If someone belongs to a religous group whch punishes dissent

[Elijah John]

If someone belongs to a religious group which punishes dissent or questioning of the group or the Bible itself, can such a person ever truly engage in fair debate?

If you are a "true believer" that your group is infallible, perhaps. But then that begs the question, why do you believe your group is infallible?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate public dissent?
Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
Does the Roman Catholic Church?
Do Eastern Orthodox?
Do Fundamentalist, Evangelical Congregations?
Do the Amish?

Please select the group, or a group not listed that you belong to and are familiar with, and educate us.

[JehovahsWitness]

Jehovah's Witnesses do not, nor have they ever claimed to be "infallible".

Do Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate public dissent?

That would depend on the kind of "public dissent" involved.

DISSENT

the holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held.

Each individual within the Jehovah's Witness can "hold" ie believe any opinion they so wish, it would be impossible for anyone but the Almighty to even know or let alone sanction what someone believes in their heart. As for what we as a community tolerate as to public expression that would very much depend on what the opinion was and in what circumstances those expressions were made.

For example, a baptised Jehovah's Witness minister that consistently preached in public that God's name is Molech or that children should engage in sexual behaviour with adults would soon find himself no longer part of our community. Such dissent cannot and will never be tolerated. Someone that expressed doubts as to a particular teaching would probably be tolerated and helped if possible (Compare James 5:1; 5:14).

CHRISTIAN UNITY

The bible speaks about a global, international brotherhood united in faith. Indeed scripture indicates, doctrinal unity would be one of the identifying marks of True Christians. While the world may conclude such a thing is impossible without holding people in terror and denying them intellectual freedom, the reality is that true unity stems, not from oppression but from a profound love for a common person, cause or objective and when this is present people wilingly conform to what they believe to be true.


JW


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[steveb1]

If someone belongs to a religious group which punishes dissent or questioning of the group or the Bible itself, can such a person ever truly engage in fair debate?

If you are a "true believer" that your group is infallible, perhaps. But then that begs the question, why do you believe your group is infallible?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate public dissent?
Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
Does the Roman Catholic Church?
Do Eastern Orthodox?
Do Fundamentalist, Evangelical Congregations?
Do the Amish?

Please select the group, or a group not listed that you belong to and are familiar with, and educate us.

In some cases, I would judge that fair, objective debate is impossible on any number of important doctrinal issues. But in other cases, some real debate might just pass through and the engaged parties learn something from one another.

But at base, the doctrine trumps objectivity and fairness. Pushed into a corner, the "doctrinal reflex" kicks in as a defense mechanism and a last-ditch barrier to prevent the cornered party's salvation. Because to consider undoctrinal notions is already to consider - to entertain - doubt. Doubt itself is considered faithlessness and sin. Moreover it can lead to loss of faith and therefore loss of salvation posthumously and excommunication and "shunning", often with disastrous personal consequences to the excluded individual.

With all these fear-based considerations, believers have a stringent limit to what ideas they may or may not contemplate, debate, or even talk about. So I would think that doctrine - "faith in my faith" - automatically blocks true and authentic discussion and debate.

[bjs]

If someone belongs to a religious group which punishes dissent or questioning of the group or the Bible itself, can such a person ever truly engage in fair debate?

If you are a "true believer" that your group is infallible, perhaps. But then that begs the question, why do you believe your group is infallible?

Do Jehovah's Witnesses tolerate public dissent?
Does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
Does the Roman Catholic Church?
Do Eastern Orthodox?
Do Fundamentalist, Evangelical Congregations?
Do the Amish?

Please select the group, or a group not listed that you belong to and are familiar with, and educate us.

First, there is a major different between “questioning� and “dissent.� Questioning means to consider the validity of a belief. Dissent means to reject a former belief and take up a different belief.

After that I suppose it depends on what you mean by “punishment.�

For instance, three of these groups (Roman Catholics, Easter Orthodox, and Evangelicals) all say something like “If you don’t believe what we believe, then you can’t be a part of our faith.� All three groups allow people to question, but say that if you remove yourself from the faith then you are removed from the group.

Is that a punishment? Roman Catholics say that you can’t take the Eucharist if you don’t b believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation. Okay, but if you don’t believe in transubstantiation why would you be taking a Roman Catholic Eucharist to begin with?

It would be like someone saying, “If you are not a Republican then you cannot be part of the Republican National Committee.� That doesn’t really seem like a punishment.

Assuming that we don’t count that as a punishment, then Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Evangelicals do not punish dissent.




The Amish, on the other hand, do punish dissent. Someone who will not live by their code is cut off from their family. I have great respect for the Amish in many ways, but that is something which really bothers me.