Do Jehovah's Witnesses take responsibility for anything?

BonaFide

Now that I am opening my eyes more and more, I am starting to realize that JW's don't see the need to take responsibility for anything.

Like in the WT for this week, if a JW marriage fails, they can say it was because they didnt pray enough, or preach together enough.

If an elder gives counsel about anything, then if it seems to work for the person, then he accepts the praise or says it came from Jehovah.

But if things don't work out, then the elder will blame the person for not following the counsel right. Or he will tell them to wait on Jehovah.

Or if there is a wrong teaching, it is never really wrong, it is only the light getting brighter.

It doesnt really matter what happens in a persons life, it is never the fault of JW's or teachings or decisions. They will say that Jehovah is allowing this test, or that the person didnt follow the counsel, or that Jehovah is doing things in a special way, or that we don't know yet why that happened, but we will.

For a person that has a comfortable life, and things going pretty well, and they never ask the elders for help, often they think that is Jehovah's blessing.

But if something big goes wrong, and the elders give bad advice, or they punish someone and call it "help" and they mess up a persons life, it completely doesnt matter to them.

They say that Jehovah will fix everything, so if we are upset now, or hurt now, that is our fault. We need to wait on Jehovah. The child molestation issues, the blood issues, family break-ups, depression, lack of skills to find good work, its never ever, the fault of the organizationn

How many people I have read on this forum that are suffering because of some policy or decision.

And all of it is thrown back in their face.

BF

no more kool aid

These are really good insights. My husband and I would always laugh at these reasonings. When we told our parents we were not going to meetings anymore one of them clutched their chest and said "oh the Devil is working overtime on you". Then in the next breath said "I don't know why Jehovah even bothers to bless you two materially" (not noticing we both got up and went to work that morning). It's never any thing else to blame. With us the molestation issues were huge, and you are right the only explanation we received was that "Jehovah will take care of that". With every problem, the devil caused it and Jehovah is going to fix it and we are powerless in the mean time. Problem is sometimes the mean time is a lifetime.

Jeremy C

Within the Watchtower group-think, Satan the Devil has just as much power as Jehovah does. Satan is a most convenient cop-out for when a JWs life circumstances are unpleasant.

We are seeing an entire generation of people who are reaping the rewards for obeying the Governing Body in not attending college. Many of these middle aged Witnesses (who were committed to staying alive til’ 75’) are now struggling financially because of never gotten a college degree or saving for retirement. Jehovah’s mouthpiece assured them that this system would not extend long enough for such requirements.

I have observed that many of these people who blindly obeyed the organization are now blaming Satan for the fact that they are struggling. They fail to see where their poor decisions led to unfavorable circumstances.

Many JWs failed to take care of themselves physically and now blame Satan for their self-induced health problems.

The Devil, Satan, or Beelzebub is a rather convenient fall-guy for the inevitable frustrations that result from basing one’s life on delusions and fictions.

jaguarbass

Most humans think that whatever they do is the best that can be done. So its a human thing.

I'm sure George Bush thinks he did a great job. And the people were stupid for investing in realestate and the stock market.

And the people were stupid because they want to live in America and have jobs and health care.

BabaYaga

Bingo, Dear BonaFide.

They don't take responsibility, and they don't apologize.

These are characteristics that followed me OUT of the organization, I'm afraid. That was a very difficult lesson for me to learn in my own life: Take responsibility for my own actions, and apologize when I need to. Took me a while, but I'm glad I finally realized it and learned how to live otherwise.

Now of course in this very post I'm blaming the Watchtower Society for teaching me not to take responsibility! HA!!! WELL... besides the irony, I'm sure you fully understand what I mean. As a cultural thing, that is what we "born-ins" were taught. We are NOT wrong, we are the CHOSEN ones, and in believing so, we are perpetually in a very volatile defensive mode.

Love,
Baba.

blondie

2 characteristics of cults

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Hortensia

no, they don't. Everything is someone else's fault, usually satan.

OUTLAW

..........................No.....................OUTLAW

OnTheWayOut

if a JW marriage fails, they can say it was because they didnt pray enough, or preach together enough.

Certainly, and if a JW has an UBM, it's all because of that.

the elder will blame the person for not following the counsel right

Exactly, and we were all supposed to know that their counsel is Bible-based.
Just do more more more more until it all works out.

Or if there is a wrong teaching, it is never really wrong, it is only the light getting brighter.

They have actually spun their own mistakes into "Only we humbly admit our mistakes
and make adjustments." or some crap just like that.

The 'weak' JW's are missing meetings for overtime and recreation. It's all their own
fault for a lack of faith or for putting selfish desires first. But the father who refuses
to work a job that forces him to miss meetings, and whose wife is a pioneer- well, they
are struggling but it must be that video game for the kids or eating out on Sunday after
the meeting, or just time-and-unforeseen occurances that is keeping them down. It
cannot be the directions from the organization.

WTWizard

They always blame Satan (wrongly), human imperfection (meaning you were in the wrong for wanting your sex needs satisfied), or the world for problems that are in fact Jehovah's fault or that of the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger and/or the hounders.

Do Jehovah's Witnesses take responsibility for anything?

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