Family Merit / Demerit - Core Watchtower Doctrine - says FDS

by garybuss 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Room 215

  `` The child (read JW here) may be able to grasp certain basic teachings of God's Word and repeat these when asked. He (or she) may be obedient to the parents (read elders and GB)and abstain from doing certain things that have been pointed out as wrong and contrary to God's will. But is the child (read individual JW here) able to make personal decisions, able to decide from his own mind and heart (not that of the parents; read ``elders" here) the course in life he wishes to take? Is he capable of comprehending and seeking a personal relationship with God, one that is not dependent upon his parents (read GB or elders here)? "

  Thus we see how application of these rules of thumb, admirable in themselves when applied to a minor child, can get an adult JW into hot water with the local chapter of Pharisees Inc.
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  jschwehm

  You know it would make sense for the Watchtower to not want people with disabilities. The Watchtower is a pyramid scheme in a sense and if the person cannot contribute to the literature distribution/conversion efforts then they are really a waste of time, energy, and money to the organization. That is why the Watchtower and other cults target young people with lots of idealism and energy for conversion.

  Jeff S.
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  Nosferatu

  What I find interesting is that this doctrine refers only to mentally handicapped CHILDREN (who were perhaps born into the troof). I have an aunt who is mentally handicapped, and she was studying with the JWs for a while. She doesn't sit there, drule & grunt, she can carry a conversation, she can laugh, etc etc. However, she has an incredibly difficult making decisions.

  She no longer studies with the JWs. I have no clue why. However, I've noticed that the Troof is *very* attractive to people who have stress, emotional problems, addictive personalities, etc, and mentally handicapped people are not excluded from this list.

  Now here's my question, does this same doctrine apply to mentally handicapped ADULTS who are interested in a study, or is it only for retarded JW children?
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  Perry

  I used to conduct a group study with mentally and physically challenged adults who all lived together in a semi-private setting run by a therapist. I tried to get people to go with me on the studies. I finally asked the P.O. in group one morning. He say yes. It took a lot of patience to get through a study. The P.O. always found an excuse not to go after that.

  I never could understand that if the goal was to save lives. Didn't they deserve a chance at life? It bothered me but I just sorta brushed it off. After a while I got tired of brushing things off and decided to get a real education. Best thing I ever did.
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  garybuss

  
  
  The way I read the "family merit" doctrine, only family members of people approved by the Watch Tower Corporation are eligible for salvation by way of family membership. Apparently all other minors and all other handicapped and challenged adults are doomed by way of family demerit because their family members do not participate in advancing the interests of the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation.
  
  Kind of makes ya feel all warm and fuzzy doesn't it?
  
  
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  Badger

  Gee, all this time I thought that Jehovah looked at your heart condition, and gave you his undesereved kindness based on that.

  My dad tried this line on me the other day. I told him I wasn't going to take my son from my ex (who left the org, but not in the good way) unless I knew that something bad was happening to him. He said, "When he dies at armageddon, his blood will be on you!"

  I thought legacies just got you into Yale, not the new system.
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  Gamaliel

  garyb,

  Brilliant as usual. My brother and I were baptized at 12 and 10 respectively (back in '67). My sister was 5 years younger but was putting it off a bit until closer to or even after 1975. My parents wouldn't hear of it. We were too close to 1975 and we all had to be prepared to "stand on our own" at Armageddon. She gave in, and it probably had a lot to do with determining the type of education and job and husband she would have -- right up to this very day.

  I don't know if anyone has ever commented on it, but in 1972 there was an impression that many old-time JWs will agree with, that many teenagers children were rushed into baptism by 1973 and 1974. But there was a rash of disfellowshippings and "public reproofs," not because of 1975 directly, but especially in 1973 and 1974 because of teen-age immorality. Some elders were actually thinking that it was better to disfellowship them in 1973 and 1974 because they would still have a shot at shaping up and getting back in again by 1975.

  I just thought of something that I never connected to this before now. The pre-1975 thinking was so warped that I remember one case where a disfellowshipped teen was killed in a car wreck in 1974 and everyone who mentioned it always invariably added that there was a "Truth book" in the back of the wrecked car, so it was obvious he was trying to get back in with Jehovah. I know that the person who started this message (or rumor?) about the Truth book was one of the elders who disfellowshipped the teen. I'm wondering now whether there wasn't a psychological motivation to the rumor.

  Gamaliel
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  Bendrr

  It makes me so disgusted to read that crap! They're putting themselves in the position of deciding who will and won't be "saved". Judging by their expertise on everything else, oh yeah elders are for sure just great mental health experts!

  Mike.
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  garybuss

  
  
  I was pressured into getting baptized at 12 by my mother because due to puberty, I was no longer covered under "family merit".
  
  The reverse, family demerit doctrine, is worse to me because it is used to guilt young parents into staying on as unpaid religious literature sales people from fear their children will be murdered by god due to them.
  
  To me, the merit teaching is right up there in the red (with the naked woman and the talking snake) on the bs meter.
  
  
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  mustang

  I once had a "Bible Study" who was immensely devout, in the Fundamentalist way. He carried a "12 pound Bible" with him almost everywhere he went. (This was in the days of the "green" NWT; I personally was using a burgundy "Deluxe Edition".) He was not beyond stopping in his tracks, kneeling and praying in public. I got some really strange calls from "eLDERS/others" that amounted to "is he for real?" One asked me "was he dangerous??" !!!!!
  

  Again, like SFJim's folks, this guy "did not fit the mold". He was adult, of course, gainfully employed and mentally competent. He came and went as he pleased and I studied with him till I quit pIONEERING. He would still show up at the KH, on occasion, for years.

  But, all is appearance, @ the KH; I was about the only one who ever encouraged him, it seems.

  Mustang