Why are Jehovah's Witnesses reluctant to discuss their faith?

[Jose Fly]

By the way I am ROFLOL that a JW is reluctant to share their faith, a bit like saying a Baha'i is reluctant to share their faith.

The full context is, "JW are reluctant to share their faith, when it comes to science". But that would've been too long of a thread title.

 

[Spirit of Light]

They sure do post, discuss, and debate it a lot.


If only they would own up to that.

The JW I have spoken with, have been both open to listening to me, but also speak about their beliefs, something I find very interesting. Often when get stop on the streets we can be discussing for more than one hour and sometimes I invite them to lunch when speaking with them. And even they can be interested in my view of life as a Buddhist I would never try to convert them, and they say the same to me. it is not about converting others, it is sharing wisdom seen from a different point of view.
To my knowledge, none of them have been punished by the watch-tower for speaking with about other beliefs then JW.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

That only applies if you were to take one position in these forums, but take a different one when around your fellow JWs. Do you do that?

That’s true. But no, I don’t. That would be hypocritical..

But I don’t hide that I’m a Witness, either. I post what I feel is truth. Their beliefs from the Scriptures, as I was taught them, make sense to me. To me, it brought the Bible’s harmony into focus...it strengthened my trust in it.

Take care.

 

[Jose Fly]

The JW I have spoken with, have been both open to listening to me, but also speak about their beliefs, something I find very interesting. Often when get stop on the streets we can be discussing for more than one hour and sometimes I invite them to lunch when speaking with them. And even they can be interested in my view of life as a Buddhist I would never try to convert them, and they say the same to me. it is not about converting others, it is sharing wisdom seen from a different point of view.
To my knowledge, none of them have been punished by the watch-tower for speaking with about other beliefs then JW.

That's fine, but doesn't really relate to the point of this thread.

 

[Jose Fly]

That’s true. But no, I don’t. That would be hypocritical..

That's good.

But I don’t hide that I’m a Witness, either.

Do you acknowledge that being a Witness plays a role in shaping your views on science-related subjects like evolution?

 

[Earthtank]

Not the JW's in California lol

 

[Hockeycowboy]

@Amanaki wrote:

“....since they [JW’s] get their understanding from the scripture. Nothing wrong in that.”

@Jose Fly replied:

“If only they would own up to that.”


We do, and we defend it against beliefs, i.e., interpretations, scientific or otherwise, that would tear it down.

 

[LuisDantas]

That's not the same thing. AFAIK, atheists are not under threat of emotional and social ruin should they waver in their views.


????? I'm not telling them what they have to believe, their church is. All I'm doing is taking that information and asking JWs questions about it.

That is another aspect of it. I figure that JW's don't have a particularly easy time separating the two, but that is probably no justification for pressuring them.

 

[LuisDantas]

@Amanaki wrote:

“....since they [JW’s] get their understanding from the scripture. Nothing wrong in that.”

@Jose Fly replied:

“If only they would own up to that.”


We do, and we defend it against beliefs, i.e., interpretations, scientific or otherwise, that would tear it down.

Then it falls on you to decide how far and in which ways you will want to offer that defense.

There is such a thing as going too far in the defense of scripture, and @Jose Fly - or anyone else, really - has full rights to point out that it appears that you have crossed such a line.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

That's not the same thing. AFAIK, atheists are not under threat of emotional and social ruin should they waver in their views.

Depends on their social framework. We all know we get enough bashing of theists on here from atheists just as much as the reversal. In particularly anti-theist frameworks of social community (and I've seen it) you'd face much the same behavior.

But the reality is, and I say this as a former (non-baptized) JW who went through the emotional and social ruin of leaving the church, telling them that it's the only way they ever have or will be is not productive. Some of the best interactions of JWs I have are ones that do disagree with the Watchtower on quite a number of issues, and yet are still within the organization. This all or nothing extreme should not be encouraged from either side of the isle.

In any case, none I have ever met have been reluctant to share their views on any issue, science or otherwise. Probably helped by being a prosthelytic religion used to literally going door to door talking about their views.

 

[Jose Fly]

We do

Where? I have never seen a JW openly admit that being a JW affects their views on science-related subjects. Instead, all I ever see is Witnesses doing what they can to downplay that, and give the impression that their views on things like evolution are purely empirical.

 

[Jose Fly]

That is another aspect of it. I figure that JW's don't have a particularly easy time separating the two, but that is probably no justification for pressuring them.

I'm not sure how to read this. Could you elaborate?

 

[oldbadger]

Specifically, I'm wondering why Jehovah's Witnesses seem so hesitant to even consider, let alone talk about, how being a JW plays a role in shaping their views on science.

Over the last couple of years I've discussed and debated various science-related issues with JWs (mostly evolutionary biology), and for the most part it goes like any other stereotypical interaction with creationists. However, as soon as I even mention the possibility that maybe being a JW, and facing all the social and emotional consequences that would ensue should they waver from JW doctrine on the subject, plays a role in how they view the science (the data, analyses, and conclusions), the conversation usually shuts down very quickly. In one case here at RF, the JW immediately, and rather angrily, put me on ignore.

Why is that? Many creationists from other denominations I've discussed this with don't seem to have a problem acknowledging how their belief in scripture influences their views on science. In fact, they usually seem quite proud of it.

But not Jehovah's Witnesses. It seems to me as soon as someone says something like "Well of course you reject that, you're a Jehovah's Witness...you have to", the JWs tend to get quite upset. It's almost like they're ashamed of their own religion's doctrine or something.

Any thoughts on why that might be?

So the title of this, your thread, is just bull dust.

JWs love discussing their faith. It's one of their main objectives.

You just want to troll them over specific points of their religious views.

But why? Why are you so obsessed with the JW view on science?

Let's face up to it, since the Industrial Revolution we've turned this World in to a dirt pit, killing off thousands of species in to extinction, or so 'm told.

So what exactly is your position on science that is so righteous for you?

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Where? I have never seen a JW openly admit that being a JW affects their views on science-related subjects. Instead, all I ever see is Witnesses doing what they can to downplay that, and give the impression that their views on things like evolution are purely empirical.

Again, this is still a bad faith argument, imo. No different than saying atheists downplay the role of their rejection of theism on scientific evaluation of things like evolution or abiogenesis, giving the impression that their views are purely empirical.

 

[Jose Fly]

Depends on their social framework. We all know we get enough bashing of theists on here from atheists just as much as the reversal. In particularly anti-theist frameworks of social community (and I've seen it) you'd face much the same behavior.

With just about anything that can be put into "groups", that's the case to one degree or another. But IMO there's no comparison between the degree of pressure typical of group-think and what the Witnesses put on their members.

But the reality is, and I say this as a former (non-baptized) JW who went through the emotional and social ruin of leaving the church, telling them that it's the only way they ever have or will be is not productive.

I'm not sure what you mean.

Some of the best interactions of JWs I have are ones that do disagree with the Watchtower on quite a number of issues, and yet are still within the organization. This all or nothing extreme should not be encouraged from either side of the isle.

Agreed.

In any case, none I have ever met have been reluctant to share their views on any issue, science or otherwise.

Again, it's not that they're reluctant to share their views on science, it's that they're reluctant to acknowledge or discuss how being a JW influences their views on science-related issues.

 

[Hockeycowboy]

Do you acknowledge that being a Witness plays a role in shaping your views on science-related subjects like evolution?

To us, “being a Witness” is synonymous with “understanding what the Scriptures say.”

So, I acknowledge that understanding what the Scriptures say plays a role in shaping my views on Common-Descent evolution.

We don’t deny empirical evidence of micro evolution.

 

[Jose Fly]

So the title of this, your thread, is just bull dust.

JWs love discussing their faith. It's one of their main objectives.

Read the OP. It's not that they're reluctant to discuss their faith, it's that they're reluctant to acknowledge or discuss how being a JW influences their views on science-related issues.

You just want to troll them over specific points of their religious views.

I think your mind-reading skills are a bit off today.

But why? Why are you so obsessed with the JW view on science?

Obsessed? LOL....so starting a thread on a subject = being obsessed? Who knew?

So what exactly is your position on science that is so righteous for you?

You're kinda missing the point. Actually, you're missing the point entirely.

 

[TransmutingSoul]

The full context is, "JW are reluctant to share their faith, when it comes to science". But that would've been too long of a thread title.

I see Science and Religion must have a balance. So I can see a few views that the JW hold to, that it would not be possible acheive that balance.

At the same time, I could not expect all to see that balance as I do.

Regards Tony

 

[Hockeycowboy]

That's not the same thing. AFAIK, atheists are not under threat of emotional and social ruin should they waver in their views.

Google “Richard Sternberg”.

 

[Jose Fly]

To us, “being a Witness” is synonymous with “understanding what the Scriptures say.”

So, I acknowledge that understanding what the Scriptures say plays a role in shaping my views on Common-Descent evolution.

Good, let's keep that in mind.

We don’t deny empirical evidence of micro evolution.

Good example. What would you say is the primary basis for your view that there's genuine empirical evidence for "microevolution", but not for "macroevolution"? Is it the result of years of in-depth, objective study of evolutionary biology, or is it more the result of how you believe "macroevolution" is contrary to "what the Scriptures say"?