JWs never really learn how to research

by Elsewhere 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  Elsewhere

  Remember when you were in and you needed to "research" something? What did we all do? We turned to the "publications" and simply believed whatever they told us to believe.

  As JWs, we never were taught how to go out and really research something by looking into the history. We were always spoon-fed what they wanted us to think and believe.

  ***

  w67 6/1 p. 338 Move Ahead with Jehovah’s Organization ***

  12

  How will we put these four things into effect? First, study: We may think of study as hard work, as involving heavy research. But in Jehovah’s organization it is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing, to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society. But you do not study enough? Take this suggestion: Often the very best and most beneficial studying you do is that done when you read a new Watchtower or Awake! or a new book with the joy of getting the new truths and a fresh view. You remember the points. You talk enthusiastically to others about them. So try this: Pick up each Watchtower or Awake! as it comes and read it, just for the joy and pleasure it gives. Remember, you are not sitting down to study, just to enjoy the information. This will increase your joy of reading and will give you incentive for more definite, organized study. Jehovah wants you to enjoy your study. He does not want it to be drudgery to you. He is the happy God, taking pleasure in providing all this rich spiritual food.—1 Tim. 1:11; Acts 20:35.
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  Piph

  God, this is so painfully true. And it's compounded by the fact that Witnesses are discouraged from going to college. I never learned how to do research or study anything. I'm hoping to attend college someday, and fear I will be lost. Real Bible research eludes and confuses me. All I know how to do is rely on other people's research, and I know that's not accomplishing much.

  The brain is an atrophied muscle to mind-controlled JWs. It's hard when you don't start exercising it until you've become a full grown adult.
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  ISP

  He is the happy God, taking pleasure in providing all this rich spiritual food.—1 Tim. 1:11; Acts 20:35.

  Er....the WTS God would have to be pretty confused.......going off the 'food' he provides.

  ISP
• 

  Reborn2002

  Ahh yes Elsewhere, one of my favorite quotes in WT literature.

  A telltale sign of a true Jehovah's Witness? Their inability to think for themselves, or more frighteningly, their willful compliance to NOT think for themselves.
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  Lady Lee

  Piph When you get to college check for a Learning Center. They should have all kinds of handouts on research and learning.

  I had to take a research course as part of my diploma/degree.

  It was a good experience in learning how to do research and how to evaluate the research of others.

  It was during those courses I began to realize just how poor the research of the WTS was/is. I eouldn't even call it research. It is down-right pathetic and totally biased

  But you all already know that - right?
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  Gopher

  The Watchtower had a classic article a few years back on "mental permafrost". The article had a drawing depicting a brain, partly frosted over due to disuse. The point was supposedly that a number of JW's were lackadaisical in their study habits, never thinking deeply on the bounteous spiritual truths they were having in their "spiritual paradise".

  I think that the mental permafrost is induced by the Society's stupefying, dumbed-down teaching methods. They have only themselves to blame for "lowering the bar" so that the average JW can do little more than parrot answers spoon-fed to them in small paragraphs in a book study or Watchtower lesson.

  Can the average JW string together 5 or 7 scriptures to defend the WT Society's position on any given subject? No, only the outstandingly-talented JW can do so.
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  Swan

  I went to Community College to take computer programming. This was not well received by many in the congregation. They thought that even community college was a danger to young Christians.

  One of my earliest courses was in preparing a research paper. This course taught us how to do serious research. Even after the course was over I spent a lot of time in that library researching things. It led to a lot more questions and the fewer and fewer answers in the JW articles.

  Now I am "out of the truth" and an "apostate." I guess the JWs were right about that!

  Tammy
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  greven

  JW research:

  1) Use one source: WTBS

  2) Don't be critical of the forementioned source

  3) Discard any views you might harbor that are conflicting with forementioned source

  Decent research:

  1) Use multiple sources (prevents bias)

  2) Use sources from different positions (pro / con)

  3) Be very critical, not only of other's research but your own as well.

  4) Compare these other sources to your own findings

  5) Draw your own conclusions

  6) Give others the oppertunity to critisize your research, to shoot holes in it.

  7) Review the feedback and implement this into your research, if needed change your conclusions.

  Greven
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  petespal2002

  excellent research tips, Grevan.

  The crux of all research is critical reasoning.
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  refiners fire

  I remember once being told that for every minute of a public talk the speaker should do an hours research. Believe that? It would be like studying for your final exams every time you gave a talk. Wonder if anyone ever did it by the book?

  Sheesh