The results so far - three months remaining for the 2012 survey...

by cedars 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Halo

  The thing I find interesting is higher education topping shunning as the belief most dissagreed with. It is only 1 percentage point, but I feel that as shunning is the control mechanism that keeps people in line and therefore has the biggest impact on people. Shunning along with threats to those with positons of responsibility effectively dictates the decisions around things like higher education and is the means by which we are robbed of our own conscience and free will.

  Take away the threats and people act with their own integrity, according to their own conscience. This, to me is the biggest problem within the organisation. Freedom to persue higher education is important, however on the scale of things the absolute ruthlessness of controlling people through shunning is by far their worst trait. Emotional abuse with another name.
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  cedars

  Halo - yes, I also find this interesting. I too would have expected shunning to top the list of most disagreed doctrines, since it touches the lives of the vast majority of those taking part in the survey. However, the fact that it is so far topping the list for two years in a row seems to indicate that it is no accident.

  Perhaps the denouncing of higher education has wider disapproval from those voting on the survey who agree with virtually everything else that the Society teaches. I know when I was an indoctrinated Witness I knew of very few people who openly disapproved of shunning, but I can certainly think of individuals within the faith who voiced objections to the Society's stance on higher education - especially parents who were protective of their children's interests.

  Perhaps this factor has tipped the balance in favor of higher education as the most contentious issue.

  Cedars
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  Heaven

  Ok, Cedars just finished the survey. Here are the comments I left:

  Heaven September 30, 2012 at 3:47 am

  Other beliefs I disagree with….

  1) That ‘works’ is defined as going door-to-door handing out Awake! and Watchtower magazines attempting to recruit people. As a teen my mother tried to guilt and frighten me into going out in Service. She told me my eternal salvation was at risk if I did not. I asked her to show me the scripture that defines works as handing out the WTS’ magazines. She was unable to.

  2) Their Armageddon prophecy… that Armageddon is coming ‘soon’ and will wipe out most of the people on this Earth except for Jehovah’s Witnesses (and a few other good people…maybe). My definition of soon differs greatly than that of the WTS. I also believe Armageddon is just a fantasy from a mentally ill, possibly drug addicted old man (John of Patmos).

  3) That wives must live in subjugation of their husbands.

  4) That Witnesses are preaching to all the inhabited Earth and that everyone will have a chance to hear their ‘life saving’ message. Not only is this mathematically impossible, their publications are not printed in all existing languages. A remote Amazonian tribe was discovered in 2008. I am certain these people have not only never heard of Jesus, I guarantee you they’ve never heard of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  5) “Wait on Jehovah”. This is in direct contradiction to behaviour that supports effective, healthy, productive people. Waiting on God to fix all your problems means your problems will continue to increase and get worse. This behaviour created ‘do nothing’, unhappy people in my family.

  6) Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only true religion of God.
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  cedars

  Thanks Heaven for taking part in the survey.

  I also appreciate you letting me know your other issues of contention with JW beliefs. Some of these may be helpful in formulating future questions.

  Cedars
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  mamochan13

  a comment on shunning coming in below higher education. I think practicing JWs can agree with the practice when it does not affect them. Personally I had no idea how deadly and how horrible the effects were until it happened to me. Before that I agreed with it, buying into the "you agreed to abide by the rules of the club when you joined" theory.
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  aposta-Z

  28% of the DFd / DAd ones* claim they were disfellowshipped for immorality
  
  According to popular witness belief, one would think this number would be higher. Deception, deception, deception...
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  cedars

  Yes mamochan13, that's my thinking too - although you put it better than I did!

  Cedars
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  flipper

  CEDARS- I finally had some spare time this morning on a Sunday to answer your survey under " Inactve ones " ! Yay ! Thanks for the survey, very well done and it certainly shows and reveals how much damage the WT society has done to millions of people's lives. Good job. Keep up the great work ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  cedars

  Thanks so much for taking part Flipper, I'm glad you found the survey informative!

  There's been an impressive 31 extra votes in just the last 24 hours alone, which is fantastic. I do appreciate all the support.

  Cedars
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  MrFreeze

  Can't wait to see the results. When I originally took the survey, not sure if I understood the one question. The one about leaving the organization if shunning were abolished. Does that mean disassociating yourself?