by minimus 42 Replies latest jw friends
No. Outright honesty, sure they have that, so do 99% of my co-workers. I believe that they would lie when under pressure or to protect themselves and that they think they have the right to do so without being questioned.
They believe that 'their laws are above the supreme court and above worldly laws'. This makes them insidious characters.
NO. Nor am I inclined to trust any overly pious person.
A close friend of mine workes in a Law Office. One of her coworkers is a JW (DF/NA ?? but elder father). This woman was fired for stealing cash->$1,000.
The ones I trust I can count on my two hands and have a few fingers left over to pick my nose and some new friends!
Actually I would do exactly the opposite. They are conditioned to be honest in incosequential matters and dishonest when it matters (after all we're all just crow fodder right?)
For example if I dropped my wallet on the ground I would hope that a witness found it because they are more likely (I think) to return it than the average person. However I would be LESS likely to hire one or do business with one because they will absolutely screw you worse than any "worldly" person on the planet.
It's like their honesty is tied entirely to petty cash.
Very interesting replies!
MINIMUS - As most others comments here - I would say no , I think I trust them less than " worldly " people . I'll tell you why. Here are 3 short experiences !
Experience # 1 - When I was a witness in the early 1980's there was a company put forth by elders in a town in middle California called , " Bankers Mortgage Exchange " . It was kind of like a trust account that these brothers set up to hold money for brothers and sisters , so they could use it later , but the kicker was they had to sign over a portion of their mortgages to have these " honest " brothers " save " this money for them. Well, long story short - the creepy " honest " brothers used the money up , and hundreds of thousands of dollars was not returned to at least 40 to 50 brothers and sisters who invested in the scheme ! Some were older ones- including a well known circuit overseer and wife who lost their a$$e$ in the deal. Sick.
Experience # 2- My dad invested with another elder into a furniture store business in 1973 . Now this elder , call him brother Fast Frankie was quite the salesman. He could sell ice to an eskimo ! Well, the first year profits were up , in fact , profits were up so much that brother fast Frankie took off , with no explanation of where he had gone - leaving my dad holding the ball alone. All debts for unsold furniture that is ! So, my dad hired a guy who helps people escape out of businesses without going bankrupt and my dad got out of the furniture business- by the skin of his teeth - still in the clear money wise. Nice elder, eh?
Experience # 3- My witness wife I raised my 3 children with for 19 years. My mom handed down antique pearl handled silverware from the civil war era to me and my wife - to be eventually given to the children. So my wife was charging up $20,000 on the credit cards to buy lots of clothes - without telling me she goes and pawns off my mom's antique silverware to an antique store without telling me - just to pay off clothes she was buying ! Sigh. I tried to retrieve the silverware after she finally told me - it had been sold already ! So you asked about honesty ? These are some of my witness experiences ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
Personally, I have seen a lot of JWs screw me and members of my JW family over... That's why the society keeps telling us to have contracts with eachother... however, I have not dealt with a lot of "worldy" people in matters of trust... Never really considered them trustworthy to begin with so have always been careful with them so as not to get to screwed over by them... It's hard to tell for me I guess... Interesting topic though... I'd like to test it out myself...
I'll tell you a story of a dishonest witness family. He works for a construction company. His entire home is furnished with furniture taken from model homes that are on his site. He has never got caught.
He'll purchase an item from Home Depot, to do a home repair, then take it back and get his money back....every time!
He will buy Tim Horton's coffee for everyone in his crew, and when it's "roll -up- the- rim- to- win" time, he rolls up every rim on the coffees before he gives them to his crew.
He had an affair when he was an elder, with another elder's wife, and only, just "stepped down", and moved to another city.
Every time his wife goes visiting, she leaves with something....and when you go visit, you see it sitting in her house.
I could go on....so, would I trust a JW to be more honest than the average person?
NOPE...I think a great majority of them hide behind the title of being a JW and it's supposed reputation for being an honest group of people.
Nope, I would check references, check up on their work and make sure they clear a criminal investigation. My experience is that JWs can be as dishonest and as slipshod in their work as anyone. Not MORE than anyone, but I wouldn't give them any more benefit of the doubt. My dad has been ripped off by at least one JW and my JW uncle did very poor work for a long standing family friend (HIS family friend as much as mine) and didn't make it right-costing them thousands. I love him, but that doesn't speak well for him personally in business. I do think that values transfer, but people are not going to be good or bad based on what church they go to.
That being said, if I know a person, I would be more likely to trust them, JW or not. Then again, I THOUGHT I knew my uncle, so go figure!
Witnesses are honest to outsiders because they want to put on a good show for the public. When dealing with each other, however, things aren't so perfect. Even when I was in the religion as a young teenager I was determined to never do business with a brother, and I was very vocal about this opinion (never reprimanded for it, either). It's funny how the Watchtower talks about how honest Jehoover's people are, but from the other side of their mouth stress the importance of getting things in writing when two JWs do business together. I thought we'd know Jesus' disciples by the love they have among themselves.
