Jehovah's Witnesses Have the Freedom to Think — Do You?


    Note: The following article is written in a rare second person delivery toward the reader. That is because I wish to directly address individuals from the religions of the world who specifically target Jehovah's Witnesses so that I may rouse their thinking abilities.
Do you claim that Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to think? That we are instructed to think only thoughts approved by the Watchtower? That is what our detractors like to claim. But does that claim have merit? On what do you base such a claim?

Jehovah's Witness Publications Support Free Thinking

Consider the fourth study article in the September 2013 Watchtower. Its title is "Make Personal Decisions Wisely". If someone has been taught by their pastor that we are only allowed to think Watchtower approved thoughts, they would think that an article with this title is telling us what to think. A question like the one in the third paragraph of the article would seem to support that view: "How then do we decide what we should do?" But without making assumptions, let us consider what the article really teaches.

As you go on to read that article, you will discover it never once tells the reader what to think. Instead, it instructs the reader to seek the mind of Jehovah through practice of right moral decisions based on Scripture, careful forethought, prayer and imitation of Jehovah as presented in the Bible. Never once does it direct us to the publications of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. In fact, the entire issue gives focus to these things, including the non-study article, "Let Contrasts Help You" and the study articles "Jehovah's Reminders Are Trustworthy" and "Make Jehovah's Reminders the Exultation of Your Heart". These articles do not tell you what to think, but give you instructions on how to improve the way you think.

Such instruction occurs frequently in our publications. And what does the article provide as support for making your own decisions with a Bible-trained conscience? Scripture citations; over 30 of them. As another example, the January 2011 Awake!, p. 28, in the article "Are Faith and Reason Incompatible?" says this: "The Bible says, for example, that if your worship is to be 'acceptable to God,' it must be 'a sacred service with your power of reason.' In other words, you must worship God 'in a way that is worthy of thinking beings.' (Romans 12:1; The Jerusalem Bible) So the faith described in the Bible is not something blind and irrational, or a leap of faith, as some have called it. And it is not credulity. Rather, it is something you have thought through carefully—resulting in trust in God and his Word, which is firmly based on reason."

Questions Encourage Questioning

The Book, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, repeatedly instructs people to think about things. Page 6 says "Think for a moment about your own anxieties and troubles." Then it poses six questions. That page does not provide the answers, but the book does as you read it. Because they are in written form, you are given ample time to form your own conclusions about those questions. The next page then encourages the student to use the question and answer format. If we did not want people to ask questions, why would we help them get into the practice of asking questions of the material they read? The page concludes with a personal question, "Why not start a program of daily Bible reading?" Really, why not? Is it really going to harm you? So the question has prompted the reader to think for their self, without making a declarative statement about what they should think or do.

The question and answer format begins in Chapter One. Each chapter title is itself a question, followed by a number of other questions related to the material, allowing the one who looks it over to contemplate those questions before ever reading the material. In our audio recordings of our publications, we always ask the questions first and then read the paragraphs, allowing people to pause the recording and contemplate the question before reading the paragraph. People are free to read the questions first when they study alone from the printed material. In fact, the Watchtower study articles provide 3 or 4 questions at the opening of the article.

And finally, we not only encourage our students to study the publication in their spare time, we actually want them to, because it makes them more prepared for the study. And in that personal study, they have ample opportunity to ask their own questions of the material, to do their own research, and to bring those questions to us for clarification. We encourage personal research. That is why we are often called the most prepared people in the world. We can then do research on the material ourselves in order to help the student further, if needed. You can then spend as much time as you need over months, or even years, if you are truly interested, to "make sure of all things". (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

Opportunity to Question

But then, why do so many apostates from our religion claim that we discourage personal research, in spite of the fact that the publications clearly do encourage it? Usually because either they themselves failed to do their due diligence when they came into the organization, and thereafter, failing to make sure they were in the faith, or perhaps they had a Bible teacher that discouraged research in spite of the leadings of the publications. This is the fault of the individuals, not the organization.

Really, though, what other religion in the world gives you this much opportunity to question its beliefs before ever even joining their organization? In fact, most sects of Christendom simply shake your hand before the congregation if you are switching faiths, or baptism simply requires a profession of faith, such as "praise Jesus". Thus, you are never given the encouragement to question. Go ahead, try making a list of questions of things you don't understand in the Bible, without posing any dissent, doing independent research to find out if the church has a belief that makes more sense. But be warned, some encourage research, allowing people to believe what they want to believe as long as they come to their church, but others discourage it with vigor.

There are countless accounts of people who mention a Jehovah's Witness belief to get the response of the pastor, priest or minister and quickly find their self on the outs, if not condemned before the congregation or excommunicated/disfellowshipped entirely simply for having talked with Jehovah's Witnesses. In one area, a pastor, when approached by Jehovah's Witnesses, attacked the witness and claimed the witness attacked him, but the news report revealed the truth of it by interviewing observers to the event and the pastor. (The pastor effectively "hung himself", as the saying goes.)

Jehovah's Witnesses, however, are more than happy to share their beliefs with even priests, reverends, ministers and theologians from other faiths, without fear; and the Witnesses are more than happy to entertain their honest-hearted questions. However, they rightly turn down anyone seeking an argument or posing foolish questions that have nothing to do with faith. (1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:23)

What Chances to Question Do You Get In Your Church?

Let's look at the average person's weekly meetings at a church in Christendom*. They go to a meeting, usually about two to three hours long, and listen to one or a variety of speakers talk about various subjects, (often political in nature,) or perhaps mix in some ritualism, dancing, praising God and maybe expressions of personal rapture. If you have been to such meetings, try to think about when you were ever asked to use sound judgment, or were ever instructed in rousing yourself to think for yourself before committing to any action. Do they provide you with a means to question their talks? Do you receive free written literature that you can take home and evaluate their teachings from? Do they teach you to ask questions of the material you receive from them? Do they teach you to test their supposed inspired expressions against God's word? (1 John 4:1)

Chances are, you will have little to no experience with such instruction at any church you have ever been to. Instead, you will get instruction to avoid Jehovah's Witnesses, and unsupported claims that they are a "cult" without any clear definition of what a cult is that can't be applied to every religion, other than being a "new religion" or "new age cult" (Meaning: not older than a couple hundred years,) or because they don't believe in the Trinity. In fact, their definition of a "cult" is often circular. ("A cult acts like a cult.")

You will likely have received much instruction on how to think in specific situations, especially regarding the Trinity, hellfire, immortality of the soul and Jehovah's Witnesses, thus being instructed to think as they want you to think. But now, think for yourself. Does that statement impose fear that you might be stepping into unapproved territory by your church? That would be because the church you belong to is not practicing what it preaches against others. After all, fear is the best way to get people to stop thinking. If a church can get you to fear other ideas, they can get you to follow only what that church teaches you.

Think about it. Is not "avoid Jehovah's Witnesses" a statement that tells you to stop thinking for yourself? Do you not have the right to think for yourself in that matter? Yes, it is commendable to avoid apostates from your faith, but those belonging to other sects from your own are not apostates. They are simply people who believe what your church would consider an apostasy. Most of the world has some sort of belief system that is an apostasy to your own. Does that mean you are supposed to avoid most of the world? Of course not.

Evaluate Your Beliefs

Apostates from Jehovah's Witnesses love to say that because what Jehovah's Witnesses believe today is different than what Charles Taze Russell taught, that we are apostates from Russell's teachings. If this were so, then every time we update our beliefs, each new thing causes us to be an apostate from before that teaching was adjusted. Noah had a religious belief that was wholly different from what Moses taught, or from what Jesus taught, thus all other beliefs are an apostasy from Noah's, even yours. So clearly, progress in the knowledge of God in the stream of time is not a true apostasy. That is because apostasy is an attitude, not a teaching. But apostates do not want you thinking clear thoughts like that. They want you to believe your mind will be controlled if you listen to someone else, so that they can stop your thinking through fear.

A true thinking mind knows how to evaluate itself and its beliefs, not just when it is convenient to an apostate or religious leader, but each and every day, multiple times a day, and in fact every time it is confronted with a belief statement from the person's own parents, religion, friends, associates, business, government or any other source. If you evaluate everything, then you can't be easily duped.

My Bible teacher and others in my first congregation actually taught me to evaluate what I was taught from my very first study, and I got in the practice of doing it. And every time I start to forget why I accepted a belief, I re-evaluate it to find out why I accepted it and if it is still valid to me. This has led me, not away from Jehovah's Witnesses, but further toward the organization. In fact, my faith in Jehovah has been strengthened by the reaffirmations of my faith every time I review it. (2 Corinthians 13:5)

You ask Jehovah's Witnesses to critically analyze their beliefs, but do you do it yourself? Are you allowed to study Jehovah's Witness publications? Why not critically analyze our sister site, Salvation vs. or the post "Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Preach Door to Door?". Or read the articles at JW.org, on the page "Bible Questions Answered". Because it is hypocritical to tell others that they have no freedom, but then be unwilling to demonstrate your own freedom.

Related Information:
What Happens at a Bible Study
Jehovah's Witnesses Encourage Questions and Research
Waiting on Jehovah
Are Jehovah's Witnesses Kept Too Busy?


* "Christendom" refers to the predominant tendency of the majority of nominal Christian sects to claim that God's kingdom is already on the earth, whether through their church or an existing government, or that an existing government will usher in God's kingdom, all those views contradicting Daniel 2:44 and Revelation 16:13-16 and 19:11-21.

Comments

Dismythed said…
To Mark:

The organization has given us one channel by which to provide our ideas, through the address provided in the Watchtower. Now, chances are, you will receive a letter back, written by a circuit overseer in training, which recites back to you what you already know. This does not mean that your letter was not received through the right channels. All you can do is wait on Jehovah.

The elders are not the channel. The elders are there to protect the spiritual continuity of the congregation, not vet new ideas to the governing body.

If you read the blog post, "Jehovah's Witnesses Encourage Questions and Research" and "Waiting on Jehovah", you will see that it is not healthy questioning that is blocked, but the spreading of contrary teachings and dissent. I have offered a difference of opinion through the right channel and did not get burned, other than the circuit overseer's reply. But I learned that the circuit overseer's reply is just the first tier response.

I can tell by your message that you are not in a frame of mind that understands the difference between questions and dissent. I suggest you approach Jehovah to teach you the difference and have complete faith that he responds. It is Jesus who controls the Christian congregation, not us. So if you want change, send your difference of opinion to the Watchtower address, then go through the proper spiritual channel through the prayer of faith. But don't just pray that the organization accepts your idea. (That would be arrogant. And Jehovah doesn't take well to arrogant prayers,) But pray that those who need correction in understanding receive that correction, whether the organization or you, because there's two sides to every difference of opinion. Trust me, the likelihood of you being the one in need of correction in understanding is quite high.

If it is important for you, you could always write multiple polite letters. But just be sure to give recognition to them as the channel through which the congregation has received the light it has and through which we are protected. Do you not think it is a contradiction to believe it is the truth, but disrespect the means by which that truth has come to us? Jehovah is the one that chooses, not men. Jehovah is the one with the power to change the organization, not we ourselves. It is not a democracy, but a rulership by Christ.

You should also read my blog post, "A Toothless BITE: An Analysis of Steve Hassan's "Anti-Cult" B.I.T.E. Model" here:

http://dismythed.blogspot.com/2012/10/hassan-toothless-bite.html
Dismythed said…
Mark, I'm afraid you have a grave misunderstanding of the role of the faithful and discreet slave as well as what it means for Christ to be a mediator. (I will address that issue in a later blog post.) Your thoughts are not Jehovah's thoughts and your attitude is not Christlike. (Isaiah 55:7-11; Philippians 2:1-8) No further response will be given you at this point. (Matthew 12:38-42) I do not think it proper to continue to discuss anything with you. It will do you no good and serves no purpose. Contrary to your implying yourself to be a practicing witness in your first reply, I do not believe you made it through your meeting with the elders "a few years ago" with your standing as a member of the organization in tact, on account of statements made in your last reply. I do not associate with the "offspring of vipers", (Jesus' giving name to the Pharisees,) whether disfellowshipped or not. (Matthew 12:34; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; Jude 11-13)
Fernando A. said…
Hello, I'm writing on this topic because this question has been on my mind from some time ago. And I would like to know your opinion.
There is no question that the watchtower doesn't tell us what to think, they only tell us that we have to make sure that our thought's are the same as Jehova. But how can we be sure that that happens? Reading the watchtower. If we have a thought or interpretation of the scriptures that is intelectualy legitimate but if it goes against an article of the watchtower, who wins? Every witness knows that the watchtower is the second most important text after the Bible and no one dares going against it. Even if we are told that it isn't sacred we treat it like it is. If the Bible doesn't clarify a subject we recur to the watchtower. We have to be humble and ignore our only reasoning if we want to stay in the congregation. That's why i don't bother to think anymore. It's all written, just go to the online library, and there's a watchtower or other literature that tells us exactly point by point what our thinking has to be, literaly. It uses always some logic that can be easily established. Although sometimes it forgets that other logics could be used and conveniently forgets to adress them.
There is no channel for transmiting thoughts, ideas or questions to someone that can really ear the arguments and provide answers, specialy if you live outside USA or branch offices where you could have access to the very few that have liberty to think.
The elders could be that channel but it stops there, they are only told to help the brothers to conform to what they are taught, from where? That's right the watchtower. There is always the option of leaving the congregation, because we don't agree with something that is written in the watctower. But I don't want to do that, i prefer not having the freedom to think, and trust that the watchtower is always right. I know it's a question of trust, trust that the Holy Spirit can guide the organization without any other contributors. At least i have the consolation of having good friends, good morale principles that help me live healthy and happy. Thank you for listening.
Dismythed said…
Thank you for your honesty, Fernando. But never stop thinking.

First off, the Watchtower only provides current understanding about which we are to speak in agreement. The Watchtower is important, but no more important than a speaker on the stage has ever been for any religion. Remember the difference of opinion that occurred between the apostles on the matter of circumcision? They undoubtedly had given many talks supporting it prior to that. But then a change took place. There are many other examples in the book of Acts and in the epistles of corrections made in the congregation, and yet Paul himself said to "speak in agreement". (1 Corinthians 1:10)

The faithful and discrete slave has never said they are never wrong and we are not required to believe they are never wrong. On the contrary, they have been very open about their misinterpretations. We are simply required to speak in agreement when speaking with our brothers and sisters and in service. But there is indeed an avenue through which we can take our questions. (Again, there is a difference between differences of opinion and and outright dissent.) I myself have recently come across something that needs to be addressed, and here's what I'm going to do. When I am done with the Bible research and research in prior publications, I will send a letter to the organization that will be up to them to address. I am already turning to Jehovah about it in prayer.

What I would like you to do now, is read my blog post, "Waiting On Jehovah" at:
http://dismythed.blogspot.com/2013/07/waiting-on-jehovah.html

That post contains information on these matters. You clearly know who it is from which you learned all these Bible truths, so read that blog post and follow my example.
Dismythed said…
Don't forget, also, Fernando, that you can take your questions to the elders. If the elders can't help you because the questions persist in your mind, you can address your concerns to the address in the Watchtower. Then leave it in Jehovah's hands.
Fernando A. said…
Thank you for the information, I'll analyse it carefully, I sincerely believed that the address on the watchtower were for non JW only. But I still feel that our organization would gain a lot with a more open mind to receive our thoughts and views, you could argue that its been always like that, but i think that learning about this in your site and not through the congregation is a sign that more could be done.
I'm not saying that we should encourage divisionism, but i think that there is a great collective brain power of extremely intelligent and valid people in our organization that could be harness to help our leading brothers meditate and decide about important issues, about science (Geology, astronomy, physics,anthropology)on linguistics, history and other specializations - Prov 27:17. And for what I read you are one of those people, and if you think your opinions are being heard perhaps I'm being over concerned.
My opinion is what is worth, I'm helpless in a big ship, and the only thing I can do is look to the bridge up there and talk to the guy next to me: "I hope they know what they're doing...with this amount of fog all eyes are important..."
Don't worry, I don't think I could do better, and I still have the greatest respect and appreciation for our crew on the Bridge... And I wouldn't tell people that they should jump overboard... We're all safer together that alone in the ocean!
Dismythed said…
Actually, there has to be some order to things. If everyone were equal in their ability to contribute, nothing would ever get done. The more people providing input, the less value the end result has. It is important to rely upon those who Jehovah has called, and even among them, only those that Jehovah, through his word, has proven to be qualified. They use circuit overseers in training at the branch to vet the letters sent to them. This process is important. If there is a different idea that can't be countered with the Scriptures, I'm sure it gets flagged for someone higher up to consider. I know for certain that the governing body is not the sole source of all understanding in the organization. They are just the final authority to decide what information increases understanding. In the end, it is Jehovah and Jesus Christ we must rely upon. We can be certain that information is coming forth on their timetable, not our own.
Dismythed said…
To Anonymous of June 30th. The subheading is "Avoid Independent Thinking" which is not the same as not having the freedom to think for yourself. As that section in the article "Exposing the Devil's Subtle Designs" (1/15 Watchtower, 1983) said, Satan promoted thinking independent from God. That is, 'You can decide for yourself what is good and bad,...You don’t have to listen to God. He is not really telling you the truth.’ Sounds like every apostate I ever came across.

You can still follow God's direction and still be free to think. What the article was talking about was having a mindset to actually seek independence, going your own way. What apostates promote is not free thinking, but independence from God. (Not just from the organization.) You have a choice to either follow Satan or follow Jehovah. You cannot follow Jehovah while at the same time going your own way. Satan's way is going your own way. If that's what one wants, they should not pretend that they are following Jehovah God.

What apostates want is for people to think only apostate-approved thoughts. That's not free thinking at all. It's slavery to those who would lead one away from God.

As you can see, there is nothing to hide.
Mellow03 said…
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Dismythed said…
I take it English is not your first language, Mellow03. You can seek to resolve your issue immediately. Waiting on Jehovah is about taking proper steps and then waiting patiently for a correction to happen for either you or the organization. Patience is a fruitage of the spirit. You do not need to go to the elders if you wish to be discrete, but just write a letter to the address in the Watchtower.

Just recently, this year, one issue posted incorrectly regarding a subject and another issue corrected it. No attention was called to the correction. But I am sure they received several letters regarding the first article and no doubt noticed the mistake themselves after its printing.

The governing body as a whole does not write the articles. Someone anointed, it does not have to be a governing body member, wrote the article, and then members of the governing body (I doubt more than one or two,) review the article for publication. Sometimes mistakes like that make it through. Other times, they have not found out the full understanding of something. But never assume that you know better than everyone else. If you cannot keep your own tongue in check, you should pray to Jehovah for the strength to keep it in check.

Apostates love to wag their tongues and think they're better than everyone else. All it takes is one little issue and they think that they should change things and if no one listens to them, everyone else is in the wrong. The apostate thinks, "How could I possibly be wrong?" Whether the apostate is right or wrong in their understanding, they are always wrong if they think they should abandon their faith over such a thing and even more wrong to seek to get others to follow after them in their wayward course. Like Korah and his cohorts, apostates are worthy of whatever punishment is coming to them for their presumptuousness.
Anonymous said…
Hi CJ, I don't know if you can help me here, but I would like to write a letter to the governing body and also receive an answer, so obviously it cannot be anonymous. However I have heard that every letter they receive, they send a copy to the elders of your congregation. I can understand why this is done, so that the elders are aware of the concerns of the sheep under their care. However, this is nothing the elders can solve, but only the governing body as it has to do with interpretation and application of scripture and I wish it was kept confidential as I do not want to cause any waves. My thinking, in sending this letter is that if I am not the only one who feels like this, and they have received many more letters like the one I want to send, they may take another look at the situation and maybe make some "adjustments". We are all aware that adjustments have been made to certain "policies" and I cannot help and think it's because these have been brought to their attention. People don't usually change anything unless there is a reason for it. The reason usually comes because of a large number of people raising the same issue. The gov body in Jerusalem addressed the problem about circumcision because it became a problem. From your experience, if I asked for the letter to be kept confidential would this request be honored? Because if not, then I would send the letter anonymously, I do not necessarily need a reply from them, although it would be nice to hear their thoughts. Thanks!
Dismythed said…
Thank you for asking me your question.

I think you are asking if you asked them not to send a copy of the letter to the congregation, would they honor your request? I honestly cannot say as it is not my place to say. Until they give you a written affirmative answer themselves, they are under no obligation to do so. So don't just send them your letter, but ask them that question yourself in relation to the specific material you wish to send. Then, if they write to you saying they will not send it to your congregation, then you ask them your question, sending them a copy of their letter assuring confidence, they would not send a copy to your congregation. However, I would think such assurance would be hard to come by. Our organization is based on trust, trust that Jehovah's spirit is directing the organization, and trust that if we have a spiritual need, that need will be fulfilled in the best way for us. If they find that you have a spiritual need that only the local elders can address, it would be imprudent for them to tie their hands in that regard by promising that they would not forward a copy of your letter to them.

Can you define the response you would expect from your congregation if they received a copy of the letter? Do you have reason to think that they would not keep it confidential or would try to counsel you unnecessarily? If they happened to counsel you, is it something you could not endure patiently? Often we build up matters inside our head that are worse-case scenarios that turn out to be unwarranted. You see, when the elders receive a copy of material, it will come with a recommendation for action or simply filing. If it comes with a request for filing, the elders will not act on it or even concern themselves with it. (The secretary would not even present it to the body of elders in your congregation.) Only if it arrives with a recommendation for counseling will it be passed to the body of elders and a committee assigned to your needs.

You see, expecting a change in the organization is a very big thing, not in that you should not expect to be able to do so, but in that such a perception may be a demonstration of a weakness in our own humility and faith. If your goal is to bring the issue to light with the full acceptance that it may be you in need of adjustment and not the organization, then you have a healthy view, but if your goal is to change the organization without considering any possibility that you are the one in need of adjustment, you may have a spiritual need that only your local body of elders can help you with. A simple letter of response may not be enough.

Perhaps I can help you. I have contemplated a great many things myself and have studied a great many subjects in the organization with insight (Even embarrassing and sensitive ones,) and the Bible says "There is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk, but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment." (Proverbs 15:22) If you pose your issue to me, I may be able to help you understand the issue more clearly than you might currently (Most often, issues are a matter of adjusting our own understanding rather than changes needed in the organization,) or perhaps give you input about how best to address it with the organization. I do not judge and I certainly don't know you or your congregation and would not even consider contacting them. Should you choose to, just post your email and I'll contact you and will not approve the post here. However, I understand if you do not wish to share.

Just be sure you're willing to accept that you may be the one in need of adjustment. You may even have a need for counsel that you are not aware of. With prayer and faith in Jehovah, you should have confidence that the issue would be resolved in the best way for everyone. Only doubt that this is Jehovah's organization should cause you to think otherwise, and such doubt itself is a demonstration for the need for greater faith through patience and acceptance.
Dismythed said…
You're welcome. Email sent.
Robert said…
CJ, I was thinking about Fernando's concerns, and I think they're somewhat legit. However, I also think (and you or anyone can correct me if I'm wrong) that his line of thinking that we have intelligent people in our organization that can contribute, perhaps stems from the idea that since the organization isn't doing X, then they, namely the GB, are close-minded to counter opinions, AKA, dogmatic. In other words, "not adopting my ideas means you aren't even considering them". That's not at all accurate.

I think this is more apparent to someone like him when we don't hold certain social and scientific opinions that everyone else seems to hold, but then we need to remember where our views originate from -- God's Word, the Bible. We have to from our belief system, opinions, and practices from there.

I believe that this attitude *can* go beyond honest questions and become outright dissent potentially because the thinking is that the organization doesn't care about outside opinions and only cares about theirs, but there have been many an article I've read where the branch corrected their views in the "Questions from Readers" sections of our magazines. Readers have wrote to correct a wrong or inaccurate view that we've held. The simple fact that you can write them contradicts that viewpoint anyway.

I think the feature in our Awake! Magazines that interviews someone inside or outside the organization and asks them to explain their faith (such as a scientist, former atheist, or former evolutionist) are another testament that those with a background in the sciences are called upon for their expertise.

But my overall point is similar to that of CJ's -- we ourselves could be in need to adjustment, or we may have to wait, or we may be dead wrong and need to humbly accept that instead of arrogantly (like our apostates) insisting that our view is best.

Thanks,

Rob.
Robert said…
CJ - I deleted my last comment because I felt that my following reply is more geared toward the subject matter. You said:

"Really, though, what other religion in the world gives you this much opportunity to question its beliefs before ever even joining their organization?"

Great point. A new Bible student is given every opportunity to ask questions, even questions based on rumors he may have heard about us. When we study the Bible with individuals, the Bible study is tailored to the needs of the student, which basically means that it will progress as the student progresses. Some studies have been known to take years.

When the study has concluded, is the student then baptized as a Jehovah's Witness immediately after? No -- the potential Witness then regularly attends meetings, participates in the Ministry, and is given material, as CJ mentioned, that he can study ON HIS OWN TIME to check our beliefs against the Bible to make sure they're in harmony with it. The relationship with his Bible teacher is maintained throughout this process, so that if any question arises, they can be addressed.

Brother Jackson commented on this once, where he said (and I am paraphrasing): "No one can simply walk into a Kingdom Hall and ask to become a Jehovah's Witness, and that wish be granted". Then he explained that it takes, in many cases, up to two years before one is baptized. This is an arrangement that allows for a potential Witness to decline baptism as well, if his questions and study leads him to the conclusion that this isn't something he wants to do.

This general time period is more than enough opportunity for questioning. As CJ also accurately pointed out, some haven't used this time wisely or productively, and now they want to offload this onto the organization.

This is NOT the fault of the organization, as you are given all the tools (including electronic media via the WT Library) you need to study.

Other resources include experienced ones in the congregation as well. We can put these people do good use by picking their brains, as it were, about things that concern us. We are family!

Wonderful post, CJ -- thanks!







Afterwards,
Dismythed said…
To Anonymous of April 18, 2016 at 12:14 PM:

We discontinued the use of "Society" because we are not run by a publishing company, but are overseen by a spiritual body of men entrusting many organs of operation to others.

“New light” is also a term we do not typically use in our publications. It has only been used a couple of times in the history of the organization because it did not get edited out. The term is “increased light”, as in improved understanding. (See the post Why Do Jehovah's Witnesses Seek "New Light" if They Already Have the Truth?)

The purpose to changing the publications after printing is so as to minimize the confusion of those doing research. We do not seek to incite sidetracks of unrelated research. We also do not do it because we are trying to hide anything. We live in an age where all information is freely available online, good or bad, lies and truth. People can uncover anything if they know where to look, and our apostates are more than happy to pour over hard copies of past publications to find any little sliver to balloon into big things. So we could never get away with hiding anything. We are not trying to hide things. We are simply trying to keep our members correctly instructed.

We also do not cater to people trying to dig up the past, thus such research is beyond our concern. Only our emaciated apostates obsess over the past like scavenging dogs lapping up any morsel they can find in the garbage heap or the carrion worm that scrapes the last of the carcass. So don’t let their words bother you. All that should matter is what we teach right now. We have learned from past mistakes and will continue to learn from any others.

As to the generations, my 71-year-old mom has never even studied with Jehovah’s Witnesses, she refuses to read our literature and can barely tolerate discussing things we believe because she drank the anti-cultist Kool-Aid and she’s an irreligious agnostic who knows little about the Bible. Yet even she knows how to identify a generation, not by set 20 year or 100 year intervals, but by those who are contemporary. I know this because I asked her what a generation is and she explained it exactly as the organization did in its latest update to the information. So it is not something difficult to grasp, nor does it contradict what the world understands.

As to dates, I address that subject in the post Waiting on Jehovah.

As Jesus said, “No man who has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well-suited for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)
Robert said…
"We also do not cater to people trying to dig up the past".

Exactly.

Jehovah's Witnesses learn from the past; apostates live in it. That's why they're apostates!

Also, how could the organization hide something by updating electronic publications when they still print and distribute hard copies of those publications?

I mean, if I were trying to hide something, I'd only make my publications available electronically while not giving out a hard copy that can be checked and that could expose me.

If anything, the updates are evidence of the organization's dedication to truth and accuracy, and how they won't sacrifice that to save face or to appease our fault-finding opposers.

Think critically about that; no one looking to hide something would make it freely available to you.



Dismythed said…
To the same Anonymous I addressed above:

I'm going to put this straight, Anonymous. I'm not buying the act. Go find it yourself. I don't understand how apostates can think that deception is somehow the way to prove that they are not sons of Satan.
Robert Murphey said…
Hey, that falls under "deceptive recruiting", one of the counter-cultists cult "indicators", right? They're trying to bring us under their "thinking" by deceiving us as regards their identity and purpose.
Dismythed said…
Yep. It's also one of the ones that I also identify as such in my series on How to Really Identify a Destructive Cult because it is a reprehensible practice.
Dismythed said…
To the anonymous above, every apostate who contacts me thinks he's the first apostate who has ever contacted me. The fact is I've been contacted by at least 50 apostates since operating this site. Some act like brothers for the purpose of trying to poison me with doubts, but they don't know that I have already faced off against every issue they could toss at me. That is not the first time that tactic has been pulled on me.

I have also dealt with many brothers who had genuine questions and were genuinely sincere. No matter what apostates do, they can never hide their intent. It glows like a bright red beacon.

I'd love to list off all the ways you tipped me off to your game, but I'm not going to help you hone your deception skills. If you are a brother, then you'll humbly lick your wounds and recognize another brother being very cautious and benefit from the posts I write. But there's no way you could convince me that you are. The game's over.
Anonymous said…
While I'm disappointed you don't believe me and can't see my true, honest intentions, I appreciate your concern and cautiousness and I can understand your viewpoint here. Thank you for the posts you have published and continue to publish that bring honor to Jehovah's name and defend our organization from malicious apostate attacks online. I'll be sure to direct any who struggle with any doubts to your site for the great reasoning and solid facts you provide. Please continue to provide these posts and I hope you continue to address new attacks and old attacks alike that you haven't covered yet for the benefit of our dear brothers.
Dismythed said…
While I could not allow your previous comments for the content of all the apostate ideas you were referencing, I approved this one despite the fact that it makes me look bad because if you are a brother, this shows how an honest brother should respond to a failure to be heard. I'll give this tip: don't shotgun references to apostate ideas. Address them one at a time in the Suggestion Box.
Robert said…
For what it is worth, I am more inclined to trust CJ's judgment.

Too many times on different witness run blogs and websites, apostates have created accounts and started commenting on an issue under the guise of being a brother or a sister, just to get other witnesses to let their guards down.

Then they slowly and subtly introduce apostate ideas to corrupt the thinking of individuals. Identifying oneself as an apostate outright will automatically raise red flags for Witnesses, so it's not out of the ordinary for a person to lie about their status as a Jehovah's Witness.

Funny thing is, there are hundreds of apostate run web sites out there. I don't see the point in coming to witness run places.
Dismythed said…
Anonymous, I will answer the final question you had. The Mexican Cartilla card is not a political party card, as was the case of the brothers in Malawi. The Cartilla card is the same as registering for Selective Service in the United States. A political party card identifies the person as a supporter of that political part. A Cartilla card merely allowed the brothers to avoid mandatory military service.
Anonymous said…
Robert,

I wholeheartedly agree with you Robert. Apostates tried to do that to me and let my guard down a little bit but now it is back up completely. We can NEVER let our guard down, especially on the internet because apostates "hide who they are" and discuss "how to hide their traps and say "who will see them?" (Ps 26:4, 64:5). Thank you for continuing to help us remain vigilant against the subtle apostate attacks with our insightful articles!
Robert said…
Your welcome!

The last thing we want to do is give free publicity to their lies and exaggerations by repeating them and exposing other brothers and sisters to their poison.

The biggest problem with the Internet is anonymity. People can say whatever they want to say without having to take responsibility for it.

I always keep in mind that they have to oppose us at all costs. They have to try to disprove us at all costs. They have to try to discredit us at all costs.

This makes it impossible for them to be logical, objective, and truthful.
Robert said…
For those who believe JWs are 'apostates' from Russell's teachings and thus are false, would they say Albert Einstein's general relativity is an 'apostate' teaching from Newtonian gravity and thus is also false?

Logical consistency demands both be deemed false, or neither.

Dismythed said…
Indeed. To advance from Newton to Einstein is progress. To go backwards from Einstein to Newton would be apostasy. For example, the Catholics adopted worldly religious traditions, corrupting the truth in the Scriptures. So to return to the Scriptures is progress. Likewise, Russell was closer to the original teachings of the Scriptures than the Adventists, but he taught that the pyramids were a physical witness to the dispensations of God's plan, but later we discarded that false teaching. Were we wrong for discarding it? Of course not.
Robert said…
We have openly discussed the pyramid issue during a talk Splane gave during the 2014 Annual Meeting. There is no shame in previously holding and then discarding a wrong belief. In fact, that's the only way progress can be made. We should embrace it. It shows that we are more interested in truth than in being right.


Robert said…
Are Jehovah's Witnesses "free thinkers"? I know this would seem biased because I am a JW, but consider this:

Its very easy to follow the trends of the world around you and "fit right in". Its the path of least resistance which would require less thinking and less consideration.

Apostates usually go back to the things they left behind as its easier to fit into a world they previously did not feel a part of. Many have complained that they were ridiculed for being "different" and they do not want their children having to grow up like that. They'd rather their kids assimilate than to challenge and question. That's what they're ultimately saying. Its easier to do so.

So who are the real "free-thinkers"? The people who simply go BACK to taking the easy way out and "following the crowd", or those have a history of questioning and challenging religious dogmas and worldly traditions, and have came off successful in doing so?