What's wrong with being a Jehovah's witness

by dgp 50 Replies latest members adult

  • dgp
    dgp

    For some time, I have been thinking whether it is wise to personally work towards providing a Jehovah's witness with the evidence that the WTBTS is a man-made thing, if that witness has all of his/her family in the organization and would obviously lose a lot. On the one hand, living in delusion, the kind of life you people describe, is something nobody deserves. On the other hand, once the witness realizes how he has been deceived and abused, he or she will also be very clear that there are family members and friends they would want to continue to see and have relationships with. So, sometimes I wondered what was really to be done. I was wondering whether I, a non-JW who has never been in and quite often won't even be able to relate to what you people say here, would have a right to tell a JW the truth, and whether that truth wouldn't harm him or her more than living in delusion.

    I found thinking material while re-reading "Crisis of Conscience". On the first page, Ray Franz added this excerpt from the Watchtower of January 15, 1974:

    "When persons are in great danger from a source they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them? They may prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does that free one of the moral responsibility to provide that warning?"

    I believe this is also complemented with the first paragraphs of the book.

    "Whether we like it or not, moral challenge affects each one of us. It is one of life's bittersweet ingredients from which there is no successful escape. It has the power to enrich us or impoverish us, to determine the true quality of our relationships with those who know us. It all depends on our response to that challenge. The choise is ours - it is seldom an easy one.

    We have the option, of course, of surrounding our conscience with a sort of cocoon of complacency, passively "going along", shielding our inner feelings from whatever might disturb them. When issues arise, rather than take a stand we can in effect say "I'll just sit this one out; others may be affected - even hurt - but I am not". Some spend their whole life in a morally "sitting" posture. But, when all is said and done, and when life finally draws near its close, it would seem that the one who can say "At least I stood for something" must feel greater satisfaction than the one who rarely stood for anything".

    With all due respect to Mr. Ray Franz, I don't think that "the greater satisfaction" I could feel would be a valid reason for speaking up. It's somebody else's life here. I think that the real reason needs to be the suffering, the sadness, the risk of bleeding to death and the wasting of so many good people's lives that needs to matter.

    Just in case, I need to say I am NOT an apologist of the Watchtower.

    I will appreciate any of your thoughts on this. You were, or are, witnesses, and you would know better than I.

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    Hi DGP. Good question, and one we've wrangled with on this board quite often. I'd say that your lack of experience as a JW may be a factor making it harder to convince a JW because you don't know all the lingo, etc. But then again, it depends on the individual JW. If they're ready to come out, then the source of the real information about JW's may not matter.

    One important thing to know (of which you already may be aware) is that this would be a long process, filled with twists and fear. The organization has such a hold, even on many people who were disfellowshipped and are now shunned.

    Also when you speak of "truth" that you want to reveal, hopefully you mean the facts about the Watchtower organization and not some other religious "truth". JW's coming out need time to get their spiritual bearings, sometimes years. Some help groups try to urge JW's to immediately fill the void with another brand of Christianity. That's not the best answer for everyone.

    Another thing to think of: For some people, being a JW is all they have. My JW parents have each believed the "end is near" for over 6 decades now. They desperately cling to their brand of truth, and don't even want to consider that another viewpoint could be reasonable. If they were to lose the support (real or imagined) that their religion brings them, it would be like a rug has been pulled out from under them and they literally at this age could not recover.

    Ok I'll shut up now.

  • dgp
    dgp

    Gopher, I appreciate your post. Very, very much.

    The truth I was referring to is the truth as is, no adjectives. Not "Watchtower truth" or "the truth for this religion or group of people". The truth, I believe, is only one. But in this more specific post I meant "the truth about the Watchtower", how it damages and enslaves people.

    I know that, for some people, the WTBTS is all they have. That's precisely the heart of my question. How would I know whether I would end up doing more harm than good?

  • dgp
    dgp

    And, Gopher, don't shut up. Your comments are valuable.

  • Gopher
    Gopher

    DGP, you ask such good questions.

    Regarding how attached a person is to Watchtower-ism, it's tough to determine. Maybe if you're related to them it's easier.

    I hope others come onto this thread with some of their ideas. Only my parents are left as JW relatives for me, and you know where they stand. Regarding other JW's, being disfellowshipped they won't talk to me. So I can only help people anonymously and on-line when they have questions.

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine
    With all due respect to Mr. Ray Franz, I don't think that "the greater satisfaction" I could feel would be a valid reason for speaking up.

    That isn't the reason Mr. Franz gives for speaking up. You quoted in part his reason "When persons are in great danger from a source they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friend" and as well, his entire book is a collection of his "reasons for speaking up".

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    Dgp..

    I was wondering whether I, a non-JW who has never been in and quite often won't even be able to relate to what you people say here, would have a right to tell a JW the truth, and whether that truth wouldn't harm him or her more than living in delusion.

    In Watchtower World..

    As you are not a JW..

    Your opinion does`nt matter..

    A JW won`t care what you have to say..

    If you were a JW and spoke out..

    Your opinion still would`nt matter..

    In Watchtower World..

    The Watchtower is all that matters..

    ....................... ...OUTLAW

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    Double post

    ....................... ...OUTLAW

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    I'm proud to awaken people to the fact that they're carrying Suicide Cards in their wallets. Unlike their message, mine CAN save their life.

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    Your a lucky man to get that far LWT..

    The JW`s I know..

    Are happy where they are..

    ............... ...OUTLAW

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