Struggling to keep balance

by Lee Elder 39 Replies latest jw friends

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  Lee Elder

  Don’t Overstate Matters

  The situation in Oregon is a terrible tragedy. The Watchtower’s policy on shunning likely contributed to the tragedy, it may have even been a primary factor but there are any number of other factors that could have contributed as well - too many to even mention!

  I would hedge my bets on this situation. I know many individuals who have suffered a great deal upon leaving the WTS. None of them have gone ballistic and killed their families! What this man did is inexcusable.

  The WTS has gotten a well-deserved black eye and lots of public scrutiny – those are positive things. It is very tempting, but likely a mistake, to put the entire blame on the WTS. That's how I see it, how about you?

  Lee
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  plmkrzy

  Lee
  I agree with what you said. There is NO excuse for what he did.
  Next thing you know wemon will be able to drive there children into a lake and drown them and use the excuse they were dfp'd and it drove them to it.
  Or lets feel sorry for the boston strangler because he must have been raised a jw.
  I still haven't killed anyone yet. And unless someone threatens my life I won't.
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  Dutchie

  Its just that his spiral downward can be traced from the time he was disfellowshipped. I guess none of us will ever know all that was behind this heinous act, but we can see from reported event that after he left the organization, his business failed because most of his clients were witnesses, his family stopped talking to him, his friends in the congregation would not talk to him, his father left the business and he felt compelled to move out of his home town to start over. Now if the WTS was not directly responsible, I feel that they have a share in this tragedy.

  When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion. Abraham Lincoln
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  NameWithheld

  Ditto - but I don't think anyone is claiming that the DF'ing is the only thing involved - but it's shortsighted to think that it wasn't a major factor. No, not everyone goes off the deep end and murders their family - but the WTBTS (and as far as it goes, many other fundimental religions) certainly enables the behavour.

  And telling that there have been several of these type of cases recently.
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  SixofNine

  I see both sides. If in, in fact, all blame lies with the WT, then it is not a mistake to put the blame on them, lol.

  It sounds outrageous to even suggest that the blame lies mainly on the WT, But the truth is, it could be primarily their fault.

  Here's how: If this man would not have done what he did, had he not been involved in AND damaged by the witness religion, then I really believe the blame lies at Bethel's doorstep.

  What good is it to recognize the faults of a religion, yet not hold said religion accountable for those faults? Sure, we got out, but there are still 6 million in, as JW's love to remind us. All 6 million are being damaged, and some will be to the point of death, IMO.

  I'm guessing the paradise hope (which can be harmful in any christian religion, and many others as well) played a part in this. I don't even have to guess to know that the man was damaged by the pharisaical and hypocritical aspects of the Witness religion. The newspapers have told me that.

  Was what he did wrong? Sure, and I say give him the death penalty. See my point?

  The truth is, if you are a believer, his logic is impeccable. A one way ticket to heaven or paradise earth for the people he loved most, with no pain on the trip.

  It's actually a pretty GOOD excuse for what he did, if you think about it.
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  Nathan Natas

  A person's beliefs influence their behavior.

  JW dogma provides a ticket to paradise for anyone willing to step over the edge of the abyss.

  If Jehovah's Witnesses didn't have these wacky and irrational beliefs, their behavior would be different. Bob Bryant's behavior was determined by the way he saw himself in relation to the world and what he believed were the essential truths of the universe. He was wrong, and his children and wife will not wake up in Paradise.

  - Nathan Natas, UADNA
  (Unseen Apostate Directorate of North America)
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  D wiltshire

  Thanks for the insight 6.
  I mean it!

  If someone lived a trillion X longer than you, and had a billion X more reasoning ability would he come to the same conclusions as you?
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  Simon

  Like most situations there will be a number of contributing factors and combined they caused a tragedy.

  Would the person have done this if they hadn't been brought up with the JW doctrine, been disfellowshipped with all the implications inherent with the JW beliefs and then lost all friends and family and been shunned by them?

  Yes / Possibly / Maybe / Probably Not / No

  We will never know.
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  amccullough

  I agree with Simon and plmkrzy, I don't think anyone besides those closely involved with the situation (police, family, and close friends) could possibly attempt to pinpoint the cause of this tragedy.

  I don't think there are any WT teachings or ways of life that can be connected to the idea of murdering your family, otherwise this would be a more common occurance among JWs.

  Trying to blame the WT for this is the same as saying that it was because BillyBob gave him a black eye in the 5th grade and he has never been the same since.
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  MavMan

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