Now that we're out and we don't acknowledge their self appointed authority, it is easy to put such bullies in their place. ; They're not used to someone standing up to them and they really don't know what to do when someone verbally smashes their brains in.
Very true. On a personal level, I don't have desire to go the physical route. Its just not worth it, and feeds right into what most JWs want and need and thrive on to make them feel they are fulfilling some prophecy "so the end must be close"-- persecution.
We are already winning this war. The WT is hanging itself with its own words. The information now available, especially on the internet, combined with the growing apathy and depression in the JW ranks, is having impact already. "Burning something down" would change everything. The apathy would evaporate. Some might leave, but most would catch fire again, and the ones on the fence would run to mother fearing the big A was on the way.
I believe the best strategy is to live well and be available when a person is ready. Sometimes it may appear otherwise, but remember these are not happy people. They may fake it in front of you, and even fool themselves into thinking they are peddling their way to happiness. But it is all pretense. They may not even realize why they are unhappy, but they will only see it when they are ready and courageous enough to take a honest reassessment of everything that touches their lives, including the JW religion. Once a persons knows the truth about the Truth, and they still choose not to see it, its their choice. You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink.
I believe the worst I could wish on the JWs who are jerks or corrupt and cruel elders is for them to hang on to whatever strands of JWism they can. And as as the credibility of the WT erodes to next to nil, they are forced to look back on their own lives at the very end realizing they wasted it on a falsehood. If a person doesnt want to see they light, I say let them be until they are choking on watchtowers (figuratively of course). Destroying the credibility of the WT is the key. The individuals are just victims (as we once were) and only acting on what they have been misled and manipulated to believe. But for those who already know its false and still perpetuate it....I say stay...cause I want to be there to watch them choke on the words as the credibility of their real god the WT crumbles.
I know a JW on the Liaison Committee who I've known since I was a kid. I know him too be extremely intelligent and I had always valued his opinion. We one day had an in depth discussion on the blood issue. I ask him questions he was not able to answer rationally and still appear credible. He knew that I knew that he was much too intelligent to really believe the bs that was coming out of his mouth. He didnt really believe it and it showed in his eyes, but what was he going to say. I still like the guy, but I lost a lot of respect for him that day. When we see each other, we are still cordial and speak, but the aura he held for me is gone. He probably will never leave...too much invested.
I tell this story to say that there are plenty of these types in JWland. I am not after really after them (they are the ones who will live with it), only the belief system that controls and imprisons so many into this fetal position of a state. When the WT has no further credibility, and a person chooses to stay...I say have at it.
Axel
