Why are so many ex jw's liberals?
by John Doe 34 Replies latest jw friends
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alanv
It's a good point actually. I think many ex witnesses were shown how many of the world's religions were wrong and hypicritical and then we found out that so are the witnesses, it allowed us to revaluate how lives and many of us realize that many things that were banned to us are actually perfectly perfectly all right
Personally I think that things like abortion, euthanasia, gay couples, can all be good in certain circunstances. Before of course they were a
definate no no to us.
I really feel I have got my life back now, and can make informed decisions based on my conscience instead of someone elses.
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BizzyBee
How do you know this is this true?
And, are you assuming that all who vote Demoratic Party are also liberals?
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mindmelda
I'm probably morally liberal, but politically, I'm a centrist. I'm an Independent populist.
I also know gay Republicans who are politically conservative but morally liberal, which leans to Libertarianism. And I know a good many Democrats who are far more morally conservative than I am and still can't figure out how we passed affirmative action and have states that allow gay marriage. LOL
What kind of liberal are you speaking of? Political or moral, two different things.
I was always actually morally liberal, deep down, even as a JW, I just had to hide it. I really never found anything wrong with homosexuality, gay marriage, abortion, living together, dogs and cats getting married, clowns being allowed in public....LOL
I don't think there's anything wrong with polyamory, polygamy or legalizing some "recreational" drugs either. Never did.
Yes, I was a lousy JW. Thank god.
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Elsewhere
We have seen the harm caused by conservative thought.
Conservative thought is also based on "feel good" knee jerk reactions and fear of change and the unknown... liberal thought is based on reason, logic, and provable facts.
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blondie
I always amazed how people who post on JWN make a subjective conclusion about the beliefs of people who post here. Even informal surveys are skewed since only a few of those who post here respond, and there are many more ex-jws that never post here at all.
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ana_dote
personally, I believe that since JW's are raised with such an extremist view of everything (do this, DONT do that, this person/thing is ok, this person/thing is EVIL).....that when they are finally released from that extremist mind control, they can finally explore the freedom of free-will and free-thought. Sometimes that exploration itself can go to the extreme by thinking that everything under the sun is ok. More often than not, the individual will find their own balance in personal standards, but I still think that it would be highly liberal in comparison with the JW way of thinking....which is probably why it's so noticeable as being "liberal".
Bottom line though....being "liberal" or "conservative" is relative at best because of the reality of the question "who sets the standard?" Yes, it's been the social norm that God/the bible tends to set the levels with which one can be considered conservative or liberal. But if you're an individual that does not believe in the divinity of the bible (or believe in God, etc), then it nullifies the standards.
What is liberal to one is conservative to another and vice versa.
But in THIS instance regarding JW's....I think they lean toward the liberal because of the way it was shoved down their throat to be uber conservative. It's like the classic illustration of the spring. If it's gently released, it won't go crazy. If it's released quickly (as can be the case when someone suddenly realizes the religion their whole life centered around was a manipulation and a lie), it can jump off into who knows where.
A lot of us have been shocked with that quick mental release/realization and are still floundering to find our balance in personal beliefs and standards. And I'm sure that we will settle somewhere in the range of being liberal. At the very least, more liberal than when we were JW's.
I hope this makes sense and isn't just rambling crazy talk lol It makes sense in my head at least :-P
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mkr32208
By liberal do you mean someone who thinks about things and makes decisions based on what is right?
Because when I say conservative I DO mean lock step Nazi white power teabagging ignorant asshole, so I'm just checking
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Finally-Free
Why do some see only in black and white and seek to impose their labels on others? Can't someone have liberal leanings on some issues and conservative leanings on others? Or is the concept too complex for some?
W
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designs
We're just so much damn smarter than Rush Limbaugh