Why would a current JW choose to be rude and offensive?
by AlmostAtheist 38 Replies latest jw friends
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sixsixsixtynine
The mentality that Jehovah Is On My Side™ can cause that kind of behaviour to surface. They think that just because they believe they are "right" allows them to be abusive with impunity.
I agree. People like this are so convinced of their "rightness" that they can't see their own hypocrisy.
It's an "end justifies the means" mentality that is very common among Witnesses, and especially so at Bethel(e.g. UN/NGO episode).
"All's fair in Theocratic Warfare!"
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Peppermint
Thanks, I dont seem to be able to do that in Firefox.
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lonelysheep
With that attitude and lack of class, what on earth makes him think anyone would want to be like him and be a jw?
He started talking about Gina, too!?
(slap, slap!!!)
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jgnat
Why on earth would a person claiming to be a Christian be so obnoxious?
"Shining One" responded similarly to me. Since he already "knew" he was on the "winning side" he was sloppy with his assumptions and arguments.
My JW hubby has "lost it" on occassion. I attributed it to the strain of trying to maintain a "meek and mild" temperament while at the same time showing "firm opposition" to "babylon the great". Some people can't successfully maintain two personalities. They cut loose somewhere.
And once it was pointed out, why continue it?
A "pure one" has nothing to learn from "satan's minions". Such ones are not even listening to the likes of us. "Shining One"'s example pushed me out of his particular brand of evangelism. Since meeting him, I feel more affinity to the thinking agnostics and athiests. "Shining One" has falsely assumed that this means I have also abandoned my faith. I have not. I hate this kind of thinking, as in: "But you are one of us! Why aren't you defending me against these "evil" ones?"
What purpose could it serve?
I think in their own minds they are white knights, fully dressed in the armour of God. They get to play out their good against evil fantasies. I don't think you are a real person to them, just a target.
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TD
Hi Dave,
What motivates this behavior?
This is my theory for whatever it's worth...
I would hazard a guess that this same individual dutifully goes from door to door like a good JW and is probably polite and kind to everyone at the door even when they have objections.
I think the difference is that unlike the average person at the door, you are a knowledgable critic and therefore a real threat to this person's cherished belief system. And the "flight or fight" instinct that this triggers can generate some pretty bizarre behavior.
Some people react to this kind of threat by the equivalent of running away in terror. Others stick their fingers in their ears (as it were) and chant, "Lalalalalalalalala I can't hear you....." A few would prefer to fight and the result is often ugly.
JW's love to tell stories (They call it "Relating experiences") of determined, sometimes even violent "opposers" who were mean and nasty, but eventually "Came into the truth" It's the exact same thing, only from our perspective, in reverse. A cherished belief system was challenged by the JW's.
But just like the nasty "Opposer" who eventually becomes a JW, the equally nasty and vitriolic JW can eventually be made to realize that the JW organization is not what it claims to be. Years ago on H2O there were some especially nasty JW apologists and none of them, to my knowledge are JW's today. It was irritating at the time, but looking back, it's funny now.
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icare4u
lets just remember that that person is human. Yes he is supposed to be different. We (JWS) are SUPPOSED to live up to the higher standards of the bible but its not always easy. Who knows maybe that person is not really a JW, or he may be lacking in that certain department. You know everyone cant be a Def D
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lonelysheep
You know everyone cant be a Def D
Or an "Icare4u" (wink wink).
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AlmostAtheist
He started talking about Gina, too!?
Yeah, amazing isn't it? I even warned him after that, but it kept on coming. Which leads me to...
They get to play out their good against evil fantasies. I don't think you are a real person to them, just a target.
Another excellent point, thanks!
Doesn't all prejudice have at its heart the belief that the target is just an object and not a person? Just give it a label and you're good to go. You can't beat a man, but you can beat a "queer". You can't speak rudely to a person, but you can bash hell out of an "evil, wicked, returned-to-it-vomit apostate".
Dave