I wonder. A very typcal Witness may see the obvious negatives that JWs know they have. They might acknowledge that there's often a lack of love, that the elders can be demanding, that "new light" can change long cherished beliefs in an instant.......but still they cling on and resist any sort of intellectual discussion as to why the Witnesses are off soooooo many times.....What gives???
Is It Impossible To Reach A Devout JW ???
by minimus 43 Replies latest jw friends
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Who are you?
I think they are all reachable, but I think the cleverest tactic that the WTS has taught each and every one of its members is....how to lie. This "theocratic warfare" nonsense. Once a person starts lying then they fall into self deception, once they fall into self deception, they fall into an abyss from which there is no escape. They are liars....and to admit to the "truth" about that is just too hard to face.
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Zico
It is because they are 'captives of a concept'
The concept that it is God's Organisation, and as long as they believe that, it is hard to use specific instances to change their minds..
But then, you can tell some JWs everything, and they won't change, because they WANT it to be God's Organisation, so they can get their paradise. -
minimus
My mom says she's looking forward to seeing her mother in paradise. I said to her that hopefully the Society won't change that one too and instead she goes to heaven.
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blondie
Min, that would be a bummer, her mother in heaven and your mother on earth. I knew some JW couples where one spouse was "anointed" and the other was not. They always cried at the memorial knowing they would be separated eternally.
The only way to reach a JW is as Zico says, they have let go of the idea that all things from God flow through the WTS (FDS/GB).
Your mom has invested a lot of time and energy in the WTS and she is close to the average age of death of humans today. She doesn't want to switch boats in mid stream so to speak.
I find though that many JWs pick and choose in "minor" areas when and how they "obey" the WTS. Your mom has already disobeyed big time...I'm surprised she's sure she's on the "boat" any more.
Blondie
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minimus
My mom's loyalty is to me. But she'll still defend "The Truth".
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DannyHaszard
The 'zeal' they have is almost psychopathic I was born 1957 3rd generation to a hardcore devout clan.I know what I endured in my own family matters as respect them NOT admitting their errors on anything even the mundane,this was a borg carryover.
In contrast,one of the first things I discoverd about the general population of my worldly workmates is how 'normal' unpretentious and honest they are.
Watchtower follower subterfuges:
The world is wicked and incorrigible no going 'back' and anything not sanctioned by the watchtower is worldly
No matter how bad they or things get jehovah is in control so they will be forgiven and consequently not accountable for their mistakes.
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found-my-way
The only person who had an influence on me told me to read my bible, I would ask her questions, like, ''do you believe that the society is guided by god? Why dont you go to meetings?'' she would always answer me, just read your bible, you dont need the publications to explain the bible to you, just read it, and see what you come up with.
gradually as I faded from the meetings and the months past, I could glean more information from her about her reasons, for a i was very curious....and eventually she said, well, the beard thing was one thing....but then there were more and more issues that came up...like their policy on blood...they have put themselves in the place of jesus....they have become our mediators, do you think this is what jesus or god wanted?
then I started to really be curious as to WHO the GB actually was? she said, do you think that a bunch of white men in brooklyn really know what god wants? hmmmmmmmmmmm, were they all white? how many are there? where are they from? (i later asked an elder who was very alarmed that i was even asking, lol) he said that they were from all around the world, and there was one brother that was black. he wanted to push me to see what else i was wondering about, but i said, ''oh thats all, thank you! you answered my question to my satisfaction.''
before this, when someone told me i was brainwashed, i was offended, and said, of course im not!
now i know how deeply brainwashed i was, good thing for my nagging doubts, that is what started me on my journey to discovering the real identity of the wizard of oz.
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minimus
Ahhhhh you had "nagging doubts". But if you didn't, you'd probably still be a JW.
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Doubting Bro
I think its impossible to reach a devout JW on your own. They have to either 1) have serious doctrinal doubts that they have either developed on their own or have maybe read on the internet by themselves or 2) they have to experience the dark side of the borg either getting screwed by the elders or having a bad personal experience of some kind.
For myself, I could debate until the cows came home but there is no way anyone could have reached me. Thats because I wasn't really listening to the other side, I was thinking about what I was going to say next. Also, I dismissed the person as being misguided. I do think that maybe an ex-JW or a fader who I had a lot of respect for could have reached me but that's it.
For me, reading this site and a few others allowed me the ability to really question the society without fear of being judged. Of course, when you look at the stuff rationally, it just blows up!