JW ADVANTAGES vs DISADVANTAGES

DesirousOfChange

This earlier topic [WHY DO IT FEEL BAD ABOUT MY CHILDREN LEAVING JW RELIGION?] is what causes me to ask this question:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/208031/1/Why-do-I-feel-bad-about-my-children-leaving-the-JW-religion

I've had some personal experiences that caused me to doubt the "spirit directed" organizational arrangement [won't go into that here though] and one thing to another led me here. I just lurked a long time, fearful of posting and being outed. Then became brazen enough to post some replies (wow 241). Reading things here have opened my eyes even further to more issues. It's sad that so many people have been "burned". I've witnessed that too, and even experienced it, but not in any significant way at this point. Yet, similar to the poster referenced above, I have to wonder:

DO I AND MY FAMILY GET MORE GOOD FROM BEING JWs THAN THE BAD CONSEQUENCES?

Admit it, at least there is a moral standard among (most of) the Witnesses.

It encourages people to avoid things like smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse, "fornicating" and the risk of things associated with that (both physcial and emotional), dishonesty, and other bad behaviors that can cause one problems in life. Yes, positive peer pressure.

It provides a social network of (mostly) good associates for families, including a place for young people to meet other young people who also have higher than average morals and convictions.

Discouraging young people from getting a better education concerns me, but MANY young people in our area are simply ignoring that. Not the majority, but then I don't really know if the majority should go on to college, but the bright ones are. Including elders' children. Nurses. Teachers. IT. Accounting. Even one lawyer.

And, yes, I have come to conclude that it would be a mistake for anyone to plan for one's future like THE END is right around the corner. Too many previous generations did that, and we know what happened. (NOTHING!) As we know, that's come to be the l-o-n-g-e-s-t corner in human history.So, it's best to buy a house, buy life insurance and contribute to the 401K.

And, yes, there needs to be some changes (thus the ID chosen), and perhaps GB 2.0 will usher some of them in in time..... Hopefully they will come to see that some of the current policies are harmful and/or just wrong. For example, I agree that shunning does more harm than good. The "generation" thing is......well.....needs another change. Everyone who can think is rolling their eyes on this one.

But, all things considered, are there more advantages than disadvantages?

(Behave like your mom always told you: If you can't be nice about it, don't say it. It's OK to disagree, just do it without so much venom. Please.)

Many thanks.

DOC

Mad Sweeney

It encourages people to avoid things like smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse, "fornicating" and the risk of things associated with that (both physcial and emotional), dishonesty, and other bad behaviors that can cause one problems in life. Yes, positive peer pressure.

It provides a social network of (mostly) good associates for families, including a place for young people to meet other young people who also have higher than average morals and convictions.

That bolded part is absolutely untrue Watchtower propaganda. First, JWs aren't even close to the only group who espouses those things in the first paragraph. Second, the JWs aren't any more successful at pulling them off than any other "worldly" group is.

sabastious

It encourages people to avoid things like smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse, "fornicating" and the risk of things associated with that (both physcial and emotional), dishonesty, and other bad behaviors that can cause one problems in life. Yes, positive peer pressure.

The Watchtower doesn't encourage anything but, ultimately, more indoctrination. They discourage smoking, drug use, alcohol abuse and fornication for the wrong reasons. They use unethical fear and guilt tactics, so when it's all said and done we should give no credit to their direction even if it helped in some areas.

As you said, many have been "burned." This happens because of the unethical fear and guilt tactics I refered to.

-Sab

cyberjesus

Mention only one thing that you consider an advantage to you that you can not do it by yourself or by other means?

sabastious

It provides a social network of (mostly) good associates for families, including a place for young people to meet other young people who also have higher than average morals and convictions.

If you can keep yourself from uncovering the truth about the truth, which is unavoidable at times. Once that happens the social network vanishes before your eyes and is replaced with venomous snakes.

-Sab

sabastious

Discouraging young people from getting a better education concerns me, but MANY young people in our area are simply ignoring that.

If this is true, then it is awesome news.

-Sab

sabastious

But, all things considered, are there more advantages than disadvantages?

For at least a year before I left I struggled with this question. Not because it wasn't easy to answer logically, but because I was scared of the pain of leaving. I was scared of the pain I knew was going to take place, and it did.

There are enough disadvantages to being a Witness to fill Mt Everest; it is no contest.

-Sab

FirstLastName

I understand were you are coming from in this question.

I to will refer to the answer given by Mad Sweeny. JW's by no means have a monoploy on the market with regards to morals and values.

I have many friends who were raised decidedly unreligious and still have great morals and values.They are honest, generous and kind. They are not JW - and for that matter, they are not Catholic, Jewish or Muslim.

Your morals were not given to you by religion.

sabastious

I have many friends who were raised decidedly unreligious and still have great morals and values.They are honest, generous and kind. They are not JW - and for that matter, they are not Catholic, Jewish or Muslim.

JW Answer: random variance; exception

-Sab

mindseye

Any measure of higher 'morality' among JWs is simply due to the organization being a high control group. I find much of the 'good' is usually due to fear and possible shunning. That's why when *some* leave they go crazy, living some hedonistic 'worldly' life. Freedom comes with responsibility.

Yeah, I have known some Witnesses that might either be in jail or rehab if it wasn't for the religion. I've seen this with born again Christians and other religions as well. The religion serves as a 'control' for their impulses. But does that make the religion true?

I readily acknowledge some of the 'good' among the witnesses. Where I am from - the south - there is much more racial diversity in the Kingdom Halls than in more mainstream churches. But does that make the religion true?

DesirousOfChange, you point out that you want to see changes in the organization. My view is the whole thing is built on a false foundation. I've come to this conclusion after reading the uncensored history of the org and the experiences of many who have served at Bethel. To me this is what it comes down to, despite any 'good' among the individuals.

And as others pointed to, there is good in many people. In my experience the people I've met in academia, who were usually not religious at all, were some of the best people I've known.

JW ADVANTAGES vs DISADVANTAGES

Share this