Choices...

Sammy Jenkis

Quick little moment of reflection I experienced today:

I had a buddy back in high school whose younger brother was an acquaintance of mine, we weren't ever really friends but the times we interacted he was alright.

For all intents and purposes we'll call this guy "Smitty."

Smitty was an all star JW, super zealous on service, Mr. Go-to for anything spiritual, completely a Johnny-on-the-spot in his congregation, and honestly a person I saw a lot of potential in for the future with the "truth" and life in general.

After I graduated high school I lost touch with his brother and about 3 years later heard a story on the news where his name popped up. Apparently he turned to the dark side (literally, criminal) and was imprisoned for a federal crime. I looked him up on the inmate database today and learned he is not to be free until 2016. I just sat there staring at my monitor shocked, how can someone with so much potential be so stupid? 2016!!!!!!!

His whole congo must now revel in the fact that all of this happens when you "leave Jehovah." The truth is that those things happen when we choose to do stupid things.

Moral of the story: DON'T DO STUPID THINGS.

iCeltic

Here Here!

Sammy Jenkis

Here-here iceltic!!

whathappened

This just reinforces the notion the Witnesses have about what bad things happen out side the pristine doors of the Kingdom Hall. Too bad and so sad.

Sammy Jenkis

True but sometimes (often) those bad things happen within those doors too.

OnTheWayOut

"Don't do stupid things." Sure.

But I always try to understand the other side of anything. It doesn't mean you have to agree to understand the other side.

JW's are depressed because of their lifestyle. They are not taught properly to think properly and interact properly with "the world."

If he did leave JW's, he may have been shunned. Regardless, he may have been waiting to die at Armageddon for having sex or smoking a cigarette or having impure thoughts that are normal outside of the cult. A life of crime may have been a form of excitement, or escape.

Who really knows?

By the way, we all do stupid things. I am not in prison today because nobody died because I was driving drunk.

adamah

Yup, thanks for sharing, Sammy.

If someone engages in bad actions while still a member, it's excused by the others by saying, "well, they really DIDN'T believe".

If after they leave, it's excused by saying, "that's what happens when you turn your back on God."

Rationalization is an air-tight and impenetrable defense mechanism that only gives the illusion of being protected from harm, but the problem is that while it protects one's beliefs from all external challenges, it also keeps someone trapped BEHIND a wall they themselves created.

Adam

Quendi

I hope that you will re-establish contact with “Smitty”, Sammy. One way would be through writing letters. I understand that letters are very important to prisoners and that mail call can be wonderful for those who get them. On the other hand, people who don’t get letters, cards and other items from family suffer a real letdown.

“Smitty” needs to know that he hasn’t been forgotten or forsaken. He has more than two years to spend before his release. Regular communication from you can make them pass more easily. Let me suggest that you try this.

I remember when one of the young men in my congregation got invited to Bethel. I wrote to him on a regular basis until I was disfellowshipped. On one of his visits back home, he told me that my letters were a lifeline for him because he had found life at Bethel to be quite challenging. Any kind of institutional living is whether it is benign or not. This man is in a place where he has no status, no rights and little hope. Cards and letters from friends and family can remind him that he is important to somebody.

Quendi

Sammy Jenkis

OnTheWayOut: You're right it's appropriate to always view both sides- I just couldn't understand how someone who seemed to only have good things waiting for him could fall off the deep end.

Adamah: Rationalization unfortunately is a deceptive poison because the person made the decision not their religious inclinations. Undoubtedly though when things go south it's always because they left the "truth."

Quendi: That night I posted, I seriously contemplated writing him a letter but I wasn't too sure what to say or if I even want to communicate with him. He still did something wrong and I'm not too sure how we'll benefit from letter writing as we were mere acquaintances. I'll consider it some more though....

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and comments.

new hope and happiness

Sorry if this sounds silly. Maybe his innocent? maybe he was easily influenced...with out the Why i wouldnt jugde? maybe his worth a letter?

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