The Tribal Nature of Jehovah's Witnesses

by unclebruce 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  Mary

  unciebruce said: 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.

  This is so true Lee and you said it perfectly. No wonder this religion is so appealing to those who have no sense of worth. I mean, suddenly, you discover that your Grade 8 education is exactly what Jesus wants in a follower. After all, Jesus himself never had any material possessions right? Suddenly, the group elevates you above Bill Gates and Queen Elizabeth. Suddenly, the intelligent, rich and powerful are nothing and you're part of the only religion that God approves of. What could be more wonderful?

  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?

  Of course not. You're spot on with your observations. Although I do believe that eventually, the very fact that this religion attracts people who are not well educated/wealthy will be their downfall. How are they to continue on without large donations? I think it'll take a couple hundred years for them to completely die out, but hey, the New System will be here by then, and where "the former things will not be called to mind.
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  unclebruce

  Thanks for your thoughts on this folks.

  G'day Minimus, I agree JW's are cocky, piety comes with the territory map. But does watchtowerism attract cocky people or are they bent that way by their clarity of belief? My parents were sucked in by the resurection and paradise earth doctrines. They were pretty vain people I guess and the thought of perfect bodies enjoying natural 'fleshly' pleasures forever had strong appeal. They were uneducated, low on societies totem pole and looking for a simplistic solution to lifes questions. It's a good point you've made. 'low self-esteem' may well be the wrong way of seeing people like that. Low status and looking for a fast track up might better describe them.

  I see tribes everywhere and power is the biggest game in town.

  unclebruce

  OK, now who'll start off a discussion about exjw tribalism?
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  crazyblondeb

  I like that, "the tribe has spoken"!!
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  BabaYaga

  Poetically put, Unc.
  
  I think you're spot-on. I have seen the Witnesses as something very Shirley Jackson-esque for some time now (have you ever read her short story "the Lottery"? A creepy as hell believable classic). Unnerving thing is, I realized the correlation while I was still part of it.
  
  While I would LOVE to believe the tower will fall, I don't foresee that happening. My niece (by marriage) who didn't even KNOW any JW's growing up, and who KNOWS how I and other outed JW family members feel about it all, still felt compelled to study and deprive her children of holidays, etc. I mean, they're still getting RECRUITS, here! Her situation is that she feels she was raised with no structure and very few morals so she wants to give her children something she didn't have. OH by the grace of the gods, give me strength on this one.
  
  The JW's certainly won't quietly die out, like the last of the Shakers. They keep reproducing and baptizing children before they're old enough to have any legal say in the matter. They HAVE, however, lost a lot of momentum, and lost a lot of POTENTIAL converts, by the wonder of the internet. Thank HEAVENS for that. They will dwindle down to a skeleton crew, perhaps even splintering yet again into another sub-set before it's over (a group who teaches the same TEEruth except for the transfusion bit, for example.)
  
  Yes, a tribe. And I am looking forward to the thread on the Ex-Dub Tribe, too. *grin*
  
  Cheers!
  Baba.