Question about talking to JW

darklight

I was raised atheist and never believed in any religion.

I've been studying the watchtower religion with a younger JW couple for some months now.

My main motivation was the fact I knew nothing about christianity, they knocked on my door and offered their "bible" study... so why not learn something, I thought.

And yeah, this is one crazy cult...

The people I study with do, repeat and agree with 100% everything the watchtower says, they can't go 5min without talking about some watchtower related topic, and it is really like talking to robots most of the times.

But honestly they ARE good humans, and I feel sorry that they are destroying their life and children with this ##

My question is, are these people so brainwashed that they are unable to think anything without the watchtower?

Is it possible to plant small seeds of doubt into their mind?

Or should I just say thanks but no thanks and let them figure it out themself (doubt that will ever happen)

cofty

I think you are in a strong position to make them think since they don't view you as an enemy - unlike us "apostates".

I would suggest avoiding doctrinal debates as they will out-proof-text you any day.

How about expressing your incredulity that they are praying for the annihilation of 6 billion men women and children asap? Try to think about individuals that would involve like their own unbelieving relatives. Don't let them off with any "its not our place to judge" BS. The WT is adamant that all non-JWs will be destroyed.

Welcome to the forum.

carla

Are they brainwashed? yes

Are they unable to think? yes again, the watchtower discourages independent thinking (it's in the literature)

Is it possible to plant seed? well, sometimes yes, but the problem is they have meetings twice a week, meet on Sat and Sunday so anything you say will quickly go in one ear and out the other.

It's a cult plain and simple. If you have a lot of time on your hands go ahead and make it your mission to free them from the cult, you will have much to learn and will probably end up banging your head against the wall.

If you want to know about the Bible why not just pick it up and start reading it? Start with the New Testament and read from begining to end. you do not need anybody to tell you how or what to believe, that is the job of the Holy Spirit. (by the way, do NOT use their NWT Bible!)

Gojira_101

Hi Darklight!

I was a born-in for almost 30 years before I woke up to the fact the JW's are a cult. And yes they do whole-heartedly believe EVERYTHING Watchtower tells them without question. I was the same way until I woke up to The Truth About The Truth (TTATT), and yes this is a cult with very strong mind-control! They even tell their followers that critical and independent thinking is Satanic and as true Christan's, you don't want to do that. Shocking yes, but they do tell the JW that!!!!

My own personal experience to show. Most of my family are JW's and when I told them. basically I was leaving, all of them have shunned me and will not talk to me and I'm dead to them in their mind.

If you want to know the real side to JW's go to JWFacts.com, JWSurvey, JWStruggle...all good sites. The sad thing is, if you use any of the info from these sites to show the couple who are studying with you, they will almost instantly say "oh that's just apostates spreading more lies about us", but those things are the real truth about JW's and Watchtower. that Watchtower has trained them to not even look at.

I hope you can find some answers to your questions and welcome to the forum.

G

Roberta804

Why not ask them about their shunning practices???? See if they will even discuss it. Ask them point blank what happens if you disagree with them after you are baptized? Don't let them topic jump!

Pterist

It depends on what the individual JW has to lose ? How many years and how much he /she has invested with family and contacts. I admire those who have left in their "crisis of conscience" at great emotional expense to them. I was the only one in my family so it was "easier" for me. Besides the odd one we might be able to reason with, based on the WBTS history, most will need a dramatic emotional experience, that will make them receptive IMHO.

Phizzy

Ask them if they are open minded people, or if their minds are closed to new ideas.

I bet they claim to be open minded. Then say, "Will not an open minded person give time and consideration to other points of view ?"

Then ask them to read the web site JWFacts.com and to get back to you with the factual errors etc that they find on there.

If indeed they do ever read on there, and if they feel something is wrong, get them to e-mail Paul whose site it is, he will correct errors. (not that they will find anything actually an error).

If they refuse, then ask them how they have the bare-faced cheek to knock on people's doors and ask those people to examine their beliefs when they will not examine their own.

Fernando

It might be highly educational to see how they struggle to teach you the unabridged gospel (or full Good News) according to Paul in the books Romans through Hebrews using the Bible only.

Yet more than half their own Bible's 152-odd references to the "Good News" are by Paul.

You could also ask them to identify and explain the particular ingredient of the unabridged gospel mentioned in Acts 20:24 (their 2009 year text). Even when right in front of their nose they are unable to identify or explain "grace" (unmerited favour or undeserved kindness through which the free gifts of eternal life, justification, sanctification and reconciliation are granted).

(Why does the "true religion" secretly blind its followers to the "Good News" according to Paul, Moses, Isaiah and Psalms?)

00DAD

Ask them if there is ever a legitimate reason to leave the organization?

Phizzy

Doctrinal debates with them result in Bible Ping-pong until they promise to "get back to you on that" and never do. Waste of time. They need to be made to put a spot-light on the whole thing. To really examine all of it for themselves.

If you prove them wrong on one or more doctrines they will simply "wait on jehovah" to explain it them to them, through the WT.

Question about talking to JW

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