This has been a generally excellent thread. It has pointed out many of the "hidden" facts about modern-day Jehovah's Witnesses. For most of the "faithful" it has become more of a cultural lifestyle rather that a religion that they absolutely believe in without question.
The "active" ones that I have met are generally well informed about the history of the Watchtower and they know that they are mostly living a lie. But most of the older Witnesses feel they have no place else to go and no desire to move on to something else. They know the Society is flawed and much of it is just made-up bullshit, but their response to that is the typical, "what other religion is more correct?"
They have truly become the equivalent of modern Jews. Yes, there are isolated pockets of super-Jews like the Hassidics, who go overboard and basically do what JWs do - bring their kids up to be like them and then shun them if they leave. "You don't wear the black clothes, the funny hat and the curly sideburns? Out with you!"
So the kids grow up to be like their parents even though they know it is all just part of their culture, not TRUTH about God or life or even their own history.
My own exposure to modern JWs has mostly proven that husbands stay in because of their wives and parents - wives stay in because of their husbands and parents and friends. Children stay in because they have no where else to go - even though they know that one or both of their parents really don't buy the whole package.
Thanks to my websites I get many inquiries from readers who identify themselves as JWs. Some of these inquiries are to verify something that I have written or they have read somewhere else (JWs are really quite limited as far as access to old literature and historic documentation.) "Can you send me a PDF of the WT or Awake! magazine that said [1975 would see Armageddon, for example] or the MP3 of the brother who said "stay alive 'til '75!"
The fact is that most JWs have heard about these things, but are reluctant to go search for the truth themselves. I think many of them are afraid that they might really find out the truth and then realize they have wasted their lives serviing the Watchtower - but again, where would they go and is it worth losing their families over it all?
While the blood doctrine, the protection of pedophiles, and the whole when the hell is Armageddon coming doctrine are subjects that we should be critical about - the priority that I see that will really lead to both an exodus and a full exposure of the evil of the Watchtower is to attack the practice of shunning. Disfellowshipping and disassociation - bleh! Leave those as they are - who cares? But forced and extreme shunning should be the focus and hammered constantly. There are movements in the UK and Europe toward banning extreme shunning, especially involving family members, and they seem to be making some headway.
If we can make even a dent in that horrific practice by publicizing it and using it to embarrass the Watchtower and its leaders, then we could see hundreds more JWs pack their book bags and hit the exit doors.
JV
