You would likely agree that today it is popular to equate critical thinking with abandoning belief in God and/or religion. Hence some of our opposers claim that Jehovah's Witnesses do not employ critical thinking for the very reason that they are still Jehovah's Witnesses. Obviously, such ones do not understand what critical thinking is. Others claim that we prohibit critical thinking. Is this so? What Is Critical Thinking? The fact is, critical thinking has less to do with what conclusion one arrives at and more to do with how one arrives at said conclusions. A person could accept the Trinity because he was told to accept it, or simply because he was raised in that belief system by his parents. He may then justify his belief by seeking support for it. Does justifying one's beliefs make them a "critical thinker"? Critical thinking is best defined as: "the analysis of available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to form a judgement," as per Wik...

Just before he finally passed away, Jesus asked a potent question: "Eʹli, Eʹli, laʹma sa·bach·thaʹni?" This translates as "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" or "My God, my God, why have you left me?" This was a profound question. One could even see it as the question a vengeful opposition member might ask to cause others to abandon God. That former member could pose the question as an accusation, then say, "It is because you did not care about me! You pretended to care! But inside, you were just using me and you used me up! And at the moment I needed you most, you turned your back on me. You should be ashamed of yourself! No one listen to God! He is deceiving you for selfish reasons! He doesn't care about you!" But, of course, anyone who believes Jesus is the Son of God and knows the Scriptures, knows that this is not the kind of question Jesus was asking. Jesus' question was a quote from a Scripture that gives us a way of ha...

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: ...

Many claim that Jehovah's Witnesses are not allowed to question or do independent research outside the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses. But is this true? Following are statements made in the Bible and in the publication Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education that demonstrate that Jehovah's Witnesses are indeed taught to use every tool at their disposal, including questioning others in the congregation and reviewing secular texts. (In fact, all who attend the Theocratic Ministry School are expected to familiarize themselves with the latter book and which we have studied in the meeting. Each member studies the assigned Bible reading and has a chance to discuss portions of the Bible in the school each week and are given opportunities to express their thoughts on those scriptures and their research on them.) Afterward are quotes from other publications that further encourage careful independent research, questioning and using their critical thinking. Beside...