Why do so many JW's argue that they do not believe what they clearly do?

by Crabby 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Crabby

  I ask a question recently, which was why do JW's not salute the flag, and I ask what page of the bible directs this practice.

  All I got back was that I do not know what I am talking about and that they are allowed to do this, when I dropped 40000 google links proving that they do not salute the flag they just deleted it as though my proof could not exist. Seriously this is common knowledge, my neighbor just put up a flag to keep the guy across the street away. So are there JW's who have no clue what they believe, or should believe? It just makes no sense, then I suppose what cult does.
  
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  slimboyfat

  Are you sure it wasn't Mormons you were talking to?
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  StarTrekAngel

  Could be a handful of different reasons...

  - True ignorance. May be they just never been thru such detail on the teaching about neutrality. The bible studies of today are not as direct and detailed as they used to be.

  - They heard it before but it did not sink in. I know a co-worker who has been attending meetings with JW for a couple of years. Although he has finished studying the basic book and goes out preaching, he was shock to hear a public announcement on dfing a girl who got pregnant and not married.

  - Typical cult approach. This is not unheard of. Deny the more extreme teachings in the hopes the person will join and will adopt them as the gain better understanding themselves. I know at least one situation in which my own brother in law did this. He had a co worker who was interested in joining a church. I guess he researched the JW because one day he told my BIL he was not interested in JW because he thought the teachings were wrong. My BIL told him it was ok, that he could join anyway and teach them the right way... I was left scratching my head big time.
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  TTWSYF

  All people in cults are always intellectually dishonest. They have to be- because reason, history and commonsense always dissolves their reasoning and logic.
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  Nathan Natas

  It seems to me that the WTB&TS of today is not the WTB&TS that I knew in the days of my youth. Back in the day, there was a strong emphasis on being able to "defend and legally establish" what we believed.

  After 1975, the thinking members of the BORG began to leave and after the death of Freddie "Oracle" Franz, there was no inheritor of his prophet's robe...

  Dummies and simpletons run the WTB&TS now, and they "teach" gullible ones who are dumber and simpler than they are. It's becoming an end-times social club with no social events, held together by the irrational fear "but what if they are right?"

  It's a theatrical spectacle - a tragi-comedy - for the angels and those who are smarter than the angels. People who leave the Borg now have not yet learned to think and take offense when someone replies to their inane posts with a raspberry.

  Please don't poke the chimps.
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  Crabby

  Nathan, are you saying that the WT that predicted the end in 1914 and 1975 was brighter than the current one? because at some level all idiots are equal, even thru time..........................
  
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  Saename

  The Witnesses I have been around could answer this type of question without a problem. It doesn't mean that I'd agree with them, but in my area, they can explain their own theology rather easily.
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  ttdtt

  I dont know of ANY witnesses that would tell someone that JWs salute the flag and that's ok?
  
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  Viviane

  The same question is true of Christians in general.
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  Dunedain

  I have never heard of any JW's saying that it was OK, and that they DID salute the flag. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Part of their whole dogma, and rhetoric, is that they do NOT salute the flag.

  It is looked at as a "badge of courage" of sorts. It is also looked at as a defining action, or non-action, that binds JW's together.

  Most JW's have a certain unfounded "pride" in not saluting the flag. They feel it defines them as being the "chosen", by being no part of the "world".

  Really, its basis is a common Cult tactic, where it creates an "US and Them", type attitude. These type of rules, and actions, being limited to ONLY JW's, further alienates the group from "main stream", and adds to the cult like nature that is the Org.

  So, yeah, I find it very surprising to hear that JW's were denying they don't salute the flag. It is usually the exact opposite, unless you are a younger, school aged JW. Then you probably HATE that you have to be singled out in front of your peers. Its funny how this rule established by the GB, is one where most of the time, it would never affect them. They would almost never be put into a position of having to be singled out, and embarrassed by not saluting the flag. No, their rules apply to others, and effects the young ones mostly. Something that the GB are so removed from, and where their own rules would never be an issue to themselves, only others.