Do you choose sides, or do you choose truth?

by Seeker 10 Replies latest jw friends

  • Seeker
    Seeker

    It's very easy to fall into a trap of thinking whereby you make a decision based on choosing one side or the other, rather than choosing truth. For example, ask someone to give their opinion on a political issue, and often you will hear, "Well, I'm a (political party), so I think..." That's not thinking about the issue, it's choosing sides. To be fair, one hopes that much thought went into the decision to choose that side in the first place, but it's still not the point. No side can contain all truth and no falsehood. Life is made up of shades of grey. You may choose a side, but it would be miraculous if your side always picked issues the same way you pick them.

    We see this behavior on this board a lot with the sides being JW versus exJW, but that too is a fallacy. Decide an issue on its own merits, not because of taking a side. An exJW says something; does that mean you must agree? Of course not. The WTS teaches something; does that necessarily make it wrong? Of course not.

    A discussion takes place, and someone you trust says something. Do you just say "ditto"? Is it because you agree 100%, or just because he or she is on "your side"? That distinction is important.

    In a discussion an America, one poster noted their political persuasion, and another posted high-fived the first poster. 'Yaaa, my side!' Do those two posters agree on everything, let alone merely in the political realm? Almost certainly not, but hey, they're on my side!

    Those of use who left the WTS had to break free from black-and-white thinking instilled in us by them. It was Us-versus-The Word, Jehovah-versus-Satan, JWs-versus-Apostates. Well, that thinking was shallow and flawed. Life is more complex. However, it's easier to fall back into that same pattern and just choose sides again, this time choosing a different side. It's why people can easily gravitate toward organizations. Instead of having to think for themselves (which is hard), they can just pick a side (which is easy).

    When you make decisions, do you choose truth? Or do you choose sides?

  • TR
    TR

    Seeker,

    Do those two posters agree on everything, let alone merely in the political realm? Almost certainly not, but hey, they're on my side!

    This is a bit of an oversimplification. For example, as conservatives, reagan and I share some basic values. I'm sure we don't agree on everything.

    TR

    "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every
    form of tyranny over the mind of man." --Thomas Jefferson*

  • TR
    TR

    Seeker,

    I wasn't quite clear with my thought in that last post. Choosing "truth" or "sides". Hmmm... Truth is fine, but a value system is more of what I had in mind, not whether or not "sides" are involved.

    TR

    "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every
    form of tyranny over the mind of man." --Thomas Jefferson*

  • GodRules
    GodRules

    I choose the truth.

    It is Jehovah vs. Satan.

    In a battle between Jehovah and Satan. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and WTS. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and apostates. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and my personal tastes. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and inmorality. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and humans. I am with Jehovah.

  • Seeker
    Seeker

    TR,

    Your point is valid, and I was oversimplifying. I wasn't so much trying to pick on you, just it was yet another example I've seen in recent days of a type of response. What I mean by "truth" is, of course, subjective. But I meant it in a subjective sense. What is "truth" for you, may not be "truth" for someone else. And when you decide something based on picking a side, you lose out on truth (subjective). No one side can possibly agree with you 100%, so if you stick to a side 100% of the time, at times you are sticking to what is falsehood for you. That is the danger.

    Again, I wasn't directing this so much at a poster, as at a behavior. I'm guilty of this behavior at times, and I am warning myself as much as anyone. It's easy to abdicate thinking in favor of choosing sides; that's what so seductive about it. But if there's one thing the WTS should have taught us is that we need to think independently.

  • reagan_oconnor
    reagan_oconnor

    TR: I COMPLETELY disagree with you on this!!!

    ...See?!


    Reagan

    I am the master of my fate/I am the captain of my soul.

  • Orpheus
    Orpheus

    I choose truth - even if that means to admit I do not know anything. It is always easy to question dogmas and WTS is not he only one who got entangled in the sin of pretending they have it and in defending their organizational interests with fervent and hateful totalitarian behaviour and at whatever price.

  • Norm
    Norm

    Hello Godrules;

    You said:

    It is Jehovah vs. Satan.

    In a battle between Jehovah and Satan. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and WTS. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and apostates. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and my personal tastes. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and inmorality. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and humans. I am with Jehovah.

    I guess you are on Jehovah's side in his battle against babies too?

    *** Rbi8 Psalms 137:9 9 Happy will he be that grabs ahold and does dash to pieces Your children against the crag.
    Of David.

    Norm

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    Thanks Norm.

    I knew I had misplaced a beatitude somewhere!

  • hippikon
    hippikon
    In a battle between Jehovah and Satan. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and WTS. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and apostates. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and my personal tastes. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and inmorality. I am with Jehovah.
    In a battle between Jehovah and humans. I am with Jehovah.

    In a battle between Jehovah and Interpretation of Jehovah where do you stand?.

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