A Glimpse of the Watchtower

Alas, I got caught off-guard today. Whilst doing some cleaning and collecting trash, I had my front door open, proving no barrier against the Jehovah's Witnesses making the rounds. But as I was politely listening to a short bit about how the Bible holds answers for uncertain times, I considered some things I've read and thought about recently and decided to take it as an opportunity. I accepted their Watchtower newsletter and resolved to look through it and a chance to see the perspective presented.

We start with three pages about how people try to see what the future will bring, the first in a general sense and the second two talking briefly about astrology and fortune-telling. The text argues flaws in these methods, pointing out many predictions are so general as to be applicable to anyone. The even point out these things are not "scientific." It finishes out with a quote: "There should not be found in you anyone . . . who employs divination, anyone practicing magic, anyone who looks for omens, a sorcerer, anyone who consults a spirit medium or fortune-teller, or anyone who inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah." - Deuteronomy 18:10-12. Okay, so it sounds to me the position here is trying to discern the future (looking for omens) is bad. Sinful even.

Then the next four pages go on to lay out statements from the Bible about the future that have come true. Now, even if I take each of these at face value and accept each of the biblical prophecies as true and accurate, this seems like a mental 180. Do not try to tell the future - oh, except from our sacred text.

That is right about where my sympathy and understanding of many organized religions break down. Being asked/told to believe one book/divinity/view is truth over others seems fairly extreme to me. In my mind, I need a lot more to go on than "they're unscientific trash, but look at our anecdotal, interpreted successes (even though they aren't very scientific either)."

That just doesn't do it for me.

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