In Pioneer School, one of the CO's said this "an overly strict conscience is a weak conscience". That stunned me, because mine was pretty strict. He went on to explain that when this is the case, you require a rule for everything, and don't let common sense and love help with your decision making. Something to think about.
Strange paradox - the ' weakest' J Dubs were in a way the most hardcore.
by Gregor 16 Replies latest jw friends
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LDH
He went on to explain that when this is the case, you require a rule for everything, and don't let common sense and love help with your decision making. Something to think about.
I would agree with this; I think it's the reason most people like religion in general! There is a defined set of rules that is easy to FOLLOW which makes them feel like they are a good person.
They can't explain the belief system, but following the rules gives them some order and some black-and-white thinking to their everyday life.
Lisa
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cyberdyne systems 101
My own experience being someone who struggled to do all we were told to is that the ongoing day to day things were tough, but if you had a black and white (in WTS view) issue that you didnt face everyday some sort of automatic reaction got you to be all hard core. Another thing I remember is that I would resent other people getting away with things when I knew I wished I could but didnt have the bottle to do so at the time.
CS 101
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schne_belly
So true Gregor -
it seems there are JW 'socializers' - those who know nothing about doctrine, and could care less when you show them inconsistencies in WT belief. These individuals are very difficult to get out of the cult.
Those that study, believe and live what they are taught, seem more affected by contradictions in WT thought.
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Jankyn
Wow, Narkissos, I think you hit the nail on the head!
I think that those who are more likely to leave the WT are actually on both ends of the spectrum: either those who are not yet very committed (or, in JW speech, "haven't made the truth their own" or "developed a personal relationship with Jehovah" ) and can still realise this is not their cup of tea; or those who have taken it very seriously until they realised they have been fooled, and cannot bear it.
My brothers, I think, fit into the first category--they went, but they didn't listen or study at all, never joined the ministry school, never went out in the service. They left with little in the way of repercussions and hate the JWs for their rules. Their main reason for leaving was that they wanted to be "normal."
I, on the other hand, was active as a child and young teen. Read all the literature (even the old stuff, which is where the trouble started), participated in TMS, went in the service and conducted Bible (really, JW book) studies. When I started to run into things that didn't make sense, I asked questions--and did not get satisfactory answers. When I started to research in outside publications, I discovered how wrong the doctrines were. My fade was not without repercussions--I've been called "apostate" more than once, and an "opposer" quite often--even though I was never baptized.
I care much less about being perceived as "normal" than I do about feeling comfortable in my own skin.
Meanwhile, my less-rigorously intellectual relatives, and my less-normal relatives, seem to have no problem suspending both their disbelief and their "weird-meters" and staying in the JWs.
I've also noted that those JWs who are more attracted to the "Christian" elements of the religion (which are rare--see any of Blondie's wonderful WT reviews and notice how rarely Christ's teachings are addressed as opposed to OT/"god of wrath and rules" teachings) tend to be less likely to shun. They simply ignore the society's instructions in favor of Christian love--and generally, because they toe the line in other ways, they get away with it. Meanwhile, the less Christ-like among the flock cling to the "letter of the law" and shun--even though they don't do anything else!
What a bunch of Pharisees--well, that's not entirely true. There are some Christians to be found there. They just seem to be so hung up on WT rules that Christ has a hard time reaching them through the tangle of minutia.
Jankyn
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The Mayor of Turiwhate
Looking at this matter from the other way around:
- during my time in the borg, I more than once heard it observed that "It was always the 'zealous' ones who seemed to get disfellowshipped."
Of course, in the JW world, the sole criterion for whether you are "strong / zealous" or "weak" is that column on the Monthly Report Form that bears the title "HOURS".
Given that, the terms"Strong Publisher" and weak publisher" surely do not mean too much!
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Highlander
the terms"Strong Publisher" and weak publisher" surely do not mean too much!
good point,
That reminds me of my father(inactive for 20+ years), hasn't turned in any time yet I classify him as the most loving, generous, christian I know. Yet according to the J-dubs,
he's inactive, spiritually weak, or even an unbeliever.
When dad was in, he was a pioneer/elder and set such a 'fine example'(TM) Eventually he just quietly faded away.
On the other hand, I have(had) a friend that was never zealous and is now inactive. After years of no contact he emailed and let me know he's inactive but has nothing bad to say about
the j-dubs. I replied letting him know about my fade and that I am not against the average witness, just the organization itself. Well guess what, that was six months ago and he has never
emailed again. I guess he's an example of the 'spiritually weak' being hardcore about this messed up religion.