Is ignorance an excuse?

by stuckinarut2 19 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  stuckinarut2

  I have always maintained that I hold nothing personally against individual witnesses, even those that have actively slandered our name and reputation based on the actions of some individuals.

  I have often said that all these ones, (even the ones spreading gossip), are victims of the culture of the organization, and the directions of the GB.

  But recently I have been rethinking this, and wonder if ignorance is really an acceptable excuse?

  I mean, with SO MUCH information now readily available about the society, its origins, its scandals, issues and conduct, is it simply ok for a witness to remain wilfully ignorant about the organization that dictates EVERY aspect of their lives?

  Is ignorance an excuse?
  
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  shepherdless

  Ignorance may not quite be the right word. It seems to be more a mental refusal to deal with something unpleasant.

  Someone I know used to be fond of saying that most of the world's problems are caused by weak people, not evil people. (Weak in this context meaning lack of strength of character, compromising principles, hedonistic, unwilling to stand up to bullies, etc.)

  I think that this religion would have died out long ago, if people within it and outside it had the courage and conviction to call it for what it is, more often.

  So in my opinion, "ignorance" is not an excuse. Worse, it is a fundamental part of the cause.
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  OUTLAW

  Is ignorance an excuse?

  It has nothing to do with ignorance..

  JW`s Are Basicly, Extremely Selfish..

  7+ Billion Non-JW`s die..(WBT$ Approved Genocide).....Thats Good with JW`s..
  

  7 Million JW`s Survive.....Thats Also Good With JW`s.....(Meh,No Big Deal.)
  

  .......
  

  In Watchtower World The Real Question Is..
  

  
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  smiddy

  Ask yourself the question stuck. is ignorance a justifiable excuse for disobeying a law of the land ?

  The answer is NO. it is not an excuse .

  So Jehovahs Witnesses who are ignorant of the many "failings" of the JW organisation either by burying their head in the sand ,or by sticking their head up their arse are in no way excused .

  Willful ignorance is no exemption from the law ,nor is it from common sense ,or critical thinking.

  Stupid is what stupid does.
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  jwfacts

  According to JWs, ignorance is not an excuse that gets you through Armageddon
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  Landy

  Democrats think republican views are ignorant and wrong.

  Republicans think democrat views are ignorant and wrong.

  People have different views and different beliefs. C'est la vie.

  JWs (and anyone else who believes in a theistic god) have different beliefs to me.

  As long as they have them in a peaceful way, people are entitled to believe what they like without being called ignorant and stupid.
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  Bugbear

  Stuckinarout2

  I am glad you take up this theme. Many JW:s are in fact ignorant. It´s those with a mental handicap, those with low IQ and those who simply haven´t got basic education. They are excused. And low education is probable one of the more frequent problems amongst the JW:s.

  The ones that cannot really be excused are those who are “fact resistant”. The people who really understand that Adam and Eve was not created 6000 years ago. Those who understand that there was actually No flood 4.500 years ago. Those who understand the 1914 was not the year of Christs return. Those who know the history Russel, Rutherford, UN, and understand that the Bible cannot be interpreted as the SOC does.

  These people are often people that has reached a position in good stand. Their families are the persons that take the lead and every undereducated JW:s and people with some disorder are looking to get support from these MS, elders, and “sister elder”. They have reached a position that they do not won’t to back from. They are in the top of the “pyramid”. And they don´t want to lose their “privileges”… They want to keep themselves on the top even though they know that they are misleading their flock.

  If you try to give them some basic scientific information about “ice-core”, Evolutionary collections on museum, The Pangea movements, about Bible contradictions, they refuse to even “take a part” of that information. They know, if they do, they will lose their good stand in the congs. They are like the guards in the concentration camps. They looked on another site, and are trying to be excused by saying I didn´t know…
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  stillin

  If, by ignorant, you mean sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling "lalalalala," then, no, ignorance is no excuse.
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  sparrowdown

  No willful ignorance is not an excuse.

  JWs have access to all the same information we have access to, they don't even have to look at apostate sites for information if that would be too disturbing to their delicate sensibilities.

  I don't see ignorance as the problem anyway it's a symptom, a symptom of the thought stopping that comes with indoctrination. Repeated indoctrination instills fear, disables the conscience and rational, logical thought processes go out the window. If reasoning ability and conscience were intact it would prompt them to research.

  Until a JW sees, thinks or feels something is very wrong with their religion they are not likely to research.
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  aintenoughwiskey

  Willfull ignorance for many. Don't discount fear. JW's are well aware of the consequences of rocking the boat.