by The wanderer 19 Replies latest jw friends
Now that you are aware of the Watchtower Society and the tactics
that it employs, what is your attitude toward God, religion, governments,
corporations, and humanity in general?
Have you become skeptical, pessimistic, and negative about all of these
because of how and what the Watchtower did to you?
Respectfully,
The Wanderer
No, it just made me aware of certian aspects of humanity and more aware as a person. I don't dent that easy.
I have not lost my faith in humanity. In fact just the opposite has happened in that leaving the borg has afforded me the opportunity to see that there are alot more good people out here than wts wanted us to believe. It's definately helped me to see that apostates aren't evil.
Yes thats part of their isolation tactics. Think about all the experiences where someone was talking to a 'worldly' person and said the they were nicer than some witnesses. They then proceed to say how that its all a sham and the worst witness is 20X better than the nicest worldly person. What a load of crap! All these statements did was boost the concept of witness superiority and put down any that wasn't a JW.
I should say that my faith in humanity is intact. I was only commenting that The WT$ does try to destroy or inhibit your faith or trust in others ability to be good people.
nah.
it did briefly when I was raging mad at the cult leaders when I first left.
not anymore.
humanity as a whole is so full of good and hope.
what is your attitude toward God, religion, governments,
corporations, and humanity in general?
My attitude towards god. It isn't great. On the one hand, I'd want to give anyone the benefit of the doubt as I would want it if the situation were reversed, but I find it very hard to have faith, respect, and love for someone who sits back while so much corruption is going on. It all comes back to the name I chose when I first came to these forums, abandoned. I felt abandoned by him then and I feel abandoned by him now.
My attitude towards religion has definitely changed. I think religion is the biggest fraud ever perpetrated against mankind. Their clergymen are respected members of society, for the most part, yet they sell a product that not only lacks a guarantee, but cannot even be proven to exist. Eternal life, a relationship with god, salvation: all ambiguous terms or ones that have no real value. The only value they have is the value that people place upon them based on what they've been taught. It's quite a sham.
I don't know what to think about governments. We need them. They look out for their own interests above the interests of their people. They are like the rich, spoiled kids in kindergarten. Still, we do need a semblence of order.
What about corporations? Well, I like internet access. I like watching The Simpsons, Scrubs, Seinfeld, and the like. I like computers, fast cars, chocolate, etc... So, I depend or at least benefit from corporations. I do like to see that fraud is being exposed and dealt with from time to time though.
If it weren't for my love and respect for humanity, I'd probably still be a witness. So, I love human kind. A number of them piss me off or disappoint me, but I love what we can do together and I love how each of us has something unique to do alone.
PT Barnum said there was one born every minute. That's me.
Now that you are aware of the Watchtower Society and the tactics
that it employs, what is your attitude toward God, religion, governments,
corporations, and humanity in general?
God- If he's out there, and wants me to do his will- This time he will have
to contact me personally and tell me what his will is, because I am not
going thru that experience again of thinking his people contacted me.
Religion- I understand why people have a spiritual need, just like many
women have a need to nurture a baby, so they have a baby. Organized
religion of any sort- I am a big skeptic now. No, thanks.
Government- I have always believed that power currupts, so politics is
currupt. I live in Chicago, where curruption is very much expected. Still,
I wish I could get more involved (fading- need to avoid politics) because
there is no other way to make things better than to get involved.
Corporations- in the business to make money. No surprises. Some are
corrupt, some are mismanaged, some are great for jobs and helping people,
it just depends on the people involved.
Humanity- As a JW, I thought humanity was "worldly" and devilish. I thought
the majority were ignoring God. I feel much better about humanity, now. I
recognize that many people are basically good, even if they are not spiritual.
Many people are kind, warm-hearted, giving, others at least are not evil and
not out to hurt people. Sure, like corporations, there are bad people out there,
but it ain't nearly as bad as WTS made us think.
A Distrustful Nature?
Have you become skeptical, pessimistic, and negative about all of these
because of how and what the Watchtower did to you?
Only some of them. I already had a pessimistic attitude. I actually feel
better about many aspects of life than I used to feel. I certainly will try to
avoid being a sucker, again, so I will be more skeptical about information.
The WTBTS did not destroy my faith in humanity, it destroyed by faith in faith and organized religion. The thing I realized even in the religion was that people for the most part are nice and open minded, it is the over the top religious fanatics (like JWs) that are narrow minded freaks and not the other way around.
It most certainly did. I was betrayed by the organization that I grew up in. Betrayed by my family, and then ended up on the wrong side of the tracks in my naivity of the world. Betrayed again. It has taken me a very long time to have any degrees of trust and realize that there are good people in the world. It robbed me of my life. I'm tired from all the crap but I'm still working on it. This forum is restoring my faith in humanity. Interesting that it's the ones who were declared unworthy by the JWS that are having this effect.
