by Terry 86 Replies latest jw friends
JWs don't realise how trivial the organisaton is.
When I was in the process of leaving an elder in my congregation exclaimed - "but its obvious the Watchtower is the truth, if it was found to be wrong that would be in all the newspapers".
He was a prominent elder who regularly gave talks at District Conventions. Delusion runs deep.
"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference." -- Elie Wiesel
The Witnesses would rather be hated ("proof" that they are spreading The Truth) than be ignored. If they were hated, that would mean they are important in what they believe to be the grand scheme of things. Indifference and pity affect the cult psyche more outright hostility ever could. Cults are about being special, about having something outsiders are jealous of. A shrug of the shoulders can threaten the cult mindset more than harsh words.
Absolutely and completely irrelevant. The door knocking campaign is seen as a group of people being really committed to their faith. If it was publicly known that JWs are proselytizing because they're told they have to to gain salvation, I believe the reception wouldn't be as neutral.
We non-jws have no idea what this religion teaches. NONE.
Falling in love with a JW was the only thing that brought me here.
Irrelevant. I never realized how little the rest of the world cares about them until I went out into it and explained my JW upbringing to people. It is met more often than not with indifference. People are interested in why I don't spend holidays with my family. Aside from that, they could care less about it.
I think the public in general thinks this religion itself is nuts and void of intelligence, especially when the media releases information
about a JWS refusing a Blood Transfusion and dieing because of their action.
A Kooky cult more or less built around Christianity .
Irrelevent, or annoying at most. (or nutty as Finkel states above)
The hatred, as you said Terry, comes from the JW's TO those who have left. People tend to hate things that are a threat to them (so it is based on fear). JW's are not a threat to the world.
Peace,
tammy
I think what surprised me around the time I started to doubt, was when I introduced myself to others in a new workplace. Everyone there had NEVER heard of JW's. Everyone. It kinda made me feel stupid to think we were the center of the universe and these people just ave me blank stares. What was that stupid scripture they would quote and being a spectacle to the world.
Now I'm not saying every JW fits the description of a loner in the world, hoping for some relevance among his peers. But this religion certainly feeds that need with these silly notions of a true religion on trial and persecution from the world
Interesting TEC. That's a real display of anger thats documented and encouraged in their literature. Hating anyone who leaves, simply for leaving
Somewhere between irrelevant and annoying, depending on the individual JW encountered.
Interesting TEC. That's a real display of anger thats documented and encouraged in their literature. Hating anyone who leaves, simply for leaving
I know. But those who leave are the threat, right? They see through the lies, and even if a witness does not agree, the fear is that these 'apostates' will infect them, so that they no longer believe the 'truth' and leave as well.
Their encouragement of anger and hatred is based on fear, because so much threatens them and their 'truth'. (threatens to expose it as being false, that is.)
Peace,
tammy
