by tornapart 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
At the meeting today the WT had a paragraph about certain ones breaking away from the Church because the church's doctrines didn't match the bible, some were excommunicated, some imprisoned, some executed.. of course they were held up to be lovers of God, true christians... if I was to do the same thing I would be held up as an apostate.... and excommunicated.....
I wish sometimes I had the same courage as those ones....
Yep, it sucked. Lots of information for those awake to the hypocrisy. If one were to do an in depth study of the material it really opens up some questions to the mind ... but the cult mind is closed.
On the way home from the meeting, I said to my wife ...
Me: How ironic. The study praised different ones throughout history that questioned the authority and teachings of the church, holding them up as champions of truth, yet, the Organization doesn't tolerate questioning any of its teaching. They act the same way the churches did.
Wife: That's because they were exposing the false teachings using the Bible. Jehovah's Witnesses use the Bible.
Me: But it isn't okay to question what they are teaching even though they teach things that are wrong otherwise they wouldn't keep changing things.
Wife: But our teachings are all based on the Bible.
Me: But the teaching that it is not okay to question what they teach is unscriptural. And brother so and so, who has an answer from a Watchtower or KM for everything, asked that side point ... is it okay for groups of friends to get together and have scriptural discussions using only the Bible to answer scriptural questions (referring to the paragraph about early Bible Students in the 1800's) ... I thought for sure he was looking for a "NO" answer, but sister such and such said yes ... he agreed with her! There are a number of articles that clearly show that the Organization DOES NOT approve of that ....
Wife: can we stop at the store before we go home
Wannabefree.. they just can't see it can they? It's so frustrating! All the things they say against the catholic church and they can't see it about themselves!
So frustrating is an understatment ... then I have to recognize that I went along with it for 25 years, praise be to the faithful slave and God's Organization
But there really is a lot to this lesson, most of the questions were answered by kids who can just read from the paragraph and have no idea what they are saying ... but if one were really to actually study it in depth, questions are there.
I asked my wife if she knew who Grew Storrs were ... pictured and praised in the article ... "no" she said ... I told here they were Adventists, it shows the connection that JW's have with Adventism, nobody brought that up though.
Yes, I twigged that connection too. I've noticed with a number of articles that seem ok on the surface till you start digging deep. Those articles on 607BCE for instance.. on the surface seemed to prove the point, it only took a little digging (which most JWs won't do) to realise it was all a whitewash and it led nowhere. It would leave most JWs convinced 607 is correct!
When I try reasoning with Witnesses I often think about this clip from Clifford.
but if one were really to actually study it in depth, questions are there...
That's why JWs are supposed to confine their comments to reading exactly what the numbered paragraph in the WT says...
Yes, an apostate by any other name is still an apostate.
Wannabefree: what does your wife say about "new light" when it means that the "old light" was a lie/mistake?
what does your wife say about "new light" when it means that the "old light" was a lie/mistake?
See clip from Clifford posted above. It's not so much the dialogue ... its the expression.
