Do you feel sorry for those that are still in.

by jam 37 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  av8orntexas

  Yep.

  Because I'll be in the stands watching Tom Brady chew up the Ravens.

  Meanwhile all those poor stiffs will be at the hall going over the SAME material again.

  I feel bad for them in the sense that so many don't live life.

  They don't do anything. My friend on FB. Pretty girl,smart...but ALL here posts everyday for probably the last 2 years......Good morning,out in service. Afternoon...leaving work...out to service. Thats it. Her life is service.

  When she posts pictures it's usually of her dad or brothers giving a part.

  You're young and 30-something ! Go out do what you like sometime. Concerts,travel,games,movies,snorkel,etc
• 

  wha happened?

  winston, I didn't see your comments before posting mine. I can see that. I can definately see that. Just keep up the facade that it is the truth, but FS, meeting attendence, those stupid rules about holding hands, I think just get swept underneath the rug. It's social, it's just a club. If the elder body is complacent then things are ok.

  I do remember a time when just a few of us went out in service, we did the sunday meeting and maybe book study, but we all hung out, partied, went on trips etc etc. Just a club.

  In a way I hope they go mainstream and then their interpretation of scripture is just that. None of this nazi worship of the GB, forget the blood issue, etc etc. Then it's harmless.

  I agree with you that there isn't a magic bullit out there thats going to take them down in flames. In fact, I've rarely seen that in any religion. The only two that come to mind is the Children of God, (Their minister was arrested for all his sexually devient behavior), and the Hari Krishna's, (They were sued for child molestation issues and the church was drained of their assets in the US).

  Even headlines don't work. I think about 15 years ago, there was a huge expose on Scientology in the Los Angeles Times. Does anyone remember? nope.
• 

  3rdgen

  There are some excellent answers here. Now that I am mentally free, I feel more compassion for ALL disadantaged people inside and out-particually children.

  For me it boils down to nice people vs. pious ones. I have no pity for those with superior attitudes ,those who are happy, or hipocrits. I save my pity for those whose spirit is broken like a beaten horse, who because of FEAR of DISPLEASING GOD do what they are told by the WT$. I also feel for those who are trapped in for the sake of close family.
• 

  TheSilence

  My dad is a self righteouss jackass. I don't feel sorry for him. He has made his choice and his choice is to be a witness.

  My sister is not self righteouss whatsoever, she truly believes and, whatsmore, she is *happy* being a witness. I don't feel sorry for her. She has made her choice and her choice is to be a witness.

  My nephew is self righteouss. He just got put into a program at school to curb those kids they think may be future bullies. He was put into that program not for any physical thing he does, but for how he pushes the other kids with religion and about jehovah. The last time I had him in the car alone he cried because he was sad that he wouldn't get to see me in paradise and it was going to be so much fun that he wanted me there. He is 7. I feel sorry for him. He is a child, he did not choose these irrational beliefs and fears. He was handed them the day he was born and has to live with them.

  Adults, even those who were raised in the religion, have choices. They make their choices. They have created their own realities in this life. They choose to believe, they choose not to research, they choose to be witnesses. At some point every one of us had the option to question or not to question, to pursue the questions or not to pursue them. So did they, they have simply chosen differently than we did. Those who are adults and there are there by their own choice or choices. And some of them are honestly happy there, like my sister. And more power to them. I support their right to believe what they believe, I support their right to be wrong up until those beliefs bleed into actions that step on the rights of others.

  I feel sorry for the children.
• 

  LostGeneration

  Like The Silence, my dad falls into the self righteous jackass catagory. He has been treated like garbage a few times in his JW career, and that is when you really have to take a look at what kind of religion you are in and figure out if it really is beneficial. The fact that he stays makes me lose any compassion for what he has to deal with year after year as one of the leaders in the religion. He's made his bed, now he has to sleep in it.

  Others need some sort of belief system just to function. They can't acccept the bad (and the good) in the world without explaining it away by some mysterious skydaddy. I wish these ones could at least explore other options, but the fear of shunning and death at Armageddon is a toughie to overcome. I do feel for these ones that are captive to the idea that it is God's organization, and that there is "no where else to go"
• 

  jam

  Someone mention "they will eventually become like

  the other religious groups". If that happen, my family members

  that are still in and come to me and tell me, we can speak

  to you now, new light. I would tell them to kiss my rear.

  After 15 yrs. of treated like dog dung and now you tell me it,s ok,(please).

  For this very reason they will never go mainstream.
• 

  winstonchurchill

  I have a hard time explaining where I am and how I feel, probably because i don't know it too well myself.

  MOUTHY, believe me, I really regret hearing the pain that has been caused to you, and to thousands, probably millions. I have read your postings for a long time and have nothing but sympathy and respect for you. It is not my intention to defend other people's actions. BTW I use Winston Churchill as my alias out of respect and admiration for him, a bit tongue-in-cheek, like Chevy Chase would do in "Fletch" taking famous people's names. Far from my intentions to offend him, and much less make me his equal. I have my flaws, just as all other humans.

  But I don't think it's fair to call me "a lie". What if I was a Mormon? or a Catholic? Or Muslim? before anyone jumps to compare and point differences, let me explain that to me being a JW i has become to me a circumstance. I have not yet faced any situation that would make me leave. MAybe that happens tomorrow, or in a few years. I don't know.

  The day they tell me I can't talk to one of my kids because they are DF'd, I just won't listen. And if they kick me out, so be it. Blood? No, thanks. I firmly believe, for scientific and medical reasons, whole blood transfusions is not something I'd want. I can leave JW's tomorrow and I would still refuse blood, as thousand of non-JWs do.

  I could go on and on. I gues what I'm trying to say to answer the question posted at the begining: Many feel trapped and are miserable within the JW's, Many others are happy and joyful doing what they sincerely believe is the truth, and a growing number conform a third group of people that are nominal-JW's and will not pay attention to every little rule, and will happily fade away with time.
• 

  hamsterbait

  NOT ANY MORE.

  There is no excuse for sitting in a jail with the door wide open. They have the same opportunities as everybody.

  Years ago when research was almost impossible because libraries didnt stock the books.... maybe.

  The ones in would kill us all if they could. Why would I pity my slayer, no matter how ignorant???

  HB