Are Jw's trained to be just plain mean spirited?

by AK - Jeff 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Scully

  I brought this very topic up with a counsellor recently.

  My point of view was that my parents chose the JW belief system primarily because it matched most closely with their own world view and the world view they were raised with, which included intolerance for dissenting opinions and shunning people who did not meet their expectations. It gave them a sense of validation for deeply engrained attitudes and behaviours from previous generations.

  In a sense this scenario breeds a "man made God in his own image" dynamic.

  The counsellor agreed with my evaluation of the situation.
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  BFD

  It's sad. No, it's pathetic. I could just picture a grown man hiding behind a meat-rack in order to avoid you. They really do think that DF'd ones are demons. It amazes me how far the mind control is with the JWs. What did he think you'd do to him? As an elder he should be spiritually strong enough to not be afraid of you. Shouldn't he be trying to save you?

  As for sister ignorrequest, give it up, call Stanley Steamer.

  JT, as always, very insightful.

  BFD
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  OnTheWayOut

  "You become like the God that you believe in" If you believe that God is vindictive , wrathful and mean you will act that way towards others. If you believe that God is love, kindness etc you will act that way towards others. JW have a god that is judgmental and mean, so it would make sense that they would act that way.

  Excellent thoughts in this post, Mrs. Smith.
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  Brain Dead

  Good analysis Mrs.Smith.........thank you
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  Mum

  My personal experience, as I have posted here before long ago, was that I realized at some point that I had been a kinder, more caring person before I became a JW. I was a teenager when I became a JW, and my parents were total control freaks, so it felt normal to me at the time.

  There was a "sister" in our congregation not long before my exit who was engaged to marry a "worldly" man. She was an attractive young woman, and he had a profession. Almost everyone in the congregation called her to "persuade" her to change her mind, including me. It made me proud when her mother told me that I was the only one who treated her with respect or kindness. Clearly, I was becoming an apostate.

  Regards,

  SandraC
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  Madame Quixote

  "It's nothing peculiar to JWs. Do a Google search for the "Milgram Experiment". It turns out MOST people will obediently do hurtful things to others when someone in a position of apparent authority tells them to." -Tenebreaux Good point, Tenebreux, and it is perhaps why many here have repeatedly brought up discussions of this classic experiment.
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  flipper

  Jeff- Mr. Flipper here. I agree with Moshe and Changeling and others who say that the witnesses act this way out of fear. They , ( incredibly stupid as this sounds ), really believe if they are nice to us who have alledgedly, " fallen away", they fear they will be destroyed at Armageddon in the long haul, and in the short end of it be counseled and disciplined from the elders who they fear , I believe , even more than Jehovah himself.

  I once knew a checkout clerk at a grocery store in an area I lived who had been dfed by the congregation I was in. Even though I was still a witness at the time, I was cordial, friendly with the guy, said hi, asked how he was doing, like you would any normal human. I didn't care what the witnesses thought. I've always believed you treat others with human dignity and respect. If a religion can't or won't do that, then they are not worth the toilet paper their name is written on of the " I want to treat people with dignity class".