapter

I truly believed. But I think cognitive dissonance really played hard on my brain. When I realized I no longer believed, a bunch of other things came to mind that I had suppressed the best I could, but still remained an unchangeable part of me.

I didn't believe homosexuality was wrong.

I was always pro-choice.

There are times when cussing is just appropriate---nothing else will do.

But I always quickly suppressed such notions and tried my best to dismiss them. I saw such thoughts as a weakness.

NC

White Dove

Growing up and into my adulthood I did believe it was true, but I also found it most cumbersome and difficult to live with.

I really wanted the holidays and birthdays.

I didn't want my religion to be the right one, but it was and I had to deal with it.

What a relief to find out it was just a bunch of sheiss!

PS And prophesy was completely lost on me. I just didn't care enough to learn it.

I had no idea that it was because it kept changing. I never noticed the changes when they happened.

I just obeyed the rules and went to the khall, all the while wishing it wasn't the truth. That was it.

Violia

I was told by an elder that the wts knows they have as we say " got it wrong" but too many people's lives and careers and money are involved to admit they are wrong. He said they will just tweak doctrines and continue on. I had already come to this conclusion myself. So I said, " so we could just as easily be sitting in a Baptist church" and he said" that's right".

I think a number of the elders and folks who went to Bethel know it isn't the truth . More than one has told me they don't believe all of it but it seemed a nice religion to raise their kids in. all their friends are in the org and why rock the boat? I found out the elders and their families follow slightly different rules than the rest of us peons. Why should I be surprised, same good ole boy system that exists in most brotherhoods.

breakfast of champions

Okay, so TRULY believe. . . With my wife, here is what she believes:

This is the "old system" and there will be a "new system"

There is no other religion doing the preaching work earth wide ( although she admits it is just busy work)

Earth will be a paradise

Where else will you go?

Here is what she doesn't really believe:

That 99.9% of earth's population will be destroyed in armageddon

That what the WBTS prints is 100% true

I think my wife has a lot of cognitive dissonance going on!

White Dove

Violia,

I think that brother was staying in to help others out.

Maybe.

Violia

White Dove

that elder had been a missionary and his entire life, friends, job etc was wrapped up in the org. I appreciate that he leveled with me. He had no compassion for the lesser among jws, all his friends were elders and the elite among jws. He stayed b/c it was in his best interest-- not to help anyone. He has been deceased for some time.

So when I see the wts fighting back so viciously, I understand. It is their livelihood and social support system. The truth can't really be told, a house of cards would then unfold.

Do Most Witnesses Truly Believe In Their Religion?

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