by nicolaou 67 Replies latest jw experiences
Some of the reasoning in the OP reflects shades of JW-thinking : we bring the good news to people and then they spurn it.
Precisely the opposite Steve. I'm not talking about those who "spurn" our views but rather, those who've benefited from them but are resistant to our efforts in helping others to benefit also.
I find that a difficult position to respect.
Jefft: "the best ways to get back at the WT is to just go live your life, I agree.
It's puzzling to them(JW) when you leave and your life is fine, great.
This is not suppose to happen when you leave Jehovah. My boys and I
left years ago, we had a rough time but things are great now. Now their JW
mom brag to other JW's how great the boys are doing.
And for those that say "why can't you just leave them alone"?I bet you they are not
shunned by family members.
nic but how do you know some xjws are resistant to your efforts in helping others to benefit?
Because they've told me as much.
They resent that JW family who are still in could be made to feel awkward or uncomfortable by my posting links to mainstream news stories about blood transfusions or abuse on my blog or Facebook. Others just don't want to face difficult questions from neighbours and friends about their past life as a JW, a life they're happy to have been freed from.
This is an interesting post .I am 1 of about 12 members of family /relatives who have left the cult , I am the only one who is active on a site like this.
The rest seemingly have the attitude " I have tried the religion (some after many years) decided for one reason or another it`s not for me , and walked away" , they have simply turned off religion and are just not interested in talking about it anymore.(as they used to do when they were witnesses)
The gist I get from them is J.W.`s are just one of thousands of cults operating in the world , you can`t take them all on , you would go crazy .
Others say " If their happy leave them be , ignorance can be bliss." If they wake up good for them.
One or two others say why stop with J,W.`s why not take on the Catholics ,Christian Scientists ,Christadelphians , etc.etc. ? You could go on and on and on............
smiddy
I do think bringing information to the forefront about the organization as a whole is helpful - but I do fall into the camp of "if they want to leave, they will." This is based on my own experience with True Believers as friends and family.
You can't have been a JW very long before you experience first hand the hypocrisy of the Elder arrangement or the constantly shifting Tide of "current thinking" Religion being the opiate of the masses isn't just a clever saying - it's true.
There is a lot of security in having The Truth and being right or more right than the next guy. There is a lot of responsibility avoided by not having to think too much or to plan too far in advance.
Given that some people , my mom for instance, needs and thrives on that structure - I don't think it is my place to disrupt her faith. Even when I have brought up valid points of contention that they, even momentarily agree with, I find they are still able to dismiss any evidence that threatens their belief system in some way.
i think when people,are ready, the information is there. And we are here to assist in the difficult transition out.
thanks nic, I'm not on facebook
edit: imo, dissent has three stages and you can see this in numerous examples such as feminism etc
1. the radical phase
2. then when the trail has been blazed there is a more moderate phase
3. then in the third phase there is a learning curve after the dissent has become established and it is no longer necessary to be so radical as a group. People within this phase may still be radical but the dissenting group may entertain different ideas about themselves and their relationship to what they are dissenting from and a variety of ways to help people think about the issues. just my opinion
The gist I get from them is J.W.`s are just one of thousands of cults operating in the world , you can`t take them all on , you would go crazy.
Smiddy, it's not about taking them all on or even just taking the Watchtower on. If you want to be done with your cult experience and leave it all behind I am fine with that but why make waves for those of us who feel differently?
And yes, I think it is a bit selfish to take that freedom for yourself yet resist the efforts of others to spread that freedom even further.
Smiddy: The rest seemingly have the attitude " I have tried the religion (some after many years) decided for one reason or another it`s not for me , and walked away" , they have simply turned off religion and are just not interested in talking about it anymore.(as they used to do when they were witnesses)
I wonder if the ones who are the most vocal after leaving are the ones that really understood the religion the best. Many Witnesses don't get most of it; to them there simply is no immortal soul, no trinity, and no blood transfusions, and that's about it.
But the ones that took it more seriously understood the deeper issues such as what the Gentile Times meant, how 1914 was arrived at, what the 1914 Generation was all about, and the workings of the Organization. When the more knowledgeable ones discover it isn't the truth they have more to talk about.
Probably most of the posters on this site fit into the latter group.
Individual personality may have something to do with it too; some people are more vocal than others by nature.
As a side thought, I've always felt that the ones who never leave are the least knowledgeable. In other words, Watchtower is mainly losing it's best people, and the best ones will talk.
