Hi everyone, I'd like to tell about my dad's reasons for staying a JW!!
Firstly, does he believe the world was created?, yes.
Secondly, does he believe in God?, yes.
What is the only book written, claiming to be the word of god? the bible.
So here we have a man who believes in God and the bible.
So, taking the advice and information from the bible, it tells him that There will be a 'faithful and discreet slave class', by the way 'class' is a word I think was invented by JW's, but that's a different story.
'They will be separate from the world', O.K, JW's, fine.
'They will use the Lords name-Jehovah', O.K, JW's, again.
He also believes that they offer the best interpretation of Revelations, that's opinion.
'They will preach to all the inhabited earth', JW's mainly, I think, or at least , he thinks.
Also, whenever he has fallen away and been really low, he has prayed, and he swears that both times, a JW has been at the door, even if they haven't been for months.
He knows they have made mistakes, but he thinks they are too close to what the bible says are the 'chosen ones', that he is willing to stick with them.
OR is he brainwashed?
He's really good at arguing HIS reasons for staying, but he could not convince me , my mum, or my brothers to join him, ever!
Well, that's about it
C Ya
Chris
Is he brainwashed or....?
by chrisauld 4 Replies latest jw friends
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chrisauld
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CornerStone
Hello Chrisauld,
I think EVERYONE who becomes a JW is brainwashed to some degree in that they are "tricked" into believing something about the org that is plainly false like JW's are the only true religion, fds is "God's mouthpiece", GB is God's prophet, "This is the TRUTH", etc. What high control groups like Jahovah's Witnesses offer is somthing that the perspective member needs and they can provide. This can be attention, a more "enlightened" understanding of the Bible, or, in my case, plain inter-personel relationships with other people, ( I was a bit of a loner, still am to a degree ). I already had a firm understanding of the scriptures so I was not looking for too much enlightenment in that area but I was STARVING for the attention and thoughts of other people. Low and behold I was targeted and hit by the "love bomb". I don't remember anything after that! I was soon "studying" and I met my wife to be so I dived (was baptized) in. Too bad there was only six inches of water in the pool. Even less now years later. I hit my head.
There's no real easy answer to your dad's situation. I do believe, however, that if your dad is a lover of truth, then IN TIME he will find his way "out" of JWdom with God's help and your kindness.
I don't mean to sound simplistic but these things almost always take time. Take care
CornerStone
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willy_think
cornerstone,
i know just what you mean.
he is not arguing HIS reasons for staying. he is telling you what the WTB&TS inc. conditioned him to say.
the ideas and opinions expressed in this post do not necessiarly represent those of the WTB&TS inc. or any of it's subsidiary corporations.
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anglise
But is he happy with the JW's?
Years ago I remember an older DO saying to us that "if people are happy with their religion who are we to make them unhappy?" and I guess that works both ways.
He was one of the most down to earth society men Iv'e met. I wonder were he is now? -
JanH
Chris,
The line of argument is basically that because JWs believe the doctrines that the JWs believe in, they have the truth. Well, duh!
It's like I wanted to decide who was the perfect man. I would then create and list up the criteria for the "perfect man". You might find that, lo and behold, I happened to fit these criteria quite perfectly. Ergo, I am the perfect man.
The chicks may not be so impressed, though
- Jan
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Faith, n. Belief without evidence in what is told by one who speaks without knowledge, of things without parallel. [Ambrose Bierce, The Devil´s Dictionary, 1911]