by dedpoet 15 Replies latest jw friends
I've been having an online conversation with an active jw (it has to
be online, none of the local ones speak to me). I said this, about jws
in general
It's difficult not to be apathetic towards jws, as well as sympathetic to those still trapped in the cult
To which he replied
Think I'm TRAPPED, dedpoet- or just deluded?
I have replied to his question, but he hasn't got back to me yet. How would you
answer?
Think I'm TRAPPED, dedpoet- or just deluded?
Trapped by FEAR
Deluded by cognitive dissonance
Delusion is for JWs that actually follow the rules and believe all that comes from "Mother". This guy is not completely deluded, as shown by his disregard for the Watchtowers command not to speak on the Internet. Therefore he is trapped by fear.
But at what level is he trapped. If he does not yet know it is a cult he then is trapped from admitting it is a cult by fear of facing up to not knowing what he believes anymore, fear that lose of belief will result in lose of meaning to life and fear that he may have devoted his life to a lie. If he knows it is a cult it is fear of leaving, loosing friends and family, fear of the unknown about what is out there. Fear of having to be true to himself, not to others.
I've been having an online conversation with an active jw (it has to
be online, none of the local ones speak to me). I said this, about jws
in generalIt's difficult not to be apathetic towards jws, as well as sympathetic to those still trapped in the cultTo which he replied
Think I'm TRAPPED, dedpoet- or just deluded?
I have replied to his question, but he hasn't got back to me yet. How would you
answer?
I would answer that with a question. I would simply ask him, not sure, which one do you think you are?
Sweetstuff said
I would answer that with a question. I would simply ask him, not sure, which one do you think you are?
I did ask him a question, but not that one. He made this rather curious
statement about me, and I can't for the life of me think what he means,
so I asked him
Funny how I feel YOU are the one trapped...and in a cult!
Well, if atheism is a cult, then he could have a point, although I don't
follow an atheist governing body or a charismatic atheist leader. He
hasn't replied yet.
As to my reply to his question, I used just one word, both.
dedpoet, my jw says that to me ALL the time. His reasoning is that anybody who is active or even knows about the 'anti witness community' is in a cult. On one hand jw's think there is some main organization (there must be right? how else could 'we' function, everybody needs an org) of the 'anti witness community', on the other hand they like to say we are so 'disorganized' that nobody knows who 'we' are. The only main anti witness site mine knows about (because I told him) is Randy's site, therefore I am in Randy's cult, see? And if you have ever mentioned that jw's are a cult they sometimes like to throw that back at you because they don't know what else to say.
Carla said
His reasoning is that anybody who is active or even knows about the 'anti witness community' is in a cult. On one hand jw's think there is some main organization (
I suppose that's to do with the kind of conditioning that jws undergo -
they are encouraged to give up their individuality and adjust to a
kind of herd mentality that negates the need for having any kind
of independent thoughts. I guess when they meet someone who
can and does think for themselves, they are so unused to it that
they can't believe such a thing is possible. Therefore, everyone
has to be part of some kind of "organisation" in their minds.
As for me, I'm a member of the Campaign For Real Ale, but that's
a social organisation which hardly qualifies as a cult.
I'd say: Well brother, 2 Cor 4:4 does say that 'god of this system of things has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot understand the truth of God's word', so you really shouldn't blame just yourself. And then I'd say that God's word the Holy Bible also says that 'perfect love throws fear outside', so once you really accept the truth of the Bible ONLY, the blinders come off and you can understand the scriptures and feel and reflect the love of God without fear, knowing that you can live forever in paradise on earth, united in worship of the only true god under God's kingdom of 1000 years and other book titles..
Then I'd say: Short story, bro, you're deluded and therefore trapped, snap out of it human.
Funny how their own words and the bible itself condemns them. And, funny how I thought I forgot everything I used to teach people, must. . .try. . .argh. . .harder to. . .forget.
A little of both.
changeling
it could be a third option.--we are often victims of hidden ideals.
ideals implanted by genetics, religion culture and traditions, which distort and shape our views...
sometimes preventing us from seeing a way out of cults which manipulate those ideals
