Are Jehovah's Witnesses REALLY Welcomed Here? (page 9)

logansrun

I think Min summed it up pretty well.

Here's the thing: the WT Society is a black and white, absolutistic religion by it's very nature. You simply cannot get around that fact. Now, certain individual JWs (or JW sympathizers) may be more liberal and post here, and although they should be treated a measure of respect, it does seem completely rational to point out the great incoherency in their views/actions.

I'm learning to be more tolerant of others and less absolutistic myself. But, when it comes to an absolutistic ideology you have to play by their rules, that is, with an element of absolutism. Think about it.

Bradley

Phantom Stranger

It depends on your intention, doesn't it, Bradley?

If your intention is to be right, and to demonstrate how you are "righter" than they are, then by all means, play their game. However, I feel that in part that is a sort of revenge, a striking back at an organization through a person. iT can often be driven by our desire to prove the WTS wrong, which has nothing to do with how we deal with a particular individual.

If your intention is to show them what it's like on the other side, then being "right", winning an argument, is not needed - building relationship is needed. Building a relationship is always hard, but winning a zero-sum argument is often impossible - it's too often lose-lose.

minimus

Bradley----That was put beautifully.

Phantom Stranger

So, mini, I take it your answer to the question is "no"?

minimus

I would think EVERYONE is welcomed here. And if a Witness wanted to say he was very supportive of the organization, he should know that those on this board will try to "readjust him, in a spirit of mildness".....Yes, of course JW's are welcomed here.

ESTEE

I think it's cool if they get involved with an open mind ... the dubs could use the ummmm ... enlightenment ...?

It might open their eyes to the troof about the troof.

If they come in here with the view that they are going to "change" us ... or "Save us from ArmageddonTM" ...then they might as well take a flying leap!

My conclusion on the matter is that no book publishing company will ever dictate to me how to run my life ... ever again!

ESTEE

Singing Man

Yeah sure I am sure you are welcome here, just don't use the robotic ansures from the GB. Rather use your own mind to reason on things like a free American, not a human that has had all their bodily fluids removed by the Borg.

AlanB

use your own mind to reason on things like a free American

Or like an even more free European......

Political Opinions Aside,

From my own experience, even though I had not been to a meeting for about 5 years, I had a real fear of reading cirtain literature and some web sites. I think this stems from some sort of psychological reaction when your rigid belief system starts to crumble, its almost a fear of the unknown. Anything that will reenforce the subjects belief (eg, that this board is full of satan worshipping apostates) will give the subject the comfort they require to believe that their belief system stands.

My experience of apostate sites was initially negaitve. They appeared to fall into two camps.

1/ Hate Sites - I have no interest in these, bad vibes man.
2/ Petty Sites - I really do not care what the witnesses wrote in some obscure paragraph 50 years ago, unless it is of real interest.

This site and some of the others are a little more constructive.

I believe we have to demonstrate to any genuine JW who visits here that we are now open minded individuals, not undermine their beliefs unless they express an interest in a specific issue and do not openly attack the people themselves, remember they are the victims and the vast majority of witnesses are honest decent people.

minimus

Alan, please give an example of an obscure paragraph made 50 years ago. Do you mean that you are not interested in things like JW's viewpoints of blacks from the early 1900's?

Are Jehovah's Witnesses REALLY Welcomed Here?

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