Why is questioning Watchtower doctrine supposedly bringing reproach to God ?

Question

Why is questioning Watchtower doctrine supposedly bringing reproach to God ?

Answer 1

Any questioning of any religion is a reproach to "god", because religions rely on the ignorance of the sheep.  Asking questions scares the leaders of these cults.

Answer 2

Just like any other cult, it is intolerant of any person or group that questions its doctrine.

Answer 3

Questioning the Watchtower doesn't exactly bring reproach on God.  The Bible encourages people to ask questions.

(2 Corinthians 13:5) Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are. . .

The Watchtower encourages questions, they even regularly feature a "Questions From Readers" section in the magazines.

A similar situation that would bring reproach to God would be if someone were to claim to be a follower and disregard Bible teachings, in which case their hypocritical conduct would be a dishonorable representation of God's people.  But simply questioning the Watchtower does not bring reproach in itself.  The Watchtower will even make revisions and corrections from time to time as clearer understanding of the scriptures arises.

Answer 4

It doesn't....and it is Bible truth not man's.

Those who become JWs have to investigate and study beforehand to become one.  Acts 17:11, 1 Thess. 5:21, more.  And they generally do such study from non JW Bibles and references with perhaps only the one book they are studying from (Bible Teach) in addition.  And they never HAVE to make a donation or read the New World Translation.

As to questioning the organization....that is what people do when they don't want to stay.  If you don't think it is right, why stay and argue.  Why limp on two different opinions.  If Baal (also born Dec. 25 as was Mithras) is the true God, go following him, but if Jehovah is the true God (John 17:3) go following him.  Why would ANYONE stay in a religion they don't want to be in?  Doesn't make sense to me.  Unless they just live to argue as so many do on here.

Debbie

Answer 5

That is your assumption.

That is not what Jehovah's Witnesses believe or teach.

The Watchtower itself counsels Christians to follow the biblical dictum to "make sure of all things, hold fast to what is fine." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

The responsible brothers themselves "question" what you call "Watchtower doctrine" to always make sure that it conforms to what the Bible teaches, and they make adjustments when necessary.

Answer 6

It is that any doctrine claiming God, and denying the Deity of Jesus is forgiven, but, yet a reproach to What is taught in scripture

Answer 7

Because the JWs put so much stock in the WBTS, they view it as being inspired by God...questioning the WT, to them is like questioning God himself.

Answer 8

Well, I guess it would matter who exactly your talking to.  

There are people/groups out there, that claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses and are slighly trying to teach something different from what is really taught by Jehovah's Witnesses.  (Don't know if I spelled Sligh right or not)

Are you asking EX witnesses?

Are you a Witness yourself and trying to find ways to discredit Witnesses?

Are you just a neighbor and just curious?

What's your motive to this question?

The doctrine would not be the "Watchtowers".  It is Our Heavenly Fathers doctrine from the Bible.  His laws, His principles to follow.

Answer 9

The bible encourages us to Make sure of all things but once you have found the truth why keep questioning it? If you don't want to be a Jehovah's Witness, then fine you have free will, but why always try to pull down people that want to remain in the truth

Answer 10

Because they have replaced the deity of Christ with the deity of the watchtower

therefore to ask questions of the watchtower and the governing body is blsaphemy

the same way islam has rejected jesus as god and replaced mohameed as god

this is why it is possible to blaspheme against mohameed and the watchtower, as they are viewed as god

even if their repsective organisations claim they are not, the fact you can blaspheme agianst them means that their followers are treating them as god

Answer 11

I guess it depends on who you ask.  I don't care for their supposed "stay out of politics" position, especially when I see them in it bashing evangelicals.  I see that as bringing reproach to God.

Answer 12

There is only one thing that CANNOT be questioned in the entire world and that is God.He is the only one infallible.To put an organization in that category is to place them where they ought not be.To set them in the same position as God himself unquestionable is the greatest sin imaginable.What a reproach that is to His Godship. That will be the ruin of untold numbers who walk in the blindness of that which claims the infallibility of the true God.

Answer 13

Jehovah's Witnesses and their students (aka "studies") are allowed, even encouraged, to ask questions to bring them to a better understanding of the Watchtower's teachings. However, there is no tolerance for challenging the authority of their "Governing Body," nor of the official doctrine as dispensed by these sinful, errant humans.

The difference between having questions and challenging their authority can be seen here:

Should a follower of the Watchtower Society find a discrepency in the teachings, he is encouraged to "ask the elders" at which point, they will try to persuade the questioner into agreement. However, in the event that he is not convinced, there is unconditional expectation that the individual must QUIETLY disagree, keeping his findings to himself and patiently wait for "new light" (official change in doctrine). Failure to do will result in accusations of apostasy, being "marked" and often leads to disfellowshipping and shunning.

Sometimes, even the nature of the questions can lead to stern warnings, being "marked," accusations of apostasy, etc. This is because the Watchtower Society has effectively sheltered the average JW from a great deal of negative information about their society. They've been repetitively warned through their publications and in public discourses that they are expected to steer clear of any information that shines a negative light on their Organization. So, when a JW asks questions that are regarding information that is not common knowledge to the average member of the congregation, suspicion quickly arises.

Anyone who believes that they may be teaching truth would be wise to pray, research and challenge away, before the stakes get higher! (accusations of apostacy, loss of family and friends, scarred children, the list goes on) And all in the name of "Unity!" For this reason and many others, the Jehovah's Witnesses are widely recognized as a psychologically and spiritually abusive cult.

These words are not mine, but I hope you'll find them helpful! :)

All religions have one thing in common: they encourage their members to work as hard as they can to gain everlasting life, the celestial kingdom, nirvana, or whatever else they want to call it.

Biblical Christianity, however, is different. Instead of earning our goal as a reward, it is offered to us freely as a gift through Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice, whose offering of Himself was complete to earn our way to everlasting life with God the Father.

As Jesus Christ was dying, he said “It is finished” because from that point on, all anyone had to do was to trust His sacrifice to cover their sins. Everyone needs this sacrifice because the Bible tells us in Romans 3:23 that we are all sinners.

We are in such bad condition that when we try to earn favor with God through our good works, Isaiah 64:6 tells us that our righteous deeds are like filthy rags to God. In Mark 10:27 Jesus is answering His disciples’ question, “who then can be saved?” He said, “with man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.”

God realizes that man cannot possibly save himself through door-to-door preaching or ordinances of a church. That’s why God did not send an organization or a church to offer us peace with God, but He sent His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but through me.”