Why do Witnesses think the world is so bad? Here's another reason

by BonaFide 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  BonaFide

  I know the fact that the publications say the world is bad, and the beginning of so many public talks. And the introductions in the field ministry.

  But here is something I have been thinking about.

  JW's are not exposed to people from all walks of life. Growing up in the truth, most of the bro's in my Hall worked in construction, cleaning, office workers, or UPS. Only a couple in our Hall went to College.

  So we didnt mix with people who had real careers. Most everyone we knew had money problems, and no insurance, and the stress that comes with that. Our conclusion? THIS SYSTEM IS REALLY BAD.

  Even in service, we would view those who had a nice house as "materialistic."

  Now that I am getting to know more people that are outside the Organization, I talk to Doctors, Attorneys, Artists, people who have an actual career.

  They are pretty happy.

  BF
• 

  BabaYaga

  Wow, Bonafide, this is an interesting theory, indeed. You are onto something here.

  Part of the reason folks leave the org after they go to college is that they realize there are so many interesting, loving and good people in "the world"... not only does it make them think and give them lots to do just that... they mingle with cool, thinking folks, as well.

  Kudos.
• 

  sspo

  I worked " shoulder to shoulder" for 35 years with " worldly people " and i have to say that some were jerks but the majority were moral

  people, family and church goers and proved to be good friends that i could rely on even more so then the

  witnesses and most of all that were not judgemental.
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  Joe Grundy

  (I am not, and never have been, a JW).

  'The world' is neutral. Some people are mostly bad, some are mostly good, and most people are somewhere in between. IMHO the 'badness' or 'goodness' seems to have little to do with what (if any) religion people follow.

  I think BonaFide has a very valid point, especially for 'born-ins' or those who were brought in at a very early age. I'd put this forward as an analogy. The reason (I believe) why so many in-family child abusers get away with it for so long is that the victim knows nothing else and accepts the behaviour as normal. It is common, ime, that it is only when the victim reaches an age (or through other circumstances) when they have a wider experience of the outside do they realise the truth. For this reason some abusers may try to limit the victim's contact with the outside world and and try to pre-condition them to believe that the abusive family is the 'normal' one.

  Sound familiar?
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  BonaFide

  Yes, everyone as a child accepts their family as normal. They don't know anything else. Even if that family is abusive in many ways.

  BF
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  Joe Grundy

  I'd be interested in answers to this question.

  As your experience has broadened, especially those who have left the Jws or other religions, have you become less judgemental? In other words, do you believe (as I do) that the dividing line between 'bad' and 'good' is far less defined than you once thought?
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  BabaYaga

  Joe Grundy said: In other words, do you believe (as I do) that the dividing line between 'bad' and 'good' is far less defined than you once thought?

  Yes. In fact, that was the main reason I left the organization.
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  Joe Grundy

  One thing that strikes me is that AFAIK JW is an extremely prescriptive religion/organisation, in that even those matters that are not laid down in writing are attempted to be influenced by custom or a 'guiding word'. It also sees itself as a global religion and that the laws/principles of it's god transcend those of governments. I know that there have been examples of those conflicts in the past.

  Here's an example. Having sex with under-age minors is bad. An easy statement to agree with. But ... what is under-age? In the UK the age of consent is 16. In France 15. In the US I believe it varies from state to state with the minimum age for marriage being as low as 13 (NH or somewhere?). So if my son was 18 and bedded a 15 year old girl he would be a sex offender in UK, a lucky guy in France, and anything between one and the other in US depending on where he was.

  This is a bit philosophical for 7:45 am local time but I think about these things in my idle moments (good and bad I mean, not potentially under-age sex). I was for a long time in a job that made me very judgemental and legalistic in my opinions. Since I retired I see things in a much broader perspective and I suspect that 'retirement' for me may not be so much different from 'leaving the organisation' for ex-JWs.
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  aSphereisnotaCircle

  The world is so bad under Satans system of things that it isn't possible to live happy lives.

  And so why even try to take resposibility for your life, there's nothing you can do about it until the new system anyway.

  When you don't take resposibility for your life, it usually turns out pretty crappy.

  A self-fulfilling prophecy ................. the only kind the society is good at.
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  Heaven

  JWs are the epitomy of the Universal Law of Attraction. "What you focus on expands" and since they are focusing on the 'bad', that's what manifests in their lives. I've seen it in my family. It was very evident after I left home and would come back to visit. Being out in the working world exposes you to all different kinds of peoples and beliefs. At work we are taught to focus on the positive and the "can do". Then, going back home, there would be all this negativity, and "can't do" -- I just couldn't fathom it. No wonder so many JWs have mental health issues.