~ My God's Better Than Your God ~
No one has the right not to be offended
"Lying generally involves saying something is false to a person who is ENTITLED to know the truth..." "While malicious lying is definitely condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge trueful information to people who are not entitled to it"
Taken from the Jehovah Witnesses Watchtower Society book "Aid To Bible Understanding" which seems to have a different definition of lying than most of us.
Of course, it is the Watchtower leaders that decide just WHO deserves to know the truth ~ or at least their version of it.
~ A Visit From The Witnesses ~
Saturday afternoon and there's a knock at the front door. Great, it's the Jehovah's Witnesses. I know I shouldn't invite them in but they are so easy to bait ~ almost as easy as the Baptists.
"Would you like to accept Jesus into you heart?" One of them asks, clutching her New World Translation ~ their version of the Bible. In which they deliberately altered almost every scripture on the deity of Christ, calling Him it.
"No thanks. He didn't actually exist. Would you like me to show you proof that Jesus didn't exist?"
This usually produces a torent of gospel quotes and references.
Something To Think About
- ~ The only sources of information we have about Jesus have been copied, translated, edited, re-edited, forged, interpreted and re-written to fit the author's purposes or prejudices.
- ~ There is no mention by any contemporary historians about the life of Jesus. The Gospels were written between thirty and eighty years after Jesus's supposed death and it is highly unlikely that the authors would have met Him.
"Do you realize that only true believers will be able to enter Heaven?", they persist.
"It's going to be a very lonely place then because according to your Watchtower, 15th.Dec.1968, only 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses will be allowed in, and the soul of anyone who does not join their organization will be destroyed."
~ Some Facts About The Jehovah Witnesses ~
These are all taken from the Witnesses own publications.
- ~ Jesus Christ ~ Michael the Archangel in their doctrine ~ is the mediator for only a small, elite group within the Witnesses called the "anointed remnant". Others must earn their salvation through this controling group by absolute obedience to it. ~ Watch Tower 1st.Feb. 1991 and 1st. March 1979.
- ~ All religions except their own are under the control of Satan and the Priests, Pastors, etc. are under the Devil's control. ~ Truth and Eternal Life, pages 132 ~ 137 As an ordained Minister in The Universal Life Church this really annoys me.
- ~ The Watchtower Society is the only source of truth and that all other churches are teaching the Devils words and will be destroyed when Armageddon arrives. ~ Watchtower 1st. April 1988.
- ~ Armageddon and the second coming of Christ were predicted to occur in 1874, 1914, 1925 and 1975, (thus earning them the nickname of 'the non-prophet' organization). ~ Watchtower 1st.Dec.1890, 15th.Jan.1892, 15th. Oct.1917.
- ~ When Christ failed to show up in 1914 The Society, in later years claimed that in fact He did appear ~ invisibly of course. ~ Paradise On Earth, 1930
- ~ The salvation of Society members can be gained by winning converts and getting subscriptions for the Watchtower magazines and books. ~ Watchtower 15th Aug. 1972.
- ~ Jesus was not Christ until the age of 30, even though their own bible says so in Luke 2:11 "because there was born to you taday a Savior, who is Christ the Lord". ~ Things In Which It Is Impossible For God To Lie.
- ~ After Jesus was buried in the tomb, Jehovah dissolved His body in gases and it disappeared forever. ~ Watchtower 1st Sept 1953.
- ~ Because Jesus rose after three days, Jehovah had to make a fake body for Jesus, complete with fake nail holes, so that the Disciples would believe that it really was Jesus. ~ Make Sure You Are Ready. 1952
Recruitment Methods
It should be bourne in mind that The Watchtower Society warns the Witnesses that certain type of information is not 'uplifting' or 'wholesome' ~ meaning that it may show the truth about organization or lead to people asking questions about the Society.
This is enforced by peer group pressure or 'suggestions' that have the significance of commands and through unrelenting reminders and repetition they are instructed on
- ~ which television programmes they can watch,
- ~ which books are suitable for reading,
- ~ which sites they can visit on the internet and,
- ~ which plays or movies they can attend.
It's always seemed odd to me that adult, responsible people would follow such a Stalinesque type of mind control.
Some Fallacies In Their Reasoning
Circular Reasoning A chain of reasoning that is supported by the arguement it contains:
The Bible is true because it is the word of God. The Bible tells us that God doesn't tell lies so the Bible must be true, don't you agree?
They never mention that their version of the Bible, The New World Translation, was translated by a committee that contained no scholars of Biblical Greek or Hebrew.
Hobson's Choice A choice that provides no choice at all:
If you disagree with what I'm saying, let's study these leaflets. If you do agree, let me take you to Kingdom Hall on Sunday.
Both choices expose you to their indoctrination. There is another choice ~ kick them out the door and tell the local Kingdom Hall that you want to be put on the 'no visit' list.
Validating By Antiquity
The Bible has survived for over 2000 years so it must be true!
If that's true what about the Bhava Gita, Vedas and Upanishads, the Illyiad or Gilgamesh? As they are all older than the Bible does that mean they contain more truth?
Treating An Abstract As A Reality
I can assure you that God is real. I've felt him in my heart.
I can think of several ways to explain this without involving any sort of Divine presence.
Stressing the 'New Light' Approach
Yes, I know that Armageddon didn't happen we predicted in 1975 (or 1874, 1914 and 1925) and I admit that there may have been some slight errors in the past but, as we keep receiving 'New Light' from Brooklyn our light just keeps growing "brighter and brighter".
Their light getting "brighter and brighter" allows them the many changes, reversals and 'U turns' in their doctrines and dogma. They have disowned their founder, Charles Taze Russell, because he taught that the resurrection began in 1878 and was still teaching this in 1925. In 1927 they changed their minds about this and The Watchtower Society said that "the resurrection of the sleeping saints did not take place in 1878." and that anyone who said that it started on that date is an 'apostate' and could not be fellowshipped with.
If yesterdays' truths are todays' lies what will they be teaching tomorrow?
Using An Authority Figure
Albert Einstein believed in God. Are you an Einstein?
Faith has nothing to do with intellegence. Just because the man was a genius in one field, it does not mean that his religious opinions had to be seen as a proven fact.
Copernicus was also a genius but his books proving that the earth revolved around the sun were banned by the church because they went against their teaching ~ that the sun revolved around the earth.
Popular Appeal ~ Stating that because a large number of people believe something then it must be true.
"Surely you must agree that the Bible is the most widely distributed book of all time?"
At one time everybody knew that the earth was flat.
Of course, if their religion was true why aren't there more Witnesses about. Out of the six billion people on the planet only six million are Jehowah's Witnesses ~ less than a one thousandth of the population.
Cherished Beliefs
We all have certain cherished beliefs, some of which are very important to us and are not easily given up. Some of them are so fudimental to our sense of well-being that we can never talk about them dispassionately. We can't let them not be true.
A good example is racism. Most people know that racism is wrong and will not even listen to some one who thinks otherwise. If you've ever debated with an ardent racist you'll know the futility of trying to convince them that their point of view is wrong because their faith in their beliefs is just as strong as yours.
~ Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that people with contary opinions are not holding on to them just to be annoying.
Most of us have a set of beliefs that are "set in stone" and often set up in such a way that removing one brick may cause the whole ediface to crumble, so we have a vested interest in proving to one and all (and especially to ourselves) that we are right. It is very difficult to objectively weigh up the pros and cons of our core beliefs.
In theory, intelligent people should be able to discuss a topic and rationally determine whether a particular idea is supported by the evidence, or is at least strongly implied by what we know. However, rationality is not the main component of our psyches, so "reasonable discussion" is often derailed by human nature.
Sometimes, in our determination to convince, we may avoid giving due consideration to what may be true and sensible and end up defending the indefensible.
If the matter of contention is linked to our world-view and core beliefs we end up not looking for the truth, but trying to hang on to what we already think.
Mental Defence Mechanisms and Strategies of Antiprocess
Some of the techniques we use to stop ourselves from processing information with the full power of rationality.
These are used to protect our core beliefs and world-view from contrary beliefs and thoughts that we wish to avoid. Many of them are learnt in childhood and are used unconsciously.
Irrational Blocking
"It can't happen to me." Smoking, heavy drinking, risk taking in general are all known to be dangerous but those indulge in them refuse to, dare not consider, how absurd that statement is.
Practical Blocking
Thinking along the lines of "this line of thought has only caused me pain in the past, so I won't think about it now."
This is one of the few strategies that is done consciously.
Rhetorical Fallacies
Using certain patterns of thought that are not logically supported. The include such devices as "Validating by Antiquity" and "Using an Authority Figure"
Self-Censoring
Deliberatately forgetting reasoning that seems to be true but will force them to accept an uncomfortable or disturbing conclusion.
Avoiding the Source
Rationalizing a reason for removing themselves from the source of contradictory ideas ~ "I refuse to talk to such a stupid man". Often used with hostility in the hope of making the source of disturbing information go away.
Sublimation and Distracting
Can range from things such as whistling, singing, humming loudly to getting drunk, taking drugs, etc. Setting up a distraction can help soften the focus of an idea or thought we may find disturbing.
Nitpicking
Focusing on one small aspect of the entire problem, declaring that is a non-problem, and generalizing the conclusion to cover the entire matter.
Using a 'Straw Man'
Misunderstanding the issue and describing it in such a way that it can be dispensed with.
Smoke Screen
Raising petty objections to an idea faster than they can be addressed so that no meaningful analysis can take place.
Ad Hominems
Attacking the person raising the issue and not the issue itself ~ "he's got long hair so he doesn't know what he's talking about".
Deferral
Raising an objection and not pursuing it if it is not answered. The lack of an answer is then taken as to mean that the issue is unanswerable.
Strategies of Validation
Techniques we use to reassure ourselves of the truth of what we already know.
Negative Validation
Successfully fending off a disproof of a belief and taking this as confirmation of that belief, even if the disproof was faulty or badly presented.
Positive Validation
Engaging in an activity that actively boosts existing beliefs such as attending your church, going to a political rally for your favourite party, etc.
Selective Validation
Engaging in an activity that on the surface seems to callenge your beliefs but in reality is guaranteed to give you the result you will be most comfortable with. This includes things like reading material that you know you will agree with, or associating exclusively with like-minded people.
Quasi-perilous Validation
Engaging in what may appear to be a belief-threatening activity, but doing it in such a way that, in fact, there is no risk.
People with good defences, such as using rhetorical fallacies, can engage in this type of "mock battle" and are guaranteed a victory over the threat. This victory is the reason for the risk as it "proves" the belief in proportion to the perceived threat. An example: someone who stubbornly clings to a point no matter what, will emerge from the argument without having given in: this is a "victory".