Why can you not question/double standard

by Ticker 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Ticker

  I have been recently reading ISOCF and am now on the indoctrination chapter. What always gripes me with the witnesses has been this one simple double standard of theirs. When you look at a watchtower or any publication of theirs, it has two messages. One for outsiders, one for insiders. It encourages ones outside of the organization to challenge any and all claims of their religion to see if they are viable, even if one holds dear thoese beliefs or has had them for many years. To insiders though the message is never to research, never question, never look into any Organizational policies. This erks me as a clear double standard.

  Another thing I have a problem with is they claim that questioning the GB is questioning God. Since when has questioning mens reasoning or logic been ever equated with questioning God. Should not one test and make sure that it is so, especially in the case of imperfect men. Since when does their biblical interpretations become unquestionable by the punishment of disfellowshipment. How can they not see that by putting their trust in men they are being misled. How is it so hard for them to understand that questioning any religions teaching and continually monitoring and researching everchanging doctrines is a right and normal approach to any human interpretation. Its sad but the rank and file have been conditioned to overlook this very conflicting rule when looked at against sound bible reasoning. To me its building foundations upon the sand which can be easily washed away, hence the larger JW turnover rate. I hope ones will wake up and realize that questioning mans reasoning is a necessary and very sound thing to do. Even God warns ones not to be misled but examine the utterance and make sure of all things. I have never agreed with this rule of not being able to discuss Org. policies/doctrines and never will, but would like to get an idea of how they can justify putting mans reasoning on the same level as Gods. They cant use the Holy Spirit excuse because it dont hold water, that would still require putting blind faith in man that they even have holy spirit. I dont buy their reasoning on this and never will, but sure amazes me how they dupe 6 million ordinary people into this reasoning.

  Ticker
• 

  myelaine

  Ticker says: Another thing I have a problem with is they claim that questioning the GB is questioning God.

  which god?

  Ephesians 2: 2...according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ...

  love michelle
• 

  Ticker

  Very good point, "Which God?" Exactly which God are they really representing, their manmade GB of Gods would be my answer.

  Ticker
• 

  A Paduan

  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
• 

  LongHairGal

  This always bothered me too.
  
  On one site I read an explanation given by one of the GB (I forget who) when being questioned in a deposition by authorities over some issue. He said that "changes must come from the top" or words to that effect. In other words, there would be confusion if they came from the "bottom" e.g. from the rank and file. The problem with this is that if changes only come from the top they are bound to be biased because those at the top would be trying to protect themselves and their position. In effect, it would be like the pharisees who were afraid they would lose their place and their nation. I also seem to remember reading he said something else about how it wouldn't matter if a teaching was wrong as long as there was "unity".
  
  So I got two things out of his deposition. One, that changes should only come from the "top"; two, that it doesn't matter if a teaching is wrong, as long as there is "unity".
• 

  willy_think

  Another thing I have a problem with is they claim that questioning the GB is questioning God.

  Papel infalability
• 

  Spook

  I definitely agree it is a double standard. However, it is a double standard that is, unfortunately, backed by many themes in the bible. Now, that doesn't occur without contradiction, however.

  It is a convenient tag-along belief that one will find to an increasing degree in high-control groups. The very idea and tradition of heresy and blasphemy runs closely along the same lines.
• 

  Scully

  The utter hypocrisy of the WTS regarding the "wrongness" of questioning the GB came clear to me when I started to see how unloving JWs were toward my family and me during a time when I was sick with postpartum depression.

  I even said to a JW relative "Well, if you met me in the door-to-door work and I told you that I was a Catholic and these things were happening to me in my church, you would tell me and try to prove to me with scriptures that this was evidence that my church was not demonstrating the fruitage of the spirit, and were not Jesus true disciples due to the unloving behaviour they were showing me. So why is it that I have to overlook it when it's JWs doing it? Why do those scriptures not apply to JWs when they are being unloving and downright cruel to someone in my situation?" They couldn't answer me.
• 

  garybuss

  The two messages in the same text is done by the insider's language and well defined terms and buzzwords, like "true Christians". It's incredibly clever. As a Witness, I saw the code message as kind of a protection from looking like a complete idiot to a visitor at the meetings. I'd cringe at some of the stuff I heard at the Thursday night meetings and I'd look around to see if there were any newcomers or visitors there.
  As a Witnesses member I see now I was in an exclusive club not very unlike the Aryan Nations. The Witnesses are a militant group and has a combative character. What benevolent religion has a fleet of attorneys on staff and has a legal packet ready to mail out to dissenting members who complain about the ethics of the group?
  The Witnesses are aggressive in the service of their cause and their cause is the distribution door to door of the literature they produce and the control of their members and their assets. The Witnesses are a militant political activist organization who's stated goal is to see all the earth's governments overthrown and replaced by them. The educated in their ranks are attorneys and business people, not Biblical scholars. That analysis alone should reveal the true nature of the group.
  
  
• 

  defd

  I even said to a JW relative "Well, if you met me in the door-to-door work and I told you that I was a Catholic and these things were happening to me in my church, you would tell me and try to prove to me with scriptures that this was evidence that my church was not demonstrating the fruitage of the spirit, and were not Jesus true disciples due to the unloving behaviour they were showing me. ; So why is it that I have to overlook it when it's JWs doing it? ; Why do those scriptures not apply to JWs when they are being unloving and downright cruel to someone in my situation?" ; They couldn't answer me.

  Your absolutly right. You should not have to over look it. The big difference though is, Catholics do not worship the True God Jehovah. JWS do. So in harmony with the scriptures when we are treated bad by our brothers and sisters we need to follow Jesus counel, Forgiveness and Pauls counsel, put up with oneanother and freely forgive oneanother. Not leave the Organization.