OODAD - It really did not matter what approach was taken. If I found anything at all wrong with the organization then I was "picking at it" and "justifying my attitude by searching for reasons to hate the organization"
email from father in law
by outsmartthesystem 42 Replies latest jw friends
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Vanderhoven7
marked
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outsmartthesystem
Sizemik - I appreciate your words. I am tired of faking. I am tired of playing the WT's game of keeping my mouth shut while he boasts of the privilege of being associated with the society. I am tired of being told that I have a bad attitude....which is evident by my not bothering to ask him the questions that bother me. I am tired of being told that my children will go the the KH and there is nothing I can do about it. I am tired of being told that when my children disrespect me they are saying what Jehovah put into their hearts....not what they've been indoctrinated with.
All this is made worse by the fact that I am aware of some VERY financially shady things he has pulled with certain individuals. Of course....my wife doesn' tknow any of it. Nor will I tell her for fear of her taking it as an attack against him.
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outsmartthesystem
"There's your opportunity. Black Sheep and others have said to ask a question and get the JW to teach you, and not let him deviate from giving a direct and truthful answer to it. Discuss nothing else until that one question has been satisfactorily addressed."
His response is the same as my wifes. "I will not get drawn into a secular debate with you. The answers to your questions are found within the literature. You choose not to accept them. I won't discuss it any further. Period"
When pinned on the issue, he chooses not to teach. You cannot force somebody to teach you
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Emery
Thats where you go for the jugular and strictly discuss "Jehovah's organization" the Faithful and Discreet slave. It's that authority which determines his faith and reasoning. If you remove the authority then you really don't have to get into a debate about 607 or any other rubbish.
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outsmartthesystem
respectful observer - Where would I find a copy of the commentary of the letter of James?
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neverscreamagain
outsmartthesystem- very well written and rationally stated. One can only hope that it will at some time in the future stir FIL to think. Don't count on it, thinking rationally as you know takes practice, and is highly discouraged with JW's. Kudos for you for being kind to your father in law. Demonstrating real love and compassion will be remembered long after he has forgotten or dimissed what you have wrote.
I have went through and am going through basically what you are experiencing now. You might think that if you can say or write the magic line of reasoning that it will get your family or friends to come around and see the evil that is the cult of The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Don't beat yourself up thinking that you should have said this or that or phrased it differently. People typically come in or out of the Borg after having something tramatic that affects them on a personal basis, and it can be something insignificant or tragic, who can tell or predict what it may be. It will be different for everyone. Hopefully when this happens and it will with ones that you know, they will be able to reflect back on your clear reasoning and kindness shown for their welfare.
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AnnOMaly
His response is the same as my wifes. "I will not get drawn into a secular debate with you. The answers to your questions are found within the literature. You choose not to accept them. I won't discuss it any further. Period"
When pinned on the issue, he chooses not to teach. You cannot force somebody to teach you
Man, that would really p me off.
"I'm not asking you to get into a secular debate with me, FIL/dear wifey. I'm asking you to use the spiritual food that God's organization has provided and some simple math to show me my error. My everlasting salvation is at stake here. Do you not want to snatch me out of the fire?"
Still, when they clamp shut, I guess there's nothing you can do. But I sure as hell wouldn't let them get away with passing off their fear of looking as your fault.
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Black Sheep
His response is the same as my wifes. "I will not get drawn into a secular debate with you. The answers to your questions are found within the literature. You choose not to accept them. I won't discuss it any further. Period"
I just told him that the answer wasn't in his literature, or I would have found it, so if he wants to claim the answer is in his church's literature then it is his job to find it and show it to me, and prove that I'm an idiot/led astray by the devil/whatever.
Note that I wasn't debating anything. I was not making statements. I was asking a question.
You have to outsmart the system.
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respectful_observer
It's long out of print, but you should be able to find printed copies for sale online. Here are two I found afte a quick check:
I'm guessing it's still part of the WT Library CD-ROM as well, but I'm really not sure.