I dont understand the hate...

JamesWind

I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness. My mother was uneducated and so we moved every 2-4 years as she tried to find stable enough work to support a child so Ive attended many Kingdom Halls and have known many Witnesses and many Elders. When I turned 18 I left the Witness organization. There was no real defining moment that caused me to leave. I still cared deeply for the people in my congregation and I still believed the Witnesses were legit. I simply couldnt live such a strict lifestyle anymore.

I was 18 and wanted to have sex.. lots of sex. And obviously that was severely frowned upon by the organization. So one day I just stopped going. I am now 36 years old, married, have two wonderful kids. I've never gone back to the Witness organization and never will.

Many times I look back and feel as if my childhood was taken from me. Most of the places I lived were somewhat isolated. I was never allowed to play with other kids that weren't Witnesses, which meant I spent a lot of time alone. It also meant that I didnt develop social skills like most normal kids. This has been a serious problem for me and I have paid heavily for it in my professional and personal life. I would never put my own children through that experience. I want them to know the joy of Christmas morning and spend summer days playing with the neighborhood kids.

Its tough to look back and remember times during elementary school when my classmates were doing holiday activities and I had to go sit in the principals office. During high school I was not allowed to engage in after school activities like sports or student body politics. I was literally an outcast every single day of my life from kindergarten through high school.

Despite all of the above (and far more I haven't mentioned) I don't experience the hate. I can not understand why so many of you devote so much time and attention to hating this organization or its people. If you had a really poor experience why not just walk away? Why spend so much time and effort on something so futile? You have to know that no one takes you seriously except those that are completely ignorant and dont know any better or those that are equally disgruntled. To those of us with more rounded viewpoints you just come across as whiners. I cant respect that. It disgusts me. I nearly vomited (literally) reading some of the whines on this forum.

The world is full of good and bad people. The Witness organization is no different. There are literally millions of genuinely good and decent people that are Jehovah's Witnesses. And from my extensive experience with at least 12 different congregations and thousands of people I can assure you that the mix is probably 99.99 to .01 in favor of those good and decent people. And yet, the people on this board would have you believe the number is skewed in the opposite direction. I call bullsheit.

Never once was I sexually assaulted as a child, nor were any of hundreds of people I still keep in contact with (I was never disfellowshiped, I just went inactive). Its not as predominate as you might want to believe. That said, its still a heinous and terrible crime and shame on any person or persons that try and cover it up. If there is a hell I hope they find it as unwelcoming as the stories relate.

Please people, do yourselves a favor and find a way to direct this anger towards a more healthy pursuit. Let it go. Move on. There are many organizations that will allow you to reach out to abused children and have a more direct and meaningful impact on their lives. Something you will never experience by just whining on this board.

JamesWind

n/m

avengers

I can not understand why so many of you devote so much time and attention to hating this organization or its people.

I don't hate its people. Two of my kids, ex-wife are still in. How do I get them out?
I hate this organization because they are liars, hypocrates, and murderers.
This org has so much blood on their hands which they will never be able to wash off.

The best for this earth is: No more Watchtower!

Andy

ps. welcome.

AlmostAtheist

>>the mix is probably 99.99 to .01 in favor of those good and decent people. And yet, the people on this board would have you believe the number is skewed in the opposite direction. I call bullsheit.

Most people I've seen discussing JW's and expressing disdain for them were speaking of the organization itself, the culture it imposes on its members, the problems it causes through the members. The "hate" you speak of is rarely directed at individual JW's.

I agree with you, though, that our energy is more wisely spent on making the world a better place in general, than by trying to damage a tiny little cult. The current pedo-problems being in the news is a little too valuable a weapon not to wield it at the moment, but I would generally agree with you.

Dave

Odrade

Meh, holidays schmolidays. That doesn't matter at all. I'm just not particularly crazy of organizations that kill people with beliefs that have no foundation. Jonestown in slow motion, that's what Watchtower is. Worthy of my hate, when I have the time to give it any energy.

If reading the stories here make you upset enough to want to vomit, I think it's highly likely that you are experiencing symptoms of cognitive dissonance.

JamesWind

I don't hate its people. Two of my kids, ex-wife are still in. How do I get them out? I hate this organization because they are liars, hypocrates, and murderers. This org has so much blood on their hands which they will never be able to wash off.

Then I assume you are against ALL organized religion. I can assure you they ALL have blood on their hands. Christianity has a long history of lying, hypocrisy, and murder. Millions of innocent people have been slaughtered in the name of Christ. Though something tells me you are just being overly dramatic. Or do you have many examples of times when the organization has been responsible for murder?

JamesWind

If reading the stories here make you upset enough to want to vomit, I think it's highly likely that you are experiencing symptoms of cognitive dissonance.

I do find it enjoyable when someone on the internet attempts to play amateur behavioral therapist. Unfortunately you are incorrect. What causes the nausea is seeing grown adults act like sniveling children. I have always had a bad reaction to whining.

horrible life

JW's misinterpretation of not eating blood. How many have lost their lives?

brinjen

First of all, welcome to JWD JamesWind!

I don't think anyone here really hates the witnesses (except for the organisation which is a totally different thing), most on here do acknowledge the majority of the witnesses are decent, genuine people.

The world is full of good and bad people. The Witness organization is no different. There are literally millions of genuinely good and decent people that are Jehovah's Witnesses. And from my extensive experience with at least 12 different congregations and thousands of people I can assure you that the mix is probably 99.99 to .01 in favor of those good and decent people. And yet, the people on this board would have you believe the number is skewed in the opposite direction. I call bullsheit.

Yes, that is true, most witnesses are good and decent people, no one here is saying they aren't. We're all from different backgrounds, we all have different experiences and we all deal them in our own way. That's all anyone here is trying to do, so they can get on with their lives. It's not as simple as walking away for many...

Never once was I sexually assaulted as a child, nor were any of hundreds of people I still keep in contact with (I was never disfellowshiped, I just went inactive). Its not as predominate as you might want to believe.

No one is saying it is predominate, personally, I knew two paedophiles in my congregation. Is this the case with all congregations? No. No one is saying that, it's the covering up and refusal of reporting paedophiles to the authorities as well as their treatment of the victims. Many of us here know someone who was affected by this, many here were the victim themselves... Again, it's our way of coping...

ninja

james wind...if you dont like our whining.....let it go.....move along.....go and help out at a soup kitchen instead of devoting so much of your time trying to help us......he he

I dont understand the hate...

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