by thereishope 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
he didn't seem to stop and think.
That was a really interesting reaction. He answered before he could select the answer he is expected to give. I think you have reached his authentic self behind the cult persona.
I hope he reflects on what he said. Don't try to make any capital out of it. Sympathy, support and understanding are the way forward.
That’s why humans have such trouble recognizing lies. We first believe, then have to make a conscious effort to disbelieve.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief#Psychology
The word "cult" does not help everyone to get away from it, as this and many other stories show.
The issue isn't about accepting the C word. At the end of the day, it's about acknowledging it is a harmful high control group.
Witnesses live life as if the WT leaders were God on earth. They wont admit that, but they actions toward WT officials clearly shows it, so any form of negative talk no matter how true it is about the beloved JW.org is not going to go down very well with any WT believer. So their being defensive is the normal instant reply you will be hit with if you upset them with these kind of statements .
Just ask him what paradise, the Greek version called the Elisian fields or the Egyptian one called the Field of Reeds?
You could ask him to show you " THE SCRIPTURE" that says humans will inherit an " earthly paradise" ?
No such scripture exists. JW`s can only refer to scriptures that they give their OWN INTERPRETATIONS too ..
When Jesus said to the person on the stake next to him "you will be with me in paradise" it could only mean ,a heavenly paradise , , why?
Simply because Jesus was never going to reside in an earthly paradise .He was going to heaven to rule not here on earth. Once he ascended to heaven that was it , he was not coming back to earth. And the person next to him was going to be with him in heaven in paradise.
I hope he reflects on his statement' I dont care if it is a cult' He might as well have said "I`m going to keep my head in the sand " or ' I`ll keep my head stuck up my arse " I choose to remain ignorant.
How do you reason with people like that
And yet the scripture says "Come let us reason together " Just another example of where they cherry pick the scriptures to suit themselves.
smiddy
I don't care if the Titanic is sinking, the band is good.
The best approach is to ask a question that you were 'asked' by a non witness for instance........... Why isn't there a scripture in the bible that mentions a paradise earth?
Why will billions die at Armageddon when most people are believers in God and live a decent life?
I was asked by a bible study once if I was comfortable building a paradise on the bones of all the men, women and children who died at Armageddon?
I was told that our No Blood card turns into a suicide note if you die for want of a transfusion.
Why did the Society teach that a transfusion was eating blood. Medically speaking the body doesn't eat blood that is transfused it is comparable to a transplant and aren't transplants approved?
Ask to solve the following riddle... This is not going to wake up anyone (did not do it for me) but sure poses a question that can not be answered, which will eventually lead to acknowledging such
Who has the truth?
JW do..
How do we know?
The bible tells us so
Is the bible the truth?
Yes..
How do we know we understand it correctly?
The slave has provided the understanding
How do we know who the slave is?
The bible tells us how to identify him
But I thought we could not understand the bible without the slave, yet the bible is to tell us how to identify the one person or persons whom are supposed to deliver its understanding? I am confused..
The direct challenge to the faith of a JW is seldom effective. Most of us here do remember a time when we would have reacted exactly the same to anyone criticising the Watchtower. For one thing it puts you in the defensive, as it is a criticism of choices made. It also can arouse fear of "apostate thinking", and nobody can think or make good decisions when afraid.
A more indirect approach is usually advisable. You can say someone you worked with asked a question that you don't know the answer to and wonder how they would answer. Of course since you have already disclosed that you yourself have doubts it will be more difficult. I recommend dropping the subject for at least a few days or weeks and try again with a different approach.
You could just say that you have troubling questions that you cannot get out of your mind and you want to know how to deal with these questions. Of course he will spout the usual nonsense that we need to have faith, or trust the governing body, that gives you an opportunity to sow a few seeds of doubt. The objective is not to school the person in TTATT in on e session, but to get them to think independently in some small way.
You might think not about thinks you have trouble with, but what you think they might have trouble with and start with that. I can guarantee that the majority of JWs do not completely buy the Watchtower explanation for everything. For some people it's the blood issue, for others it's the false predictions, for others it's the exhausting schedule of meetings and field service. Figure out what makes him uncomfortable and exploit it.
Another approach is to get them talking about what their life might have been like if they were never JWs. If at all possible do this naturally in the course of a conversation. Did they give up educational opportunities or a good job for the religion? Get them to think what might have been different.
Good luck
