Anorexia, Bulimia JWs, Enlightenment - Logic - My Theory.

by cognac 5 Replies latest jw friends

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  cognac

  I battled with Anorexia in my teens. I watched all these helpful tv shows that gave you 1 million reasons why it's bad, unhealthy, hurtful, etc, etc of why we shouldn't continue to develop these things in which hurt us.

  What did it do to me? Nothing but encourage me to continue what I was doing. I would actually look for the tv programs that discouraged it because for some reason it encouraged me.

  What helped? Not the reasons of why we shouldn't be anorexic. What helped was located the problem. -My insecurity of my body for whatever reason. Then, learning to love me. Learning that people love me for who I am. And taking away the influences that was ruining me.

  I wonder if this is the same for at least (maybe not all) JWs... We could give them all the reasons of why the JWs are wrong. I'm betting this is doing nothing but reinforcing them of there beliefs (at least with some of them)...

  However, there might be different ways of enlightening our loved ones without reinforcing what they want to believe. What if we addressed the reason WHY they want to be a JW instead of just telling them why JWs are wrong?

  What is the source of some individual issues?

  Some are lonely and want "instant friends".

  Some want acceptance.

  Some want someone to tell them easy answers about what's going to happen to us when we die so it won't hound our minds.

  Some want the acceptance of family members.

  So, how bout we talk about these issues and different ideas of how we can address these specific areas and other issues?
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  hubert

  Cognac, As it's been said before, there is no "magic bullet". When I first came on jwd, I would come up with all these ideas and tell everyone that if it worked, I'd share them with everyone here. Guess what? Five years later, I'm still trying, and nothing worked and I've run out of ideas.

  The whole structure of jw teaching is to make "worldly people" flip out when they start hearing their child, relative, friend say they are no longer going to celebrate birthdays, and all holidays. It's designed that way, to "prove" that the jw's have the "truth". So, we all fall into that trap, and show our kids that they are learning the "truth", because all others will start to persecute them for studying with the j.w.'s. And on, and on.

  I think (here we go again) that if you could show the j.w.'s in question flip-flops in doctrine, plus hypocritical written statements by the Watchtower Society, and out and out lies by them, you may get them to start thinking again. But, it has to be done subtly.(spelling)?

  Hubert
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  cognac

  Hubert ~ You are very enlightening!

  But, why do these people need JWs to begin with? ~ I know the one you are referring to wasn't "born in"...

  I just feel there's something that I'm missing... I know with me, I always needed my "dads approval..."

  How did I get past that? By learning more about the Greek original words. If I knew things regarding the scriptures for sure, I could at least feel I could argue with him...
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  hubert

  Cognac, Some people need to be told how to dress, how to wear their hair, mannerisms, etc., etc.

  Some are lonely, and need the companionship.

  Some need to get away from their worldly family, so run to an extreme religion that provides that.

  Some have suffered a great loss in their family, and beome vulnerable to the "sympathetic" attention of j.w.'s.

  Hubert

  editted to add: Some need direction in everything they do.
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  Carmel

  Even in my own religion, there are those that "follow" and those that "lead". Fortunately, leadership is different than other religious or secular institutions in that leadership does not include power over others and that "ownership" is almost demanded, therefore followers tend to gradually move from passivity to active engagement and growth. On a continuium I see the JWs and other cults at the far end of demanding followers to remain sheep like followers and maintain a strict heiararchy, while free thinking and self actualization is on the far opposite end of the spectrum. carmel
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  Gopher

  Cognac,

  I'm so glad to hear you conquered anorexia. That had to be a tough one. I never had anything like that, so I cannot even imagine how it controls one.

  We could give them all the reasons of why the JWs are wrong. I'm betting this is doing nothing but reinforcing them of there beliefs (at least with some of them)...

  Yep, trying to disprove the teachings of their organization just drives them deeper into it. Generally the get very defensive.

  However, there might be different ways of enlightening our loved ones without reinforcing what they want to believe. What if we addressed the reason WHY they want to be a JW instead of just telling them why JWs are wrong?

  This could work when they're not fully immersed in the JW's yet, or if they're seriously questioning the belief system. If they're immersed in it, it's really hard to break open the coccoon.