Do JW beliefs deserve respect?

by azor 45 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  flipper

  Respect, no - how is that even possible? Ridicule, no - just makes them angry and defensive.

  Their beliefs need to be exposed to the public because they are very destructive.

  Before I met Mr. Flipper I knew nothing about jws. I thought they were mild mannered, harmless religious nuts.

  When they came to my door I would politely decline.

  Now I would want to grab them by the shoulders and say "Get out while you can! Protect your children! Wake up and be responsible!"

  Well, that won't happen - on at least 3 occasions Flipper kept them on the porch for a good hour, educating them. We are now on their "absolutely do not call or go anywhere near" list.

  Mrs. Flipper
  
• 

  passwordprotected

  I respect anyone's right to believe what they want. However, what they choose to believe is entirely at my discretion as to whether its worthy of my respect.

  In terms of religious belief, I respect none. I'd have more respect for belief in an actual real boy named Jack and an actual real bean stalk.

  In terms of the Jehovah's Witness belief structure, it can go fuck itself, as can they who believe it*.

  *
  
• 

  LongHairGal

  AZOR:

  In a word, NO, if what you mean by "Respect" is that I am obligated to listen or have their beliefs inflicted on me. Besides, is the "Respect" a two-way street?? I doubt it.

  People's beliefs are okay if they are in their own head. The problem arises when everybody ELSE is expected to tolerate their beliefs. I'm not just talking about religion either!

  PASSWORD PROTECTED:

  I am in wholehearted agreement with your last sentence.
• 

  konceptual99

  So how should I treat my wife? How should I treat my in-laws? They are all in the same place I was until I woke up.

  Should I be sneering at them? Ridiculing them for still believing the tripe that the WT peddles?

  As far as I can tell the logic and reasoning that underpins critical thinking can be presented logically and reasonably without being unnecessarily confrontational. I see no reason to allow lack of respect for JW doctrine to translate into spite towards the person.
• 

  azor

  Konceptual99. My entire family shuns me as well with the exception of my mom, wife, and young children. Even in the midst of my 8 year old sons chemo treatments they shun us, and yet I do not sneer at them. I do have tremendous disrespect for their beliefs and I try to drop notes with the hope they will get through.

  I'm continually baffled by the inability of so many to separate beliefs and people. I do think that one on one conversation works best with tact. That being said it appears that ridicule on a broad scale has proven to have tremendous results as well. Many of the debaters that I have heard have stated they are not trying to win the debate but rather help people see how ridiculous their beliefs are. When not directing the challenges to an individual it has tremendous results as is becoming more and more evident of the fastest growing group in the U.S. non-believers.
• 

  honest

  Respect? No way. This evil cult is abhorrent.

  Destroys families,

  Shuns anyone who leaves and demands family to shun their loved ones.

  Demands loyalty to the point where people die for their totalitarian beliefs.

  Fuck this cult. And as much as I love my family, they are brainwashed to the point of being completely programmed by the cult. Any negative feedback or exposure about their beliefs they get all get glassy eyed and wash the negativity out of their brains. I was once like this, I admitt I was a brainwashed uneducated dumbed down drone. Then one day I allowed my self to question and research.

  I hate to say this but jehovah's witnesses lack any real intelligence.

  Jehovah's witnesses are trained to be dumb. They are told what to believe, and what to read and to never criticise and never have any negative thoughts of the cult. intelligent people are made to comply and eventually lose their real intelligence. Born ins have it a lot worse, they weren't given the chance to develop intelligent thinking skills. I was a born in, dumb as batshit because I was a jehovah's witness. Which discouraged me from questioning, openly accept negativity and prevented me from doing unlimited research, let's not forget the big anti university stance or higher education. Forcing and praising young ones to quit school and pioneer which encouraged us to rely on government handouts.

  I was told to believe and I did.

  Well I broke free from them, I see seemingly intelligent people in the cult and realise they are dumbed down because of this cult.

  Jehovah's witnesses have a stupid meme going around stating to not type jehovah's witnesses into google but to go directly to jw.org. What does this tell you about their "intelligence"?

  They are mentally handicapped.

  No I don't respect their beliefs.

  I hate the religion and their beliefs. 😉