good in jehovah's witnesses

by John Doe 42 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  lola28

  They were the sweetest things in the world--honest and sincere--and I never heard them say a negative thing about anyone. A few had been in the religion since the 50's and had to make some great sacrifices for what they believed. Even though they were and are misguided, I still have profound respect for them.

  Same here. Sometimes people just need something to believe in and being a witness gives a lot of people hope and something to live for, who are we to judge someone elses religious choice?

  Lola
• 

  keyser soze

  neverending, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I was speaking collectively, not as individuals. I have family and friends still in. I have mostly fond memories of the people that I used to worship with. It's just frustrating to not be able to make them see or even consider the flaws in their beliefs.
• 

  ozziepost

  IMO the question is wrong.

  You can speak of individuals in an anecdotal way but "saying something good about jehovah's witnesses' calls for answers about them as a collective body i.e. "the Organisation™".

  How can there be anything good about that evil empire?
• 

  monophonic

  if a jw thinks i'm going to die at armageddon, that god is going to kill me for not being a jehovah's witness anymore, then they're not respecting my beliefs, so i have a hard time respecting theirs.

  as with the kkk comment above.

  unfortunately, a sweet older brother or sister who is nice as hell, would probably assume god is going to kill me, all of us on this board, at armageddon.

  i find that intolerant.

  someone mentioned a few days ago that the wits have changed their tactics re: armageddon and are being more open and saying it's all in the heart of the individual, no necessarily if they're a wit or not. i haven't heard or seen that, if someone could send over a quote re: that, i'd appreciate it. but, the whole, 'they knew the "truth" and left it, now they're worse than the world', is a lynch mob mentality.
• 

  ozziepost

  unfortunately, a sweet older brother or sister who is nice as hell, would probably assume god is going to kill me, all of us on this board, at armageddon.

  And the sweet older brother or sister would still be the one to shun you!

  Sorry, I don't buy this "sweet" business.
• 

  jwfacts

  I understand your intention and agree it is best to keep a balanced viewpoint. As a JW I had a great network of nice friends. But as soon as I go to say a nice statement I choke on the concern that a person may take that as meaning that there are not other groups equally good, if not better.

  The reason it is difficult to agree with anything stated by a JW is that the black and white viewpoint is so foreign to reality. For every JW statement I immediately can not responding with a contradictory retort:

  We are on Jehovah's side, everyone else is part of Satan's system - Every high control and many mainstream religions say the same

  Only we are truly happy - You must be joking

  Only we preach - You must be joking, how do other relgions get converts then?

  We have the best family feel - Every high control says the same

  Only we are honest/moral etc - Every high control says the same
• 

  Honesty

  They sincerely believe that the Watchtower Society and/or the JW denomination has the only TRUTH that can be found anywhere on earth.

  That's why it is so easy for many of them to leave when they find out differently.
• 

  NotaNess

  From personal experience. Witnesses give other witnesses the "Super Free Pass".

  JW employers WILL NOT fire another witness, thus letting that multi "should have been fired" Dub keep his/her bills paid.

  That's so nice of them!
• 

  Mum

  When I first started seriously associating with the JW's, I was 15 years old. No one else in my family was a JW. What I found was that the other teenagers at the Hall were going through their rebellious stage. They would do things like sit in the meetings and write captions on Beatles trading cards (it was 1963) and poke fun at one another and others in the congregation. They were a fun group, though, deep down, still serious about their beliefs. They were proof positive that a lot of fun can be had without profanity, drugs and sex, with minimal alcohol (3% alcohol beer) but plenty of rock 'n roll.

  Regards,

  SandraC
• 

  Twitch

  I can't stand intolerance.

  I despise those who hate

  I hope that one day, those who've done me wrong will face justice.

  I identify with and try to help those who want and value the same things I do.

  I want a little peace in what sometimes seems the chaos of existence.

  I know I am no more perfect than the next person

  I hope for a better future and work towards it.

  I have to live by rules

  I need something to believe in

  I need to feel worthy of love.

  I want something better for my children

  I will pay a price for these things

  And so on, and so on.