by fresh prince of ohio 21 Replies latest jw friends
For me, it depends. I have told Latin-American people from various religions, and almost invariably they agree that JW's are wrong doctrinally, then tell me not to lose my faith in God, and then possibly invite me to their church...
I guess for Latinos, you MUST have a religion... lol
Oh and... on the other hand, I now understand the weird reactions that I got when I told North-American (Canadian/American) people I am a witness. I would start talking about any other topic, the conversation was going well... we were all getting along, until somehow I mentioned I was a witness. Then their eyes would open up real wide and they would stammer and make an excuse to leave the conversation... I was always upset because of that... it was like people got scared...
Now I know why...
Julia, to say that "men aren't allowed to have facial hair" - to me, that's a tough one, because it really doesn't quite convey the controlling dynamic that exists between the GB and the rank-and-file JWs. You CAN grow facial hair as a JW. But you'll be considered "weak". And you and I know what it's like to feel like you're a "weak" JW - you're doomed be found unfaithful and thus you will DIE at armageddon! Brothers and sisters, we're so CLOSE to the END! The neverending, do everything we say, because we speak for god, and the big one is going to hit ANY DAY. The fear and guilt!
JWfacts, i think you nailed it. "Cults", in most people's minds, means a small group, following a visible, highly charismatic and clearly off-kilter leader, living together in a communal type of arrangement, etc.
To be critical of any established, widespread religious group seems to be a big taboo in America. At least in the midwest it seems that way.
What is amazing is that most people know almost nothing about the dubs, either good or bad. They may be aware that they go door to door, but I doubt most know why or what their message is. They may know they don't celebrate holidays due to work or school association. For all the effort that dubs put into it, the field ministry is a flat out failure. They are supposed to be in a lifesaving work, with an urgent message, but no one know what that message is. I just tell people it was a destructive cult that hid its true nature until you joined. The more people who know the true nature of the Jehovah's Witnesses, the better.
At least where I've come to roost now, here in Tucson, I can't get anyone to give a rat's ass that I came from JW's, or that JW's are a cult guilty of negligent manslaughter. The JWs are such a non-entity as far as the real world goes. They toot their horn about stinging messages, but, uh, no. Nobody that's real gives a crap, Brooklyn.
Up until the age of 9, I never heard anything good about JW's. My grandparents' generation called them "Hobeys" and had heard all sorts of unfavorable rumors about them. In the '50's, they were few and far between, but people knew they were crackpots.
Fast forward to the new millenium. I told a co-worker I had been in a cult, and, of course, he asked which one. When I told him, he said, "They're not a cult. They're just weird." So I explained shunning, even within families, and letting children die when they needed a blood transfusion, and a few other gems. I think he changed his mind.
One day I was talking to my boss about cults. He told me JW's were just people who took the Christmas cookies home and ate them in front of the fire instead of in the office with everyone else. I gave him the same lesson, but I'm not sure he got it, or even quite believed it. JW's are so into image that I think they got over on him.
That's all I have to say about that. - Forrest Gump
I now don't use the word cult, it does not convey the right message to a normal person, and you waste time explaining, I do not count it a victory just to convince someone that the JW's are a cult, this is probably not sufficient for them to understand the hold the WT has over its followers.
I tend to say something like:
" they are a high-control, mind-control group that is in reality not a religion, but a scam"
The scam element seems to interest people more. When explaining the mind control, and strict rules etc, if I get that far, I may say "They are very cult-like"
and then explain the B.I.T.E method, common to all mind-control groups.
But stressing that the whole thing is a Scam is more likely to ring alarm bells with normal people.
Nobody likes to be fooled into being ripped off.
Phizzy
Fesh Prince , you are so right .When people at my church found out about my anti-witnessing some were quite funny with me about it ." Aren't we supposed to be encouraging inter faith co-operation , not bashing each other ? etc " I try to explain how that is fine with Catholics , Methodists and other Trinitarian faiths but that it is the JWs that keep us at arms length . It is frustrating how little other "religious " people know about the Watchtower , even had to educate my Vicar a bit on the subject !! I try to get my fellow parishoners to talk to JWs to find out what they do believe for themselves and indulge in a bit of anti-witnessing . It would be great if more people who have a knowledge of the Bible actually challenged Winesses on the doorsteps . However many still seem to feel that it would be wrong to argue with other "believers " People still do not realise how destructive the Watchtower is .
