Is it the preaching, that makes JW's believe they have the truth?

by sleepy 19 Replies latest jw friends

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  GermanXJW

  > And how come the church down the street that started as 100 people in the 80's is now over 2000 members?
  
  Sorry, cannot use that one over here. ;-)
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  itsallgoodnow

  I've got people preaching to me all the time from different churches. They think I'm an easy mark, if I tell them where I'm coming from, but why would they bother if their churches, too, didn't encourage them to "preach"?

  Maybe these other holy rollers don't have that special flair that, say, a group of 7 witness women and 3 small kids have, walking down the quiet neighborhood street, with an elder following closely behind in his Toyota, overseeing and whatnot... ok, that's just mean.

  They use this preaching work argument to prove it to themselves, but as usual, they are delusional, and misinformed.
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  Undaunted Danny

  The Great Preaching Paradox of Jehovah's Witnesses.
  

  Read his story in the Maine Times [text version] Question : Maine Times: I don't know much about Jehovah's Witnesses. They come to my door once in a while and talk with me about my religious beliefs.

  Ans: Danny Haszard: Let me guess. You know they don't give blood and they don't celebrate Christmas and that's about it, right? Which is the great paradox, because they claim that they are the evangelists of the world, but for all the preaching and teaching they do, practically nobody knows anything about their teachings.

  Think about it,this is so true.Moreover,they know mostly other negatives,i.e. Jdubs sez;only 144,000 go to Heaven (and only JW elite at that and nobody else)

  The Watchtower's defense is that JW's are a most poorly understood minority religion.(Special Pleading Gambler's Fallacy)

  » Theologically,Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult of Christianity.The oppressive organization does not represent historical, Biblical Christianity in any way. Sociologically, it is a destructive cult whose false teachings frequently result in spiritual and psychological abuse, as well as needless deaths.

  
  
  
• 

  r51785

  Danny makes a very good point.

  In my experience talking to "worldlings," they know virtually nothing about the teachings of the Watchtower Multilevel Marketing Corp. Perhaps the reason is that the marketing activities of the WT are so passive. For example this weekend I went grocery shopping at 11:00 on Saturday morning. Standing in front of the supermarket was a dub holding up the magazines. The dub was mute, but counting time. Very few people know anything about the dubs because very few people actually talk to them.
• 

  jws

  When I first moved into my home, I think it was 3 years before a JW knocked on my door. In that time, I had Baptists come about 3 times.

  Like jaredg says, when backed into a corner, my dad uses the preaching work, the unity, and the brotherly love as "proof". But those are the end-of-argument closers the JWs use. Why they believe they have the truth is a much more complicated matter. It involves indoctrination, keeping out outside influences and materials, keeping them busy in JW activities, repeating concepts over and over, and removing their will to question.

  When scrutinized, even their 3 don't stand up to criticism.

  Preaching: Other churches do it, although not always door-to-door, and not every church. However, the Mormons have door-to-door work as a standard practice. So, even if they narrow it down to door-to-door, they aren't exclusive. Though they will tell you that the Mormons only do it as a term of service.

  Unity: Yeah, right. Examine the disparity between how JWs operate between the "have" countries and the "have not" countries. Compare the lavish halls in America where the Society grants loans with those in South America where it doesn't. Not to mention different policies like what happened in Malawi on neutrality vs. Mexico. Of course bringing up this involves some knowledge of JW specific affairs, making you an apostate and your info suspect.

  Brotherly love: Hello!!! Read this board for countless tales of how unloving JWs are.
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  Undaunted Danny

  [Footnote:When I prepped for my local newspaper interview,I got my catchphrase "The Great Preaching Paradox of Jehovah's Witnesses" from Ray Franz in COC.Read it.
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  Carmel

  Several denominations actively proseltyze, even in airports and public markets. Mormons go door-to-door, they too must be the "only true religion". Other religions use Jehovah as the name of the OT god. If you research long enough you'll find that virtually none of the doctrins of the witlesses is original or unique..well maybe ban on blood and saluting flags..

  carm
• 

  stillajwexelder

  when backed into a corner, my dad uses the preaching work, the unity, and the brotherly love as "proof".

  No question the JWs use the preaching work argument to convince themselves and try to convince others that theirs is the right religion. Yes they have unity but at such a high price - they have to ruthlessly disfellowship to maintain this "Unity". Brotherly love - well I may be biased but I truly do not see that much evidence of love
• 

  heathen

  They also believe they have the only means to understand the scriptures and prophesy . They feel also that they are persecuted for their beliefs which means to them they have the truth . The no part of the world thing always comes up in these discussions . The no blood guilt from involvement in warfare . The love amongst themselves , GAG .
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  observador

  I think it's one of the things. One can see this by the fact that, when in doubt, some dubs even go a little further by pioneering. My sister is doing precisely that... Observador.