g'day,
It seems to me a common misconception amongst ex- Jehovah’s Witnesses is that there will one day be an issue arises so big that it will pull the rug from under the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society bringing the whole edifice crumbling down. Revelations come and go, apostates jump from one hope to another. Expose’ after expose’ fail to cause more than a ripple on the tranquil JW pond. Hard won revelations from Rutherford’s admiration of Hitler and sexual corruption to the Society’s false prophesies, fraudulent scholarship and UN links have little effect on the loyalty of the average zombified witness.
One reason for this is the damage and information control employed by the Society to keep the flockin’ dubs inline. For me though the main reason these hopes are constantly dashed is that they’re based on a faulty understanding of the Watchtower beast. They fail to address the key underlying strength supporting fortress Watchtower. The Watchtower religion is tribal. It attracts people rejected and with low self esteem. People who don’t imagine themselves worthy of forgiveness by grace let alone good enough to attain heavenly glory.
The hope of paradise regained generally appeals to people later in life when they feel lonely and as if they aren’t about to accomplish anything with their lives. And, with the taking part in politics, education, socializing, sport and the like being outlawed, their new found Kingdom Hall culture isn’t about to give them or their offspring the tools to gain confidence and social standing. So the more one is incultated in ‘the truth’ the more socially isolated one becomes. As one is ‘encouraged to socialize’ with ones own small group, ones loyalty becomes localized and tribal. Fear, hope, snobbery and the JW class system being but some of the glues that bind.
When called before a Judicial Committee there is rarely anything but one sin and, unless one is groveling contrite, one outcome. The great sin the vast majority of JW’s are disfellowshiped and shunned for is that of being ‘disloyal to the Society’. No amount of trying to reason will save you once the tribe has spoken. Judicial Comitee meetings are rarely anything but a final indignity, just a formality.. you’ve been disloyal, you’re not wanted, please extinguish your torch, the tribe has spoken.
The Tribalism of JW world is something that's been rattling about at the back of my mind for some time now. Yur thoughts would be much appreciated. Am I barking mad / up the wrong tree or what?
unclebruce