Do you hold any ''responsibility'' for the believing the WTS?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  inbetween

  thats one of the most nagging questions, why did I not see this earlier ?

  Why did it take so long to see through this scam ?

  Why did I defend the oddest teachings with far-fetched reasonings ?

  My reply: hardly if ever, were we able to see the other side, anything apostate was demonized, and the usual house-holder we meet, has mostly only little knowledge of JW, or even the bible.

  its all about control of information, the WTS feeds you only what fits their agenda, and make it appear "bible-based" so anything that contradicts them contradicts automatically Gods word.

  only when their information control got too tight, (example km 2007, about not studying the bible in Greek, or the newer and more extrem approach to higher education) my personal red flag got up.

  I started first to think for myself, and not to agree with certain teachings...then I ignored the warning about apostates, and came finally to this site...

  If they slowly opnened up, a process imho that began in the nineties, maybe I still would be fully in, but they choose the other road, and therefore caused me (and others) to see through....

  regarding responsibility ? well, Jesus forgave those who tortured him, because they did not know what they are doing, while he strongly rebuked those who knew, like the Pharisees, priests etc...

  at least, thats what I hope for...
• 

  nugget

  Whilst I could kick myself for not doing research myself and breaking free sooner I do feel there are certain things in my defence.

  1 JWs are a high control group so members are told not to think for themselves and be accepting.

  2 Any problems you have with the teaching are because you are wrong, you need to study, pray,attend meetings and field service more.

  3 You are given a high load of preparation and religious duties to fulfill so that you are a busy fool with little time for private research.

  4 As a sister you have no idea about policy files you only see the public face of the org at meetings.

  5 You are taught that old men in Brooklyn pretty much have a direct phone line to god so you should take what they say at face value.

  6 Anyone who dissents is corrupt, anyone who has left and speaks out is proud and wants to celebrate holidays so is also selfish.

  7 Doubting is a sin and guilt is everywhere.

  8 A DFing is to be feared so avoid anything that may lead to that end.

  Yes we all are responsible to a certain extent but it is a shared responsibility. JWs keep their followers as perpetual children under the thumb of the elders. If they hadn't used control to keep us many would have been free before this.
• 

  cantleave

  I raised in the JW-Cult. It was my life from 0 - 42. I was indoctrinated with idea that to question was playing into the hands of the Devil and hurting Jehovah. When I did have doubts I felt guilty. So no! It wasn't my fault, I was being controlled.
• 

  Mad Sweeney

  Does the conned hold any responsibility for the deeds of the con man?

  Maybe a small amount, but not much. The way the cult controls behavior, information, thoughts, and emotions, they take a lot of the responsibility upon themselves.
• 

  keyser soze

  To a certain extent, yes. True, I was born-in, and indoctrinated at a very young age. But when I first began to question things, there was a certain level of denial on my part. I managed to convince myself that the problem was really with me. I stayed in far longer then I should have because a) I didn't want to accept that something I had given so much of myself to was a lie, and b) I wasn't prepared to accept the consequences of leaving.
• 

  leavingwt

  Looking backwards and assigning blame is of limited value, IMHO.

  99.9% of us would have never joined (or walked way much earlier) had we only had all of the facts. Deception is used in the recruiting process. "Nobody joins a cult", as Steve Hassan says, they're recruited into the cult.

  Forgive yourself and move on.
• 

  JWoods

  a) I didn't want to accept that something I had given so much of myself to was a lie, and b) I wasn't prepared to accept the consequences of leaving.

  I suspect that a majority of JWs secretly fall into this category. A great many simply do not believe it all (especially the real nearness of the end) but just stay around out of the above momentum, and for friends and family.

  This is every bit as true for many elders as for the rank & file, too - in my experience.
• 

  goldensky

  Zoiks, exactly my case.
• 

  Hortenzie

  No. When I became a Witness I was in a communist country, it was before the Internet, I believed it because the teachings were shown to me straight from the Bible, and my brother just passed away...
• 

  WTWizard

  I blame lack of resources. And the humanoid that would not take no for an answer--he was going to get me into the cancer or die trying.