things shelved, not looked into because of group think

by enoughisenough 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  enoughisenough

  Here are some things I never REALLY believed the JW taught...I just didn't really examine it closely. I shelved it, so to speak, thinking no one is perfect and they know more than me...if I ever thought about it at all.

  I never believed that only JWs would be spared at Armageddon. I never believed the where in James, you went to the elders to confess being spiritually sick-always thought that referred to a real illness. I think at one time I bought into the 144,000 remnant having special scriptural insight and therefore making sure all we were being taught was truth...but If I had given it any thought at all, I would have known the present GB are not the faithful slave...in fact, if I had read the Bible and really thought about what I read without the WT filters, I would not have bought into the Faithful Slave at all...because as I read it, that is to happen when Jesus returns and from what I read for myself now, he hasn't returned. What I am saying I never really believed the GB . Also if I had given it deeper thought, I know I never believed the JW to be God's channel for mankind. I never really believed it when we were taught that the New Testament was written only for the 144,000. If I had really read and thought closer about the shunning, I wouldn't have gone along with that group think ( and so some of us are indeed reaping what we sowed-we bought into the JW doctrine and therefore dehumanized others.) There was lots of conjecture written in the books and WT studies that people spent a lot of time commenting on in the studies-I didn't believe those conjectures. Anyway, these things should have been red flags, but I shelved the things I didn't really believe instead of researching. So 50 years down the road, who do I have to blame but myself ? I NEVER thought turning in time was right ( the right hand wasn't to know what the left was doing ) I never believed that everyone should be spending as much time as they could in witnessing because the Bible speaks of God giving different gifts in people. I never believed that pioneers were any more special than the rank and file. If fact James says not to have distinctions among us, but the JW created classes. Had i thought about it, which I didn't, I would have seen that JWs actually teach hated instead of love. They taught us to hate anyone who left the org or who was disfellowshipped and they taught us to look down on "worldly" people. Maybe you shelved a few things that had you paid attention you would have woke up sooner. I may think of more. Reading years ago that Jesus is only the mediator of the 144,000 should have been a red flag. The whole memorial service should have been a red flag--I just went along with the crowd instead of paying attention to what the Bible really was saying.
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  peacefulpete

  You used the term 'group think'. That is really the crux of the matter. It's about group identity, tribal loyalty. People do not become or remain JWs or Mormons or Baptists because of doctrine. Doctrine is merely the means of differentiation. I liken it to a language. Language is how we perceive the world and communicate

  . But, even though doctrine is a large part of the identity, the group and its promise of 'specialness' is the appeal. This why the line about "nowhere else to go" is so powerful. The group is the safe place, the only place to be. It's only when the group identity no longer fits, does a person accept that there are options.

  This why "stumbling" is such a prominent means of membership loss. My views about gravity and round earth are not threatened by my neighbor being a jerk. But my perception of group specialness can be shattered by a member treating me poorly or doing something shocking.

  On the other hand, if my individual values change or I grow intellectually incompatible with the group, I'm forced to choose to either hide my true self or become alienated from the group. Unfortunately, even when a person leaves the group, the doctrinal patterns often remain. Like your first language, even after learning a new one, it may linger as the inner voice.
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  BoogerMan

  @ enough - Until the "scales fell from eyes" after writing a Bible question to the Branch and receiving their literature-based answer, I was as blinkered as any JW.

  You said, "I never believed that everyone should be spending as much time as they could in witnessing because the Bible speaks of God giving different gifts in people."

  Scripturally, only the 11 apostles + Paul were personally directed by Christ to preach the good news before their system ended in 70 CE - not every Christian.

  Scripturally, the 2 witnesses + the angel flying in mid-heaven are assigned to carry out the later preaching - to all the nations.
  
  
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  LongHairGal

  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:

  I agree with all the things you posted and think that ‘group think’ and lack of real concern caused these things to be shelved.

  I had questions about some of these things when I was new in the JW religion and got answers like “that will be revealed in time..” I’m sure they had no answers and this was to get me to stop thinking about it.

  I didn’t think much more about these things but was more bothered by the everyday issues in the religion.. I certainly did not agree that everybody be spending all the time they did in the ministry. I truly think this was ‘group think’. It seemed unsustainable for the younger JWs there to think they didn’t have to worry about work or planning for the future. I’m Glad I never paid attention to this nonsensical ‘group think’.

  I wonder what they think now since they have reached the retirement age they were all told they’d ‘never see’?
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  enoughisenough

  LongHairGal " lack of real concern caused these things to be shelved"--you got that ! I think about the overlapping generation thing and how it didn't/doesn't make sense, and yet I didn't give it much concern...it should have been screaming out to me.
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  Phizzy

  I often wonder what my life would have been if I hadn't shelved things, I can remember, but not firmly date, a few times when a question that rocked the teachings occurred to me, and yet I shelved it, shoved it to the back of my mind.

  The first big one was when I was at mum's for lunch in around 1981, and she was telling me about some who had left the org. she said "They do not believe in 1914!" as though that would clinch things, but I remember thinking, but not saying of course, "I'm not sure I do". Why Oh Why did I not pursue that thought ?

  I could have been free from that time, instead of about 25 years later !
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  Vidqun

  An example of this in my case, we were always reminded that we are the Egyptians that left with the Israelites. We are the foreign residents staying in Israel as "the other sheep." The anointed, as the "little flock," is Israel or the twelve tribes. But two scriptures bothered me. 1) "Jesus said to them, Truly I say to YOU, In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, YOU who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28 NWT). 2) "And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel" (Rev. 7:4 NWT). Logical thinking points to Israel being all of God's followers, but group think kept my critical thinking in check. How can the GB and all the brothers be wrong?
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  BluesBrother

  Yes, for a long time I used to shelve issues about the faith. I would tell myself that they know better than me so…. It must be ok. I suppose the truth of it was that I was so locked into it socially and with family that I did not dare to rock the boat.

  However, eventually yo get to the point when you do dare to think the unthinkable and really question the beliefs . Then it all falls apart.

  Groupthink is what it is. Well.. they like to call themselves sheep.!
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  TonusOH

  enoughisenough: I never believed that only JWs would be spared at Armageddon.

  I think that many of us figured that lots of non-JWs would make it for any number of reasons (not getting preached to, for example). But also, we could justify the belief because we felt like God could do anything and it would be okay. We believed that God could kill anyone at any time without a reason because He had given us life, so He could take it back and that was okay, that we should be grateful that we were able to live at all. And so on.

  Thus, the idea that God would massacre billions of people in order to save a few million didn't really sound as horrifying as it should have, because it was okay- God was doing it, and He was incapable of doing anything bad.
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  Vidiot

  enoughisenough - “…If I had read the Bible and really thought about what I read without the WT filters, I would not have bought into the Faithful Slave at all...”

  I suspect that if you had read the Bible and really thought about what you read without the WT filters, you would not have bought into any aspect of JW ideology.