by Terry 67 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
So we can't force Group 1/Braindead into becoming Group 2/CD Thinkers because as you said they will become "bored, impressed or irritated". Irritated to the point of shunning you and protecting their comfort barrior.
That's why we have to tread carefully as we try to direct those we care about who are stuck in Group 1.
Thanks Terry. Just like Franz in his book COC cause me to remember what went on back in the late 60's and 70's you too have done the same. I forgot how young witness men were coach in what to say to the Judge and higher ups. How the WT was untouch by all this while at the same time a heavy load was placed on the shoulders of these young men. I remember how they would brag about how the WT did not sacrifice young men to go to war like other religions did. But they did sacrifice young JW men to prison and life time of a criminal record following them. At the same time they walk away unscathed proud of themselves that they showed others how much better they were than other religions. You are right there are two sets of rules that are followed. The cards are stacked against those who are JW and house always wins. Totally ADD
In this way they emphasize the personal decision that each Witness has made in accepting Bible teachings and also avoid giving the false impression that Witnesses are somehow bound to the dictates of some religious sect.
What a mouth full of lying deceiving Bullshit.
The reality is JWS are restrained by the WTS.(religious sect) to what they preach and how they preach, there is no other preaching or bible interpretation
available by JWs, who do go door to door.
If a JWs were to diverge from the WTS. bible teachings/interpretation, these ones would be quickly removed
and banished from preaching within the WTS. organization (religious sect) ......plain and simple
This instruction by the WTS. leaders is simply to deceive unknowing perspective people who are being contacted by JW in service.
Thank you Terry.
It's too bad that JWs also have two brains. One that works by logic on the job and when they balance their checking account. The other brain works on Watchtower circular logic and keeps them on the KH's treadmill to "be a loyal/active JW" , despite all the doctrinal flip-flops and changes they see every year.
interesting. I would be happy that they supported non compliance during viet nam tho . that would be the silver lining for me since viet nam was nothing but a huge failure for the military but made the banking cartels extremely wealthy.
Terry- This shows how the WT will protect itself while
throwing you under the bus.
The WT has caused the death of thousands, and they only change doctrines,
so called "new light" which is always a save their ass move.
when they $$$ Society is threatened or law suits come near the GB themselves
and threaten those at headqyarters or on the GB.
They will throw the rest of the rank and file, the common publisher,
they will expose to prison, or death by bleeding.
Until it effects the real estate, the $ money and especially their own person, that is the
nature of a dictatorship. Like Stalin, Hitlar, Chinese Communist leaders.
When I was studying with JWs, the study conductors told me that I needed to "make sure of all things."
The first chapter of "The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life" (the study book at that time) contained the following statement on page 13:
"We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in full harmony with God's Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination."
Even if I had been previously baptized as a Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, or whatever, I was told that I needed to re-examine that commitment and renounce it if I learned that their teachings were in error. I was told that there was no dishonor in renouncing my previous commitments. In fact, to renounce that earlier baptism was seen as NOBLE, a humble admission of error and a sensible change of life path.
This led me to believe that if a JW ever encountered a serious challenge to WT teaching that they would be determined to get to the bottom of it, agonizing over it if need be, in order to keep making sure that what they were being taught really was TRUTH.
Not so.
I didn't realize that this quote applied to "any religious organization EXCEPT the Watchtower."
Why the double standard?
As we know, the WTS portrays all of life as a sovereignty struggle between Jehovah and Satan in which you have to decide whose side you're on.
Contrary to the language quoted above, once you are baptized as a JW, you discover that in the WT world, you are seen as having made an irrevocable lifetime commitment of absolute loyalty to the GB as Jehovah's chosen channel.
Even though you may have become a JW because your were convinced of specific doctrines (war, trinity, hell, 1914, etc.), you learn that the one "truth" to which you really were committing was that the GB always speaks for Jehovah and that whenever they change THEIR view of truth and proclaim "new light," you are required to automatically change your view of truth to conform.
That is, the command to "make sure of all things" ends at your JW baptism. You find out that by getting baptized as a JW, you were saying that you had once and for all "made sure" that the GB speaks for Jehovah and that ends your right and need to think. "Independent thinking" is now the greatest possible evil. To question what the GB taught you or even to question the changes the GB makes in doctrine is seen as a sinful doubting of God's sovereign choice of the GB (to which you already committed), and starting on the path to full Satan-like rebellion and apostasy.
If you were raised in the organization, you may say that you had no choice. If you were converted, you may say that when you got baptized as a JW there was much that you HADN'T investigated and much that was hidden. But if you make such statements, the whole thing is turned on you and you are accused of condemning yourself as lazy or a fool. Why did you commit yourself to "Jehovah's service" and "Jehovah's organization" then? Didn't the study conductors tell you how important it was to "make sure of all things"? Didn't they tell you what a solemn commitment you were making to Jehovah God? What must He think of you now when you are trying renege on your commitment?
Suddenly, YOU are the fool, the knave, the villain, the shallow thinker who gave his word to God and is now trying to back out of it.
Because of this indoctrination and the accompanying fear, guilt, and groupthink, most JWs never ask, "Wait a minute. How is it that is was NOBLE for me or others to re-examine our baptismal commitment to the Pope, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran church, etc. in the light of better information but now it's DESPICABLE for me to re-examine my baptismal commitment to the GB of Jehovah's Witnesses or to 'make sure' of the things they are now telling me? Why is it suddenly evil for me to humble myself and admit that I was wrong?"
Perhaps that is the question we need to pose to JWs we know, realizing that many of them are too deeply indoctrinated or frightened to even consider it.
When we had a problem we couldn't understand why the others couldn't see it. One elder could.
veeeery strange.
heathen: I would be happy that they supported non compliance during viet nam tho . that would be the silver lining for me
ADCMS: Remaining neutral to war or being a "conscientious objector" is not the issue with Terry's situation or the WT quotes I provided.
The point is the Watchtower Society denied Jehovah's Witnesses the right to accept "alternative service" options that the government established precisely for the purpose of accomodating conscientious objectors. In fact, most governments bend over backwards to accomodate conscientious objectors, and JWs tend to get cut more slack than other religions. So, in order to avoid going to prison, the government would allow a JW to work in a hospital, do community service, work on a road crew, etc. However, the WT, in its incomprehensible reasoning, denied this option to JW men, equating working in a hospital as equivilent to serving in the armed forces and engaging in combat. If a JW accepted the alternative service option, rather than go into the military or to prison, they would be disfellowshipped for compromising their "Christian neutrality".
The fact that the WT reversed their policy, as I provided evidence for, shows that the policy had no real basis in the first place. It was simply a man-made rule that resulted in innocent JWs paying a heavy price. And, that is Terry's point. Rather than allow each JW to make a personal decision in this matter according to their conscience, the WT not only demanded compliance with their policy but coached JWs to make claims to the draft board that were untrue and absolved the WT of all culpability in the process.
Incidentally, Jehovah's Witnesses are not the only religion that have an official policy of remaining neutral to wars, then or now. So, I'm not sure how the idea of a"silver lining" factors into your comment. Are you saying that because the WT did not support the Vietnam War it somehow gets them off the hook for all the other injustices and nonsense they commit? And, that Terry's experience has no merit? Really?
Also, the WT did not always hve a policy of neutrality to military service. In fact, in Russell's time an IBSA (JW) could even serve in combat. After Russell:
In a further attempt to appease their enemies, Rutherford published statements in The Watchtower urging Bible Students to buy war bonds, participate in a day of prayer for allied victory and only stopped short of encouraging armed service. The Proclaimers book says:
"Although they endeavored to do what they felt was pleasing to God, their position was not always one of strict neutrality … Thus, in accord with a proclamation of the President of the United States, The Watch Tower urged the Bible Students to join in observing May 30, 1918, as a day of prayer and supplication in connection with the outcome of the world war. [The Watch Tower, June 1, 1918, p. 174]" (p. 191)
*** w80 11/15 pp. 26-27 par. 17 "Jehovah of Armies" to the Rescue! ***
17 Like the Israelites of Isaiah’s day, the spiritual Israelites sold themselves because of wrong practices and came into bondage to the world empire of false religion, that is to say, to Babylon the Great, and to her worldly paramours. (2 Ki. 17:17; 1 Ki. 21:20, 25) An outstanding instance of this occurred during World War I of 1914-1918
Those who did not accept alternative service WERE following their conscience. Not about that alternative service or what blood fractions can be used or what you can do after you're married. The conscience part comes in because it goes against the conscience of well-trained JWs to disobey the GB.
It's really quite simple.
