Good people in the WTS

Introspection

Know any? I sometimes think there may be people who will be largely unaffected by the organization crashing down, by virtue of them actually being good hearted people. Naturally the psychological shock will be there if they didn't see it coming at all, but I really think for some people the religion doesn't touch the core of who they are. (actually, I think that's the case for everyone, but since this is a free country you're free to believe otherwise ;) ) So, do you know anyone like that?

Introspection

Dang, I forget this is international so I guess the free country thing doesn't quite work, so fine I suck.. But I actually wanted to point out one other thing, and that is by the witness mindset it may be hard to recognize someone like that (they may be considered not that spiritual by most witnesses) so it would probably require viewing the same memories through a different perspective..

Eyebrow

If you mean individual JWs, I know many, many that are good hearted, and very pleasant to be around. It is just if you get into the gray areas or cross a JW line they have to follow their on consciences and pull back.

The whole UN thing will go unnoticed by millions of JWs. The WTBS will brush it under the rug as just another attempt by apostates and Satan to persecute them. I believe this because if I were still in the org. I would hang on every word the WTBS puts out justifying it self. And of course, the majority will not dare to read anything unbiased or contrary to the WTBS view.

For those that are certainly satisfied with being JWS (ie., my mother) I don't really bring stuff up. She has been in over 25 years, and has sacrificed so much for her faith, that I really believe it would crush her spirit and kill her if she came to the realization that I do. That could be another reason so many JWs cannot bear to part. It would kill them emotionally.

Introspection

Hi Eyebrow,

You know that old public talk which said for someone to find the truth they have to be honest, humble and hungry.. (which I have heard from other churches) Well, reading your message I thought perhaps some aren't very hungry when you get right down to it..

gotcha

lots are good hearted just too afraid coz they think breaking away from the org is breaking away from the true God..

HappyHeathen

Introspection,
Personalities have a lot to do with holding us in the WT long after the doubts begin. Long after you see behind the masks of most, there still are those amazing people -- the ones who remain so strong and faithful year after year. They were usually the quiet ones who just plodded along in service every week, always so sweet and sincere, returning good for evil, just like the Bible says. If someone like that brings you into the organization and you form a strong bond with that person, I can see why it would be hard to leave. I often think about some of those folks and wonder how they have fared since I left.

Introspection

Happy you bring up a good point, and I really don't think people like that will just all the sudden decide "Well! I am just not going to be nice anymore because it turns out this religion is not the truth, so I am going to be a guy with a chip on my shoulder" and.. well you get the drift. I suppose for some there will be resentments, understandably so. But I think they can see the kindness shown is sometimes real, and the love and kindness they practiced within the organization is also genuine, and it seems to me you can't help but have those things influence you. So although someone like that who eventually leaves may be psychologically hurt, I think spiritually they are alright - they just have some sorting out to do.

Prisca

I think Gotcha has hit the nail on the head.

Many JWs didn't really choose to be JWs. Many were raised as them, and were brainwashed into thinking that if you left the WTS, you were leaving God. So out of fear of displeasing one's Creator, many remain JWs.

My sister is a good-hearted person. She is intelligent and kind, but does not know anything else. She's not evil. And I hope one day she will find the real Truth. Until then, I can only wait and hope.

Introspection

I remember when I first left it was basically because I couldn't do the whole witness thing in good conscience anymore. Sure I could have kept pushing magazines and go sit through meetings etc, but I knew it's all BS if it didn't come from the heart, and there wasn't much coming out of there especially for those activities.. (I didn't buy the "keep going through the motions" business) In terms of what I was thinking, I was kind of like well, if I die at Armageddon it's only fair. Although I would pray for strength etc. because I wanted to do the right thing. Little did I know I was already doing the right thing, I just thought it was wrong. So really in a sense I left before I knew anything, certainly a lot less than what I've learned since finding sites like this! I wonder if anyone else has an experience along these lines? Frankly I knew at some level that something wasn't right, I just knew very little consciously.

Prisca

Yep, the same happened to me too. I'd left emotionally and mentally without even realising it. It wasn't until I made a definite decision to leave that I realised that.

I knew something wasn't right, but had bought into the WTS propaganda enough to think that there must have been something wrong with me. It lead to depression, because I thought that I was failing God somehow.

It also lead me to read the Bible more thoroughly. Doing so, I came to the realisation that the Truth wasn't really the truth!!

Good people in the WTS

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