How Does A Jehovah's Witness THINK???

minimus

Witnesses have been trained to think a certain way. "Conversation stoppers" was invented so that a Witness could change the way an argument was heading. When you are able to "pick the brain" of a Jehovah's Witness, you may tend to get easily irritated or astonished as to how they reason things out in their mind......So......How would you describe the brain of a typical Jehovah's Witness???

JH

I would say that they think in black and white. It's good or it's bad, kind of reasoning.

And if It's bad, they'll go deep in the past and try to prove why. They hate the gray areas, where they will say it's up to your conscience.

But what does that mean? It means it better please the conscience of the congregation as a whole.

JH

Maybe I can add, that they don't think. They listen at the hall, they read and then the repeat.

They start thinking once they start leaving the organization.

kgfreeperson

Is "conversation stopper" a technique of that name that is specifically taught?

iiz2cool

When I was a JW I used to be very black and white in my thinking. That started to change as I read and studied the society's publications less and less. I started to read news magazines, technical publications, and - OMG!!! Apostate web sites!!! I always had a problem with JW's trying to tell me what I could read and what I couldn't. I felt that, if they had the "truth" it should be able to stand on it's own in the face of criticism. Ignoring alternative viewpoints is not the way to find "truth", if there is such a thing.

When JW's start thinking for themselves they often end up here.

Walter

franklin J

good topic, minimus

I tend to agree with JH, in that they DO NOT think. In my experiences growing up, I was taught to be "narrow minded". I was taught to have a "closed mind", and was taught to be "intolerent" of other ways of life.

As an non JW adult who can think for myself, I take pride in being "broad minded", keeping an "open mind" and tolerant of all lifestyles ( to the best that I can as a family man). The world is, despite the internet global village, a very big place. Fortunately, we live in a time and place where all things are literally possible ( an unique time in history) when communications, education, and a good standard of living are available to most who will strive for them ( no materialism intended here!)

I have taught my children to question everything ( including my authority) and especially religion, and anything that would take away their ability to think and reason for themselves.

Frank