Does the Watchtower Doctrine exist? (page 2)

peacefulpete

Alot of these comments sound like the WT is conspiring with malicious intent. I'll have to suggest rather that it has evolved into an unhealthy high control group thru a gradual process. High control groups sometimes form as the result of elitist theology and isolation. The exact specifics of doctrine are irrelevent. Doctrine changes witht he wind among JWs. What is important is that the doctrine have the effect of isolating the group from others. If other churches teach x they teach y. I don't think this is consciously done, but is is a self reinforcing cycle. The more elite and unique they feel the less atractive mainstream interpretation becomes.

Another poster recommended learning about cults and how they work. This is a new field and unfortunatly most of what is in print deals with the most extreme cases. However the American Family Foundation website has great articles about identifying high control groups like the JWs. Go there and spend some time. read the free articles (like at cults 101) by leading psychologists in the field and consider buying the lecture transcripts for sale. they cost about 3 bucks. The JW approach to recruiting is typical of these groups, however they have developed the art for a long time and the process of internalizing a new initiate takes a couple years of gradual indoctrination rather than weeks as in some cults. The person is not really intellectually drawn in but is won over thru illiciting the instinct of family. They become your family as you slowly shut out non JWs from your personal life. However like most cults the intellect is teased and flattered by the suggestion that they possess knowledge that noone else has.

Many of us here are angry at what has been done to us and perhaps we forget the role we played in indoctrinating others. These are not evil people, just unwitting victims of an unhealthy and destructive religion. If you approach this from that angle you will be more successful than attacking the people or it's doctrine.
By now she has likely come to admire her teacher and imagines that they are a true friend. True friend showever do not use their friendship as leverage to control. Closeness is conditional and metered out in response to perceived progress or regression. If she decides to discontinue her study and makes this clear she will be dropped like a hot potatoe. The more determined JWs will make periodic attempts to change her mind by saying how she is missed, (implying that she has severed the friendship). try to a supportive husband for two reasons. One, the best recruits are those needing companionship. Secondly, forbidden fruit tastes sweet, in other words often the result of forbidding or opposing involvement with JWs is that the person become smore curious or more convinced. This is impressed upon the new recruit in the first study! They have already warned her that "well meaning people will try to persuade you to stop your study, Don't let them! Nothing is more important than gaining this knowledge!. The Devil will try to use people to discourage you from progressing , don't let him win!"

Knowing this, you can avoid the mistake of putting your foot down. Better to be informed and point out your concerns while asuring her of your love.

galaxy7

You can forget about Christmas and the joys of watching the kids

You can forget about getting your wife flowers for Mothers day

You can forget about Birthdays

Forget about everything you ever looked forward to

If you felt you were saved through Jesus Christ ,forget about it

Forget about your kids sports day, any after school activity, any sports day

If you need blood forget about it

If you truly love your family forget about it

Remeber 5 meetings a week

Remember Knocking on doors on the weekends

Remember the Society speaks for God

family_man

Everyone thanks for your responses. So what got you all out?

As for my wife - you've given me some good advice about how to deal with it over time.

What if I show her this board - do you think this will help? I understand that the more I try to pry away the more she will embrace - rendering me powerless. But if I bring up all of these negatives now [i.e. the mandatory meetings, logging hours, diassociaiton of our daughter with non JW's, thier motive is to sell more mags] and they come to pass will this not help her get out eventually.

I think that my only hope is:

1) I have accepted Jesus in my life and made sure to read only the book and involve muself in a non invasive church.

2) She is still not practicing the extremism I see them practice - we are planning my daughter's first birthday right now without any conflict.

I am going to Kingdom Hall with her tonight to keep an I on her and learn more. I feel strong enough in bodymind and spirit to do so.

Any more advise would be helpful in helping me contain myself tonight - I feel like bringin up these points you raise about what WTS becomes after baptism.

Thanks to everyone for your advice. It is hard to do this at home (I don't want to reveal myself yet) and at work.

family_man

I just thought of something else. Is the WTBS a corporation or privately held? How do you find out who the governing body is and what are their credentials? How much do they profit? [I hear about Beth Sarim on a free christian website. So other JW's know about this?]

My wife was told they are a group of scholars who have interpreted the bible to it's fullest meaning.

After Baptism is there a quota on mags to "hawk off". How much are they? Right now everything's been donated but someone had to pay. Who?

Nathan Natas

Familyman,

It sounds as though your wife might be a person who already has some religious knowledge and heartfelt interest in serving God.

Did you know that the Watchtwoer teaches that Jesus Christ is the mediator for ONLY the 144,000 who the WTB&TS say will be co-rulers with him in heaven, and that Jesus Christ is NOT the mediator for people of the "great crowd" class who expect to live forever on earth? The WTB&TS tells the "great crowd" that their mediator is the Watchtower bible & Tract Society!

Did you know that The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society claims to be the "mother" of Jesus Christ?

Did you know that the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society teaches that the anointed members of the WTB&TS share in the sacrificial redemption of mankind - that it is not just Jesus' sacrifice?

If you wife asks her JW teacher about these questions, you will see them dance and avoid the questions - many JWs themselves are not aware of these WTB&TS teachings, but they are in black and white in Watchtower publications.

Let me know if you want references...

Joker10

JWs wives don't divorce ther husbands when becoming Witnesses.

I also used to attend a Spanish congregation. In all the years, I've never heard anybody-- Witnesses and other people-- use the word 'cult' in Spanish.

Now about JWs being a cult. Please.

Is the WT as dangerous as you all say? They feel NO REGRET in breaking up families, having your wife study behind your back, and sneaking her off to conventions without your blessing. They have little respect for husbands who are non-JWs and will put their demands ahead of you and your family's needs.

I don't know if you know this, but there's something that's called 'A Personal Decision'. Just like there are some things a couple must decide together, there are also some things a person should decide on their own. And one of those things is faith. And you should treat her with respect instead of what looks good to you and how you want things done.To say that she will have little respect for you if she decides to become a Witness is a lie.

I am going to Kingdom Hall with her tonight to keep an I on her and learn more. I feel strong enough in bodymind and spirit to do so.
Any more advise would be helpful in helping me contain myself tonight

C'mon now. She is not a child. There is nothing to be afraid of. Keep us posted.

avishai

Don't listen to Joker, he's a witness.....And a hypocrite. As a JW if he were to be caught he'd be instantly df'd for posting on this site.

Joker10

JWs don't charge for any literature. Everything is supported by donations. There is no number of mags a W can give away.

Joker10

You wish i would be a hypocrite. But, you are wrong.

metatron

The entire Watchtower organization exists because of a lie they keep repeating:

"Armageddon is soon".

For one hundred and twenty years, they have misled people with this lie - often coupled with more lies about

when The End will come, such as this lie found in the May 22, 1969 Awake magazine:

"If you are a young person,you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.

.... Therefore as a young person, you will never fufill any career that this system offers". This lie was used to

deceive young Witnesses into avoiding a college education, something many of them regret today, THIRTY FIVE YEARS LATER!

If the Watchtower weren't broadgauge liars, we wouldn't be sitting here discussing this - and they wouldn't be ONE HUNDRED

AND TWENTY YEARS OLD in this world.

Will Jehovah's Witnesses break up your family or marriage? The truthful answer is ( as with all extortioners)

NOT IF YOU GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT. The truth is, Witnesses are carefully indoctrinated in heavily

conditional love, according to what the organization wants. Husbands, wives, relatives, and friends are all secondary

to loyalty to the organization - something that is being emphasized at recent meetings and assemblies.

In our Western culture, the Watchtower Society operates under special rules AS A RELIGION that exempt them

from being charged with serious fraud. No corporation on Wall Street can even dream about the kind of latitude

afforded the Watchtower in promising - and then failing to deliver. If they did, they'd be sued out of existence.

metatron

Does the Watchtower Doctrine exist?

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