Is it wrong for Jehovah's Witnesses to ask questions?

Question

Why have I been asked if "I am truly a Witness" simply for asking a question. Am I not entitled to ask a question of you, WE ask questions to others about Religion don't We?

I say this because I asked a previous question and felt attacked by my fellow brothers and sisters for asking it. Why do you all do this?

I feel that the only reason You all don't want some people asking question is because it makes the Organization look bad. I agree it does. But it is not my fault.
The Organization has made not only itself look bad, But it made my God Jehovah look bad. And this is not OK with me.

FYI, my Father-In-Law is a Ministerial Servant and a Pioneer, I have asked him similar questions before and he first tried to pull out the Watchtowers on me, but eventually could not give me an answer. He even asked me "so what are you trying to say". He assumed I wanted to stop attending just because I had QUESTIONS.

I am upset because I KNOW what I am taught at the Kingdom Hall I have been going since I was BORN.

Some of the responses to not only my questions, but others questions, are simply put "Watered down truths".
Sometimes I sit back and just read other Witnesses Responses to questions and Honestly feel ashamed.

It's funny to me because some people didn't even want to believe that the statements made in the court case were true. ITS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT!

Instead of finding it and reading it for themselves they would rather ignore it.

This saddens me because I too used to just ignore all the nagging doubts. I DO NOT believe Jehovah wants us to ignore any serious concerns we may have, so i know seek SCRIPTUAL answers to my questions. But, cannot find them.

Well, I will just continue to read and study the bible and pray Jehovah help me to understand it HE meant it to be understand. Whether that be the same as the organization, I can only hope!

Agape to all.

Answer 1

If you're a Jehovah Witness then you're supposed to blindly accept the teachings of the Watchtower Society as facts -- since those teachings are supposed to be issued by "the faithful and discreet slave" i.e. the (supposedly) only true channel God uses in order to communicate with mankind. Jehovah's Witnesses get very suspicious when another JW starts asking many questions. The one who asked you if you truly were a Witness probably suspects you are really an apostate who questions the accepted doctrines and who's trying to make other JWs doubt the teachings of the Watchtower Society.

Answer 2

This is what often occurs with these types of questions on this forum. Just out of curiosity, closely consider some of the responses you received. There was a mention of the faith of Jehovah's Witnesses being screwed up. Why? Because you were attacked. Were you attacked? Some might think so. Certainly, you felt that you were. Have respondents taken the time to read the question that precipitated all this? Have they taken the time to read the answers that were perceived as an attack? Perhaps. Perhaps not. It may be that many simply took what you said and ran with it, as the saying goes. So what this person seems to mean is that the entire religion of Jehovah's Witnesses is screwed up since a handful of persons "attacked" you.

So what do you suppose would be the response if I now said that all those who answered you regarding this present question attacked Jehovah's Witnesses? Perhaps they would call me paranoid, or in denial, or blind. Yet take a look at some of the adjectives below: crazy, blind, sadistic, screwed up.

To wit: another response was that Jehovah's Witnesses are crazy. Still another insists that if you are a Witness, you blindly accept. The considered opinion, you see, is that the only blind ones are Jehovah's Witnesses. Everybody else can see but if you are a Witness, you are automatically blind. Nobody accepts the possibility that Jehovah's Witnesses have actually researched and studied everything about their religion.

I also read that Jehovah's Witnesses are cruel and sadistic, with horrid lives. Still another said that if you want a viewpoint other than Jehovah's Witnesses, you won't find it with the Jehovah's Witnesses. Now that is curious inasmuch as your original question – the one that began this whole issue - was specifically addressed to Jehovah's Witnesses, was it not? Another pointed out that those on the attack are not filled with the love of God. This of course presupposes that they went on the attack, and that presupposition exists despite the fact that you said you "felt" attacked.

Another offered the opinion that if what Jehovah's Witnesses really have is the truth, it will stand up to any question and they would have nothing to fear. Now if that is so, then what was the problem with Adam and Eve? Satan asked a seemingly innocent question, didn't he? Adam and Eve definitely worshiped the true God – they definitely had the truth, didn't they? They were equipped with the truth directly from the Most High God. Did that mean they were strong enough for anything? Apparently not. Eve fell for the sly innuendo and lie told by Satan. And Adam - though he knew better and was not fooled - threw in his lot with Eve. Why? Because he loved Eve more than he loved the truth. So saying that if one has the truth, then one can withstand anything is like saying if a marriage is strong and the spouses deeply love each other, they can withstand any temptation. How foolish that attitude would be.

In answer to your question, Mommyof1, there is nothing inherently wrong with asking questions. But there is a time and place for everything. And there is a proper forum as well. I reiterate what I said before to you: when you ask the sort of question that you posed, a disproportionate number of answers you will get here are those which, deride, ridicule, mock and disdain Jehovah's Witnesses. It makes no difference what the question is and it makes no difference what the answer may be. And of course Jehovah's Witnesses will be wary of your initial question because of its content. Look back at your question. Really, read it again. Look at the phrases and words you used. It is not so hard to understand. Your question has been asked on countless forums on the Internet by countless people whose only motive is, clearly, to denounce Jehovah's Witnesses. Naturally, when you address this to Jehovah's Witnesses, they will become alert and cautious. Honestly, can you blame them?

Hannah J Paul

Answer 3

Is it wrong to ask questions? No.

What happens when you can't find satisfactory answers right away?

Will you take a step back and wait on an answer or will you push ahead and think your way must be the right way?

The question you asked earlier is one that those who oppose Jehovah's Witnesses have asked on other occasions. I will not use labels but you know the type.

Since it has been asked by others, you might understand why some have asked "I am truly a Witness"

Answer 4

May we hear the question you would ask us? Because I have talked at quite some length with many of various religions for DECADES, and I have yet to hear ONE question that would come any place near to doing what you feel one question would do. We understand Jesus to be God's Son, our Redeemer, our Messiah, King, High Priest, Savior, the Word of God, Ransomer, Mediator, and Judge of the living and the dead. He is Wisdom Personified, Prince of Peace, Eternal Father, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, the Lamb of God, ----- Need I say more?

Answer 5

No, there is nothing wrong with asking questions. However the way a person phrases a question may come off wrong.

Also over the past 19 months I have been on here I have seen many on here falsely claim to be MANY things, including being Witnesses. In general the ones pretending to be Witnesses quickly prove themselves to not be Witnesses.

I personally only Vouch for myself as being a Witness as I am the ONLY one on here that I know of for sure.

There are some on here who I think probably are, but like I said, unless I actually knew them, it isn't really a certainty.

Answer 6

I agree with what Hannah said. I just barely got on this site and have noticed alot of apostates on it so when you asked the question it was just that they wanted to know if you were an apostate. Really you should know that your brothers would not attack you sister.WE LOVE YOU!!!! Satan wants to turn you away from Jehovah by any means neccessary even by making you think we're attacking you. If you have a real sincere question ask a spiritually mature christian in the congregation or an Elder. They would be glad to answer it for you.

Answer 7

The Watchtower Bible and Tract society is a very wealthy Organisation and they are really about Real Estate. For over a hundred years now they have built an Organisation in a very clever way in order to make such vast amounts of money. One of their tactics is, if anyone starts asking questions about us or starts to get a bit awkward, First of all smear their name also encourage people to start distancing themselves from you and then finally disfellowship and shun you. You are then totally isolated from the rest of the Organisation and so can do no harm, and they can then carry on collecting the money and other " gifts " to become even more wealthy. That is why they are attacking you. some though are just following others like sheep, because they are too afraid to miss the Arc so to speak at the time of the end. It is a very clever Organisation but of course completely fraudulent, based on making money out of peoples fear of not being on the boat come Armageddon.

Please read former Governing Body member Ray Franz's book Crisis of Conscience, he was disfellowshiped from the Organisation for doing just what you are doing now.

Ray Franz was also the nephew of the then President Fred Franz. You may be able to order his book from your local library. Best wishes.

Answer 8

Those 'on the attack' are not filled with the love of God. Anyone is entitled to ask anything, without being judged or analyzed. There are, however, wolves among the flock, sweetie, and we have to set our minds to ignore those wolves. Our wonderful Lord will lead and guide you into the truth as he sees your questioning heart. God loves us to test HIm and see that He is true and loving and caring, and that He sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins. Be brave and be strong, the Lord is with you.

Answer 9

the trouble is that jws are taught to actively discourage what they call 'independent thinking' which means to try and stop their members from thinking for themselves in case they come to different conclusions than the watchtower headquarters in New York

personally i find that to be intellectually dishonest

i also find when jws turn up on my doorstep that if i have questions to ask they cant answer and expect me to wait while they reel through their shpeel which makes any kind of dialogue very difficult. I once had a couple on my doorstep who said they had been jws for 32 years and yet they didn't have a single answer for me when i asked them fairly simple questions about what they were talking about. they did however run and get their leaders to pay us a visit instead (and he was disappoint that we were not about to join up)

i would say keep asking as Jesus told us to (ask, seek, knock) in Matthew 7 and Luke 11 we are told 'ask and you will receive' and 'ask and it will be given to you' as well as 'seek - and you will find' and 'knock - the door will be opened to you'

so however other people treat you God wont be offended by you asking questions - just the opposite. think of this - how can an eternal, all knowing, omnipotent God possibly be offended by questions? so why would people in an organisation purporting to be 'gods organisation' be offended either?

Answer 10

If it makes you feel any better, I have been labeled an apostate just for answering questions. I was born and raised a JW for about 25 years. Just because I'm not one anymore does NOT mean I'm lying or trying to lead someone astray. I didn't forget what I was taught nor did I decided to become evil and turn others away from the "truth". I'm sure I'll get plenty of thumbs' down or even reported for this, it's just what some do on here. Keep your chin up and keep asking questions. It is your right.