Their leadership exercises great power over them. To be excommunicated , to them means losing their place in the coming JW paradise earth. (Seriously. You can research this). Anyway......they were fun hope they come back.
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JW: Losing on the Internet Front?
- Thread starter Neo Deist
- Start date
Without quoting directly from the email correspondence I had with them after they left RF;
1) Associating with apostates was cautioned against.
2) Putting brothers and sisters at risk by exposing them was cautioned against.
Unity and the risk of endangerment were the key thrusts of the discussion.
You may or may not see RF as much of a threat to either unity of JWs, or to putting people at other countries at risk, but the nature of the internet means that contact is somewhat faceless (any person can parade as anything, but be something else) and international.
I completely disagree with the ruling, but obviously I am not a JW, so that isn't important from their point of view. But I initiated email contact with them afterwards to try and understand the intent behind the ruling, and the above 2 points were re-iterated. Whether you believe those are the actual reasons, or whether you agree with them is up to each individual. For the record, I am skeptical on both counts, although I think it's quite possible that the people who left RF were sincere enough. My issues are more with the ruling body, since this smacks more of censorship and is a pretty classical method of information control. But I'm a cynical atheist anyway.
I wish they were still here. I like chatting with JWs, most of the time.
1) Associating with apostates was cautioned against.
2) Putting brothers and sisters at risk by exposing them was cautioned against.
Unity and the risk of endangerment were the key thrusts of the discussion.
You may or may not see RF as much of a threat to either unity of JWs, or to putting people at other countries at risk, but the nature of the internet means that contact is somewhat faceless (any person can parade as anything, but be something else) and international.
I completely disagree with the ruling, but obviously I am not a JW, so that isn't important from their point of view. But I initiated email contact with them afterwards to try and understand the intent behind the ruling, and the above 2 points were re-iterated. Whether you believe those are the actual reasons, or whether you agree with them is up to each individual. For the record, I am skeptical on both counts, although I think it's quite possible that the people who left RF were sincere enough. My issues are more with the ruling body, since this smacks more of censorship and is a pretty classical method of information control. But I'm a cynical atheist anyway.
I wish they were still here. I like chatting with JWs, most of the time.
What a shame. I was hoping one day to get one of them to answer the question, "If you found proof of evolution, would you still find a way to believe in God or would you abandon your faith?" I posed that question to two of the JWs here in the past. Neither would give me a direct answer. I have a feeling that the answer disturbed them.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
I don't know. It doesn't say to quit going online. It mentions encountering an apostate once, and good god, the title of the very article mentions "studying with those from another country." Perhaps there are more letters and statements that do tell adherents to not go online, but being an outsider and reading what is presented, an objective interpretation does not suggest this is telling adherents to not go online.
When it says under the supervision of authority figures, it brings to mind how much Chinese media is censored because it is supervised and watched by authority figures.
The article in the OP does not say to quit using the internet. It does, however, suggest caution be used because in some places such things draw unwanted attention from oppressive regimes. Perhaps there is a statement urging Jehovah's Witnesses, but the article linked in the OP explicitly is in regards to witnessing to those of foreign countries, where such activities may be restricted or banned. It does include the possibility of encountering an apostate, but it also mentions face-to-face interactions with those from another country. Because the "21st Century" is quite so "21st Century" as we like to think, in some parts of the world their advice of caution when discussing things is good advice for anyone when it comes to certain topics in certain places.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
How does it not raise red flags in the minds of followers when their leadership tries to control who they interact with or what information they access? How does it not raise doubt and suspicion regarding the authority and validity of their belief system?
Robert.Evans
You will be assimilated; it is His Will.
It is quite logical to try and protect your own though isn't it, so I have some sympathy for them.
Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
Sometimes it does. Plenty leave as plenty stay.
They believe the Watchtower is the faithful and discreet slave outlined in the new testament so for some it will take much more for them to become suspicious.
In the organisation to say the Watchtower is wrong is almost like saying God himself is wrong.
Neo Deist
Th.D. & D.Div. h.c.
Have you even read the other responses in this thread? The JWs that left cited that very article for their departure. Read between the lines of the article...it is very clear. End of story.
Mistah Bunneh
Member
Jehova's Witnesses were one of the few groups that actively opposed the Nazis during that particular genocide at that point in time.
Wherenextcolumbus
Well-Known Member
I don't believe they "actively" opposed the nazi's they just have to remain politically neutral. This means refusing to say hail Hitler would have gotten them locked up.
Judge Rutherford also wrote a letter sucking up to Hitler.
RedDragon94
Love everyone, meditate often
Okay, you want to know what that means to me coming from a Christian background? This means they know they're wrong and they are trying to keep people blind to the truth.
I thought all truth was God's truth... So what if God didn't create the world in six literal days? Is that so essential? The main point of creation is we're here and hopefully we're here for some reason and hopefully that reason is good. Why can't we reinterpret our faith in light of reason?
Neo Deist
Th.D. & D.Div. h.c.
RedDragon94
Love everyone, meditate often
Welcome to deism!
Right now I think I'm some kind of a Christian Pandeist. So, what kind of church do you go to?
Neo Deist
Th.D. & D.Div. h.c.
Currently I don't. I pray, study and worship on my own. However, I do want to go to a church so my children (both under age 8) can have that experience. I have been looking for one that is not so Bible thumping literal.
Edit: several deists wind up going to a UU church, but that is not for me.
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