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Critics of Jehovah`s Witnesses/A Universal Truth?
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Question
Dear Andrew,
I believe that the universe ultimately only contains one truth, because two or more truths would be at conflict with eachother.
QUESTION:
Do you have any way to show actual proof that the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT in harmony with that truth?
QUESTION:
Do you have any way to show actual proof that your own current beliefs ARE in harmony with that truth?
QUESTION:
What if at some future time you re-realized that what you left behind you actually IS accurate truth? Moreover, do you even think that's at all possible, and if it did occur that way, whether you think it possible or not, what would you do about it?
Thanks, Tyron
Dear Tyron,
When it comes to spiritual truth, I think faith is required because spiritual truth is not provable by means of intellectual process. Rather it is discovered through experience and inspiration, and a deep connection. Spiritual discovery is similar to the scent of a flower wafting through a garden. This is a very personal matter that occurs when we quiet our intellectual minds, open our hearts, center ourselves, and listen for the whisperings of heaven.
What I observe among people in groups is that this beautiful private personal matter is sometimes made into a public inquisition, which squashes faith and spirit, and turns a wafting scent into a bright fluorescent light. It turns from gentle beauty into garish and shocking experience, trying to shame or manipulate others into saying they agree, sometimes even violent, torturing or killing those who do not say they agree.
This morning on the bus, on the way in to work, I heard two people arguing about their fundamentalist Christian beliefs. They got louder and louder, angrier and angrier, until they went their seperate ways. I was relieved that they finally seperated without violence. This illustrates the problem with trying to intellectualize spiritual experience.
It is fundamentally something that must be experienced in a garden, yet some people try to experience it in the kitchen. It is an enriching experience that deepens the soul, yet some people try to put it on a chalkboard and rap knuckles for "incorrect" answers. My experience suggests that this is the wrong approach to spiritual truth.
I don't believe spiritual truth is provable, and to think it is provable, or need to prove it, misses the entire point of spirituality.
Would "contrary" truths conflict with themselves, or only broaden our minds to see greater vistas and deepen our understanding? When people say the Bible contradicts itself, how do you answer them? Is it not fair to say that what appears to be contradiction is only two perspectives on the same truth, and that if it appears contradictory, it is because our perspective is incomplete? I think that is a fair statement.
So, no, I don't have any proof that the Witnesses spiritual views are not in harmony with universal truth. (This is why I never criticize their spiritual views, but only their organizational policies.)
No, I don't have any proof that my spiritual views reflect universal truth, and this is why I don't teach my spiritual views as if they are better than anyone else's; and I rarely comment on them at all. (What I say in this message, in fact, does not disclose my spiritual views at all, but only my approach to spirituality. It is the envelope, not the letter inside. The letter is private.)
What I do criticize about the Witnesses is their organizational policies which destroy families and their dishonest mind games and use of social pressures which undermine freedom of choice.
It may very well be that Jehovah's Witnesses have some spiritual truth. It may very well be that this world is about to be destroyed by God. I do hope that the prophecies of Isaiah come true. But how are they to come true? I don't claim to know.
But what I do know is that people who lie and use an extensive orchestrated system of deception to control others (and are not even honest with themselves) cannot be the unique sole representatives of a god of truth. What I do know is that if God destroys the world to give his creation a fresh start, one does not have to submit to deception in order to earn God's blessing.
If God chooses to intervene in human affairs to bring relief to the suffering and teach those who are lost and misguided, I welcome it. On the other hand, if God chooses to let us learn from our mistakes and empower us to make better choices, I welcome that too. My experience suggests the latter, although I sometimes wish for the former. You must choose the spiritual truths that God inspires you to choose, for He is your teacher of spiritual truth, not any man. Certainly not me. Certainly not the secret committees of Jehovah's Witnesses who claim to represent God yet admit they receive no special inspiration from God.
Trust God, the Universe, Your deepest soul, Your highest nobility, Your purest feeling on what is universally true. Don't trust people with an agenda who are not even honest with themselves, who try to prove the unprovable and replace love with hate and judgement.
God is love.
I discovered the error of the ways of Jehovah's Witnesses by means of John 13:35. They pretend to love, but after a lifetime without ever having found love among them, I found true brotherly love only when I began to look outside their ranks. As per Jesus Christ's own words, this was all the evidence I needed that they do not uniquely have universal spiritual truth.
The "love" Witnesses practice is not love at all. Because of their extensive mind games, they have made themselves in to a kind of people who cannot experience or recognize love. Cult researchers call this phenomena a "cult pseudopersonality" and "the end justifying the means". It is these kinds of soul distortion that make it possible for Witnesses to commit hateful acts and then justify those acts as Godly and even "loving".
Love is as important as truth, if not more. Isn't that so? I continue to quest for both of these, and invite you to do the same.
Blessings,
Andrew
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Andrew
Expertise
I don't object to Witness theology, but rather their use of social pressure & deceptive manipulations to undermine family ties and control minds. (This may seem contradictory to Witnesses, who draw no distinction between spiritual belief and organizational policy.) I do not engage in theological debate. I support persons impacted by an experience with the Witnesses and advocate early education for everyone so that they can protect themselves from cults by understanding what to watch out for. (It's not what most people think.)
(Ex-)Witnesses: I know how upsetting it is to experience doubts (or anger) about your experience. Time does not heal this wound until you first remove the splinter, which takes more time and effort than you may realize. So, unless you have already put in that time and effort, don't be surprised if you are deeply affected long after the experience. But there is good news! You're NOT an enemy of God for doubting or for failing to meet the requirements of a human organization. An organization that lies cannot be the exclusive spokesman for the God of Truth. Tell me where you're at. I'll understand. I can show you how to begin or continue your recovery and make a life for yourself worth living.
Non-Witnesses: Describe your experience with your friend/relative who is (becoming) a Witness. I can help you understand the Witness indoctrination and social dynamics that are affecting him or her. I can help you put your options into perspective. Keep in mind that people do make their own choices (even though they may sometimes do so under outside influence) and you may not be able to affect this person's choices, even though they impact on you. After all, you do not have the arsenal of tactics that a cult does (and wouldn't want to). A few people manage to save their friend/relative, but don't count on it. What you can count on is navigating the maze more successfully by becoming more informed about your own options.
Experience
I was a Witness for 30 years, and a volunteer at their headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, for a year. I have attended meetings with many Witness congregations across the United States, a thorough cross-section, carefully observing patterns of behavior. Although being a Witness was difficult, and I gradually had more and more doubts about Witness teachings--I was a true believer, so I kept trying to make it work somehow. I stopped attending meetings in 1997 only after receiving an answer to a prayer about doing so, and have since been actively involved in recovery. This includes both my own and supporting others in theirs. Recovery can include reading books, communicating with others in recovery, and participating in support groups and/or therapy. It always involves reclaiming one's own mind and discovering the other sides of the issues that you have been blinded to in the past.
My gradual awakening was socially, psychologically, and spiritually tumultuous. I lost everything from my former life. My suffering was substantial.
But I have gained everything, so it was worth it. Only after beginning my recovery did I gain social, psychological, and spiritual healing and growth, peace of mind, and self-respect. Only then did I discover who I am; and--for the first time--the meaning of real brotherly love.
For more resources on this topic, try these web sites:
http://freeminds.org/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freedomofmind/
Education/Credentials
Like most Cult Recovery Counselors, I am a cult survivor. I have life experience, not professional training. Also I feel no need to apologize for that. People with professional training cannot understand what it is like to survive a cult unless they have been through it themselves, which few professional therapists have. Understanding what really happened and what works in this unusual social context is as important as psychological training. Most professional therapists are not specifically trained to support cult survivors. Those who are represent a rare and precious resource.
I sometimes refer people to professional therapists regarding deep personal issues. But surviving a cult is a broad experience with other dimensions. Professional therapy can be very helpful as part of your recovery process, assuming that you choose the right therapist. When choosing a therapist, remember that you are the client and they are a service provider. You are the one who holds authority about the relationship. You get to interview the therapist and decide which one to employ.
Be sure to ask what specific training and experience they have around recovery from cult mind control. Most therapists do not have relevant training. Some carry serious misunderstandings about what cult mind control is; and therefore will misunderstand your struggle. So it pays to be selective as a consumer of professional therapy services.
Past/Present Clients
The Witness organization is not like other churches. Most non-Witnesses really cannot imagine what it is like to be a Witness. The organization has unimaginably extensive rules and monitoring that affect every aspect of life, so there is no privacy and no sense of personal independence. "Independent thought" is considered their greatest "sin".
The organization insists on absolute conformity, and claims to directly represent God; so dissent is not tolerated, and authority is totalitarian. Being a Witness is more like living in China or the former Soviet Union than being a member of a religion as you know it. It was the research of Robert J. Lifton, who was studying--not religions--but totalitarian governments, who first began to illuminate the problem of religious cults around the world, which employ exactly the same tactics as totalitarian governments. His work remains a cornerstone for Cult Recovery Counselors still today. (This may be why many governments are tolerant of cults, to avoid exposing their own control tactics.)
Witnesses often experience unusually dysfunctional lives and an extensive array of personal problems stemming from broken family ties, stunted social development, inner unrest resulting from repressed doubts, inability to defend boundaries, and an extreme, persistent feeling of irrational shame. I can help people impacted by an experience with the Witnesses by revealing in detail the policies and social dynamics in the Witness organization that cause these problems.
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