staying a witness

J. Hofer

the other day i overheard a conversation about JWs and somebody said JWs don't celebrate birthdays. the other one said he has a few friends who are JWs and while they don't celebrate their own birthdays, they do celebrate his...

then a thought crossed my mind: what if those of us who did not switch to another religion and have a somewhat non-JW lifestyle (not that hard) just keep saying we are JWs? given that there should be more ex-JWs than JWs by now, how would that influence the public view of JWs?

i suspect it could water down their nonsense to some degree.

Glander

There is no "public' view of JW's except a vague understanding that they make annoying house calls. If I understand what you are asking, you think there are a lot of people who claim to be JW's but are actually living as non JW's.

Could you frame your statement more clearly? Thank you.

dreamgolfer

Like the Mormons, - they use the expression "jack Mormons" referring to those who really are NOT mormons

in essence becoming a "jackJW"

then all would knwo the difference?

Hermano

"J. Hofer" Is that supposed to be Jehofer. Nice!

I think you're on to something here. It's about taking the power away from the leadership. Who says they get to define what a Jehovah's Witness does or does not do? It's like choosing to be a moderate JW. Who says you have to do everything the old geezers in Brooklyn say. It's like choosing not to DA even though you know it's a BS. It's changing the game on them and letting them know they're no longer in control.

I Want to Believe

If you try that you'll probably get a cease and desist letter right before a team of lawyers show up to tell you that you're infringing on their brand.

DesirousOfChange

EVIDENTLY.......there are many Witnesses who are indeed "staying a witness" [in name, to some degree or another] but who have come to terms with "turning off" or "shutting out" the parts of the WT propaganda that they disagree with or just do not want to adhere to. They say all the right things. They do most of the required things. Publicly. In the Kingdom Hall, so to speak.

But once they go out that door, they adhere to their own set of rules. Usually nothing terrible. They are not involved in gross immorality or illegal activities. They just make their own more moderate rules. They want their kids to go to college. They drink beyond what the WT would consider moderate. They watch the movies of their own choosing. They play the video games that they want to play. They don't guilt over skipping a meeting or field service -- sometimes doing so very frequently. They associate with their DFd kids and family, and even DFd friends (but do so discreetly). They buy the occasional Lotto ticket or even take a trip to Vegas or to a Casino out of their immediate area. They enjoy sexual expression with their spouse without guilt of what the WT considers perversion.

They "stay a witness" for the social aspect, to avoid losing contact with JW family and friends, and perhaps even to keep one foot in the door [of the Ark].

Doc

Schism

Sorry my thingie was acting up.

What I meant to say was... Those of us who stay one foot in always end up depressed. You would be living a double life. I have never seen a non-awkward, non-depressed, half in half out witness.

That's why I went out with a bang. I understand you can't handle making people sad, but you will get over that part and feel much better about yourself for having grown a pair of ovaries and just stand up for what you believe in (I mean what you don't believe in)...

Also, I don't know why you care to change public opinion on them (does the public even really have an opinion??). If the public sees them as a bunch of anti-social cultists...good. Because that's what they are. Yes my entire family is in it and we are on good terms, but it is their choice to stay in so they reap whatever they sow.

I don't know if I misunderstood your post, but from what I gather, you want to lie to your JW friends/family about being one when you're not, and you want to lie to the public to try to make JWs seem cool and laid back, and you want to lie to yourself by not accepting what you need to do.

J. Hofer

Hermano pretty much got what i wanted to say. i'm not talking about living a double life, i'm talking about living a non-JW life and still call yourself a JW, just for the fun of it. so if a JW says that they don't celebrate birthdays for example, a non JW would answer that all his JW friends do celebrate birthdays. this maybe only works for non-religious exJWs.

what would the organization do if half of the people who call themselves JWs are smoking, flirting, celebrating saturnalia, whatever... they'd say something along the lines of "real" JWs analogous to "real" christians. i for one am an atheist JW. most people don't get their heads around that one, especially JWs ;)

watson

DOC's got it right.

Sorry my thingie was acting up.

Sounds like a personal problem.

staying a witness

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