WTS: Positive information is believed, Negative is not believed

Elsewhere

I find it very interesting the way the WTS has conditioned JWs to automatically accept as true any information about JWs that is considered "positive" regarding the religion while also automatically concluding as false any information about JWs that is considered "negative".

I wonder if we could use this to our advantage... tell JWs all sorts of outlandish, but positive, things about the organization and what JWs are doing. Eventually they will get to a point where they realize that they cannot even trust the "good" things they hear.

Hey, did you hear about how the WTS recently purchased a C-130 so they can do literature airdrops in remote locations in third-world countries?

rebel8

That is one of the best ideas I've ever heard. I think I'll try it.

tetrapod.sapien

i don't know man. based on what i know of peoples credulity, the religion would probably become huge. he he...

Check_Your_Premises

I wonder if we could use this to our advantage... tell JWs all sorts of outlandish, but positive, things about the organization and what JWs are doing. Eventually they will get to a point where they realize that they cannot even trust the "good" things they hear.

Funny.

Actually I think everyone does this. We all have a paradigm, and we all process info through that paradigm. When info comes in that contradicts our paradigm, we can alter it or we can ignore the info. Most folks ignore the info. Any info that appears to validate our paradigm is easily believed and accepted.

Everyone does this. The dubs seem more guilty of it just because their paradigm is so doggone rigid.

Question of the day: Does believing truth required a closed paradigm (one where any fact that contradicts the paradigm must be avoided?)

LongHairGal

Elsewhere:

You are correct when you say they cannot stand negative talk of any kind. In fact, if you are a "negative" (i.e. realistic) person, you can expect to have somebody pull you aside and criticise you for it. I was perceived to be so negative that once when I gave a "good" (i.e. upbuilding) comment at a Thursday night meeting the elder came to me at the end of the meeting and commended me on how I wasn't negative. These people need positive feedback because their belief system is so precarious that anything will knock it off balance.

This hatred of things negative is not just about information pertaining to the religion in general but also in how some of these people live their daily lives. Some of them just cannot deal with reality at all. They live in a bubble or controlled environment and god forbid you burst their bubble with a fact or two (about anything really - even the headlines) they will cry out in pain.

GMahler

I find it interesting how the opposite of this is true as well: JW's are quick to beleive negetive information about other religious organizations and dismiss any positive information. I have seen cases where a JW will try to convince someone that their religious position is wrong because of the bad reputation of a religious leader that they may be affiliated with. If the person doubts the information, the JW will walk away from the conversation saying that this person did not want to see the truth about their religious leaders. How irionic.

gaybeat

I have seen cases where a JW will try to convince someone that their religious position is wrong because of the bad reputation of a religious leader that they may be affiliated with. If the person doubts the information, the JW will walk away from the conversation saying that this person did not want to see the truth about their religious leaders. How irionic.

YEP your right. I was sitting in a car, while the most Holiest of Dubs were driving, the driver passed by a church, which he instantly called it Babylon, then tells me how the Chuch leader was a convicted sex offender, and people still went to that church after knowing. The message to me was, if a preacher in your church is a sex offender, you should not go anymore because its babylon the great. Jehovah would never allow a sex offender to preach to his congregation.. Mhmmm