by rebel8 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
LisaRose - "The Watchtower doesn't care about those who aren't 100% committed. they would rather they leave, imo."
Agreed.
Hell, with all the weirdness coming out of WTHQ these days, it's like they're practically begging the faders, fakers, and fence-sitters to f**k off.
Hell, with all the weirdness coming out of WTHQ these days, it's like they're practically begging the faders, fakers, and fence-sitters to f**k off.
And they are begging the partakers too, as they call them mentally ill :)
At some level, they believe that certain things are sin and are dangerous if they influence others. And not all of their things are wacky. They are things many Christian groups also preach against. Sin can spread. How many times have we looked at others and said "look, they're getting away with it, I might as well too"? Probably we all have. Ever been speeding on the freeway because the traffic around you was too?
And if people are being caught and punished, it does act as a deterrent.
Apostasy is especially dangerous. Ideas can be infectious in ways that other sins aren't. Just because somebody else starts smoking doesn't mean I will. Or because somebody else is having premarital sex, doesn't mean I will. But ideas are different.
I know JWs aren't perfect. And many do secretly break the rules, but I've always thought that even though most Christian religions teach the same sins, that JWs were far less likely to commit them. Not that they don't. But less likely because of the fear of punishment.
It works for what it is intended: to control access to their members and their members access to information.
Remember it was invented when Franz was leaving Bethel if I'm not mistaken. It was always all about control and it's been an effective tool - how many would have left were it not for family. How many people sat in KH's every week don't really believe it at all but think they need to be there to keep contact with friends and family?
Hopefully it's power is diminishing but should never be discounted. While they can't stop people getting information in the internet age they still can and do hold personal contacts over people.
If enough people realized all at the same time then they would see that the WTS doesn't really have that control. But while they deal with individuals they do.
It works as far as information control is concerned, but fails when it comes to their official reasons for it.
They say they have the arrangement to protect the congregation and to restore the sinner to Jehovah.
Shunning helps neither as it only encourages "sinners" to keep their actions hidden at all costs, and since shunning amounts to emotional blackmail, returning "sinners" likely will be returning, not out of a heartfelt desire to restore their relationship with Jehovah, but instead to reunite with family and friends. This leaves the organization filled with insincere faking JWs.
Also, some who see how nasty their former friends and family really can be and how little they care while they are DF can move them to find unconditional friends on the outside and leave the JW life forever.
If the goal is to keep "furthering the kingdom message" then it's a total failure. My mom shuns me. Won't talk to me, avoids being in the same room as me, and avoids even looking at me if we are in the same room. (Loving provision right?)
Does it make me change? Absolutely not. If anything it proves to me what a cult they are, and confirms my issues with them.
Worse, I've told this story to many people. These people will all think of this if we talk to a JW. Can you imagine how much of an anti-witness my mom has done by shunning? I bet all her unintended anti-witnessing actually more than makes up for any positive results she sees preaching. A net loss.
We know, as said, it's about information control. And for that, yes it works. With a closed mind that won't communicate with me, she will never hear my side of the story.
Stupid cult.
Is shunning effective?
Yes in the way it enforces control onto people, to what they say, read, what information they are fed and mentally indoctrinated with, how they dress ... etc.
Everything the WTS does in how it treats people is done so inherently to the beneficial support of the organization.
Fear is a desired component to that structured control.
