How Many?

CPiolo

How Many?

How many poor gullible farmers paid extra for Charles Russell’s “miracle” wheat, only to find out that it performed no better, and more than likely, worse than many other less expensive varieties of wheat?

How many Egyptians used feet and inches to measure the pyramids centuries or millennia before such a system was invented?

How many Witnesses read “the Stone Bible.”

How many planets in how many galaxies did God look at before deciding to live on Alcyone in the Pleiades constellation?

How many followers of Charles Russell altered or changed important life decisions regarding parenthood, education, careers, finance, medical care, and more because they believed his prediction, based upon “God’s dates,” that the world would come to an end in 1914/5?

How many more did the same for a similar claim about 1918?

How many more still did the same for yet another similar claim about 1925?

How many Witnesses/Bible Students knew in 1914 that Jesus had arrived that very year?

How many years passed before it dawned upon them?

How many Witnesses knew in 1919 that Jesus had chosen them as his sole representative on Earth that same year?

How many years passed before they recognized this?

How many millions are now dead who anxiously listened to and believed “Judge” Rutherford’s campaign “Millions Now Living May/Will Never Die?”

How many hours did how many Witnesses spend peddling Watchtower literature and asking for donations to keep “Judge” Rutherford’s humidor and liquor cabinet stocked, to pay for the sixteen cylinder Cadillacs he was chauffeured around in, and to build the luxurious mansion “Beth Sarim” he spent his winters in, even though it was built for the wise men of the past who were to be resurrected at the end in 1925, but for some reason never showed up?

How many more fell for the old song and dance about the end coming during World War II?

How many altered life plans because of it?

How many Witnesses didn’t fulfill their dream of having children, and all the joy that can be, because the Watchtower said their time was better spent in the preaching work since “The End” was so near, only to end up old, childless, disappointed, and disillusioned?

How many Witnesses spent extra money on steel or copper pots and pans, or used the heavier cast iron because the Watchtower “knew” of the danger to one’s health that aluminum posed in cookware?

How many went to jail and suffered the subsequent consequences for refusing military service or a civilian alternative, only to find out later the Watchtower had erred and alternate service is alright?

How many men, women and children suffered needlessly, were crippled, maimed, or died because they heeded the Watchtower’s advice about the dangers and uselessness of vaccinations, and caught tuberculosis, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, measles, smallpox, or some other easily preventable disease?

How many suffered needlessly, were crippled, maimed, blinded, or died because they followed the Watchtower’s prohibition of organ transplants, only to find out later the Watchtower had erred?

How many suffered needlessly, were crippled, maimed, or died because they followed the Watchtower’s prohibition on all blood transfusions; most blood transfusions, excluding whole blood and certain minor fractions and derivatives; some blood transfusions, excluding whole blood and certain major and minor fractions and derivatives; almost no blood transfusions, except whole blood and a couple of fractions and derivatives, because the Watchtower can’t really say how many or what blood fractions are necessary in order for the partial elements to be considered blood?

How many Witnesses know and fully understand the Society’s position on blood and blood fractions?

How many more years will pass before the Society clearly and unequivocally explains and spells out such an important policy, one that may determine the difference between life and death for millions of its members?

How many Malawians died because they refused to get a political party card, while how many of their Mexican brothers paid bribes to Mexican military officials in order to forge military service cards?

How many changed life plans regarding children, education, career, and finances, even going so far as to liquidate assets, including homes and businesses, in order to preach because they believed the fever pitch of the Watchtower that the world would end in 1975, 6,000 years after the creation of Adam?

How many Witnesses know Ray Franz’s side of the story about why he stepped down from the Governing Body and was later disfellowshipped (excommunicated)?

How many of the “Generation of 1914” will have passed before the end?

How many Witnesses know how long a “generation” is?

How many years can a “generation” stretch before it breaks?

How many Witnesses in the 21st century remember that in 1989 the Watchtower said “The End” would come before the end of the 20th century?

How many Witnesses remember or know more than a pittance of the above?

CPiolo

Celia

CPiolo, great list !
it is so clear. Why don't they see it ?

apostate man

How many? 1 is too many.

Why is it that people get sucked into these type of things and believe it whole-heartily? Why is it some people are easier to convince than others? Is this why they get their prospects from obituaries?

Break the chains that bind you,
unless, of course, you're into that sort of thing.

Bang

The bible - they've used the bible, that's why.

People believe that the bible is not from us, and the JWs business is to convince people that it's a history book of facts that includes them as the boss.

Sometimes it works, you just need a woolly sheep.

Bang

CPiolo

it is so clear. Why don't they see it ?

Why is it that people get sucked into these type of things and believe it whole-heartily? Why is it some people are easier to convince than others? Is this why they get their prospects from obituaries?

I believe they don’t see for a couple of reasons. Foremost, Witnesses have had it drummed into their heads that the organization is God’s earthly representative, that it is ‘the Truth,’ that to doubt the organization is equivalent to doubting God himself.

People not born into a group like the Witnesses get sucked in for many reasons. I suggest the book “The True Believer” by Eric Hoffer or one of the many books about high-control groups (“Releasing the Bonds” by Steve Hassan is one) for an in-depth look at the phenomena. To be part of something larger than oneself feeds the ego. We all want to feel good about ourselves, to do the “right’ thing, to please others, etc. What could be bigger than God’s very own organization or of some ultimate “Truth?”

Most Witnesses are only trying to do what they see (after having been coerced and indoctrinated unethically, by the standards of mental health care professionals) as the right thing, much like anyone else. But, as they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

To doubt the aforementioned is to risk a lot – the loss of friends and family, or one’s entire social circle, the loss of God’s favor, a violent death at Armageddon, and to lose the hope of resurrection in an earthly paradise. This is the worldview of Witnesses, whether one agrees with it or not, whether it is complete make-believe and fantasy or not.

As well, how many of us earnestly examine ourselves, our beliefs, our worldview and try to find where we’ve gone wrong or what parts and/or aspects are incorrect? Not many. Most people believe what they’ve been told by those in authority – parents, teachers, clergy, so-called “experts,” and the media. Witnesses just narrow it down quite a bit and don’t believe anything that contradicts what the organization says is true, for the reasons above.

All of us are blind to certain things. Being open and willing to test one’s opinions and knowledge is, I believe, an admirable albeit rare quality in an individual. The individuals here who have done this, or are in the process of doing this have great courage and my deep admiration. This has led them to many different points of view, but they did it on their own. Read this link: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=26842&site=3 for a feel about the effects of such and examination for a Witness. It’s a difficult, depressing and painful process.

CPiolo

Prisca

Excellent post CPiolo.

Good to see you posting here again.

CPiolo

Prisca:

I haven't posted much lately for a variety of reasons - the principal one being a lack of time. Work has been crazy, and my personal life has been just nuts as well. But thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate it.

CPiolo

jerome

Read my signature.

The Bible is a two edged sword wield it for evil and there may be hell to pay.

Simon

That's a great post CPiolo - definitely a 'keeper'

Earnest

Excellent questions and a great icon, CPiolo. And, of course, it is the minority who have ever examined themselves, their beliefs, their worldview and tried to find out what parts and/or aspects are incorrect.

But in carrying out such an examination I wonder if I can really trust my judgement. If any of us can. When I think of the number of people who believed that the earth was flat because their reason told them that if it was round people on the other side would fall off. When I reflect on discussions of the trinity and the fact that so many mental giants not only believed but framed the teaching I wonder that my puny reason (that the trinity is not in scripture) can be correct. Or perhaps that I should follow Tertullian who believed it because it was not reasonable! Or when I reflect on current theory about the nature of time and space, on parallel universes and the fifth dimension it seems there is nothing I can rely on as fact.

I am not certain of the extent that JW thinking influences me but I not only constantly doubt what I am taught in the KH, I doubt everything. I cannot understand that most thinking people don't. So, while the answers to your questions are quite damning a similar list of questions could be drawn up regarding any belief in God. Perhaps that is why so many who leave JW are atheist or agnostic. But can we really trust the conclusions we come to, which are just the result of some synapses connecting in the brain?

I don't have an answer to that. Only that I envy people with a simple faith who wouldn't even consider these questions. But I am not of them and never can be.

Earnest

How Many?

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