Deluded, Misguided and Uninformed

Lady Lee

As a JW I was taught that no matter what we were doing "in the world" our actions should always be above reproach. We were always to be giving a "fine witness" Many JWs, myself included, believed that when people saw our fine behavior and recognized our clean morals they would attribute it to our religion. And some would be so impressed they would want to learn more.

Now that I am out I have had a fascinating time finding out what people really think about JWs. And it is nothing like what I was told by the JWs. In fact I never had anyone tell me they were impressed by the behavior and beliefs of JWs. Not while I was a JW and certainly not after.

Kooks, fanatics, pushy, religious salespeople, weird, overbearing, think they are the only ones to be saved, don't drink or go to doctors (lots of confusion with the Mormons).

To be fair some people have said they recognize that JWs think they are right and admire their persistence. I've never had anyone tell me they would hire a JW because of their honesty. Well, no that's not true. I've heard JWs say that people would want to hire them because of their honesty but I've never heard it from a non-JW.

For all the "witnessing" that they do people still don't really know what JWs believe. I tried to be one of those model JWs. I didn't have one foot out the door. Both were firmly planted in WT-accepted behavior.

After 20 years as a JW, I now know they don't have the fine reputation they think they have.

What I would like to know is this:

What have you been told by non-JWs when they talk about the JWs.?
If a JW wandered into this thread what would you want them to know about this "fine reputation"?
What would you say to help them realize just how deluded, misguided, and uninformed they really are?

jstalin

I thought your earlier experiment was a good exercise:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/105543/1.ashx

Lady Lee

jstalin

I'm sure glad one of us knows what I have been doing

blondie

I thought this was about 3 posters on JWD.

jgnat

"The Jehovah's I've met are pretty decent. They know how to party."

"There are some Jehovah's who live on the corner. They pretty well keep to themselves and they don't put up Christmas lights."

"I dated a Jehovah in High School. He was pretty messed up. He never introduced me to his parents."

P.S. "This girl I know, she's pretty messed up, hanging out with the wrong crowd and getting in to drugs. Her parents are Jehovah's and I'm pretty sure they don't know what she's in to. She needs help. Do you think I should bring it up to her pastors or whatever at her church?"

jgnat

ha ha Blondie. That's pretty funny.

funkyderek

It's also interesting to ask people what they know about JWs' beliefs. For a group whose stated goal is to inform people of their beliefs, and who have spent billions of hours preaching in the last 130 years, it's truly amazing how little the average person knows (or cares) about them.

Mulan

What have you been told by non-JWs when they talk about the JWs.?

Many laugh at them, and find them a big joke. Religious people, are very misinformed, saying all the things we remember "you don't believe in god" (which means we didn't believe in the trinity". One of my daughters in law thought we didn't know how old we were because we didn't celebrate our birthday. I reminded her that most of us do know the year we were born, so could figure out how old we are.

On television, if ever there is a JW mentioned, it's usually a very funny bit, making fun of them. That always used to bother me, but now I get it.

kid-A

This is really an internal JW delusion, perpetuated by the dubs themselves. They mistakenly believe "worldly" people have some high and lofty

perception of them as morally upright, wonderful neighbours, yadda yadda. The reality is, the public at large focuses on the media issues surrounding them.

Most people I speak to immediately bring up the blood issue and bizarre they think the JW stance is. The next perception usually relates to how the

dubs dont participate in holidays, birthdays, etc. and how strange this is perceived to be. Finally, JWs are largely just perceived as those annoying magazine

peddlers ringing your doorbell at 9 am on a saturday or sunday morning and being a public nuisance in general.

All in all, they rarely even register in the public consciousness, which is rather pitiful considering their over 100 years of door knocking and peddling.

drew sagan

In the way of what I have heard Non-Jws say I have one great story. My mother was talking about some of the Witnesses she has met. She was actually disgusted about how bad they talk dirt on one another. "What kind of Christianity is that?" she asked me.
What to say to a JW to show them how lost they are? Two questions
1. If the Watchtower was gone tomarrow, would you still belive in God?
2. How many hours have you spent reading and studying the Bible with Watchtower publications vs. other Bible based publications? How can you be sure it's "the truth" if it is never compared or challenged to anything else?

Deluded, Misguided and Uninformed

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