what emboldens Jehovahs Witnesses to think that their teachings and their religion is th e only means of enjoying a satisfying life and is the only representation of God?
the true religion?
by franklin J 7 Replies latest jw friends
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Phantom Stranger
interestingly, I think the only boldness was on the part of those like Rutherford, who came up with the whole shmeer.
Most witnesses are so afraid of their own shadow, they loove the idea of having a lock on what to do.
The appeal of "the truth" is not having to deal with shades of gray, or developing your own judgement.
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SanFranciscoJim
interestingly, I think the only boldness was on the part of those like Rutherford, who came up with the whole shmeer.
Phantom, it started a lot earlier than the "Judge". For example:
"The volumes are the Bible in an arranged form. That is to say, they are not merely commentson the Bible, but they are practically the Bible itself...if anyone lays the SCRIPTURE STUDIES aside and ignores them and goes to the Bible alone,...our experience shows that within two years he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the SCRIPTURE STUDIES with the references, and had not read a page of the Bible, he would be in the light at the end of the two years." - The Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1910 p.298
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simplesally
That 1910 cite sounds like blasphemy! How dare a person say they can get truth only from a publication and not the Bible. But there are many witnesses that only read the WTS pubs and feel they have the truth. The only time they crack the Bible is when they feel the need to look up a scripture. Many, many JWs have NOT read the Bible in entirety, much less a whole book in the Bible.
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A Paduan
The "true" religion facilitates self-interest facilitates guilt facilitates fear facilitates seeking assurance (seeking for a sign) facilitates making deals (brown nosing) facilitates investment facilitates keeping up appearances facilitates arrogance facilitates delusion facilitates the true religion.............
Like one big roundabout
.............the only means of enjoying a satisfying life.........?
It pretty much is when you have to keep that roundabout going. -
Silverleaf
I think its about confidence. It's hard to admit you might be wrong but are doing what you're donig because you have reasoned it's the best way for you to live. So if the party line says, 'this is the one true way - you don't have to question it, you don't have to have any doubts' that's a lot easier to live with. The decisions are made for you, the rules are in place, no thinking required and none is encouraged.
Silverleaf
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moonwillow
What emboldens ANY religion for that matter to think that it's teachings and religion is the only means of enjoying a satisfying life and is the ONLY representation of God?
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willy_think
It's only part of the conditioning program the WT is runing on the R&F. it seems to me to be, related to informational control aspects of the program. Calling the WT the TRUE religion is a claim to apostoloic cession while bluntly calling all other religions false.
often a programmed member faced with docternal doubts will trigger a block that takes the form of previously suggested thoughts like, " where else is there to go"..."the WT is the only TRUE religion"....etc. effectively stoping the train of thought containing the doubt, and placing a block on any desire to find the answer outside the WT org.
if the blocks fail, the member at this point should become known to the Elders either by bringing the problem to the elders himself, or by being exposed by other members. the elders then try to pacify the member, if this still fails the member is put under social pressurs, meing marked weak...shuned...DFed...etc.