How Were You "Screwed" By The Organization?

minimus

I believe THIS thread will be many pages!

The Organization really cares for no one but its own existence. My mom was a Regular Pioneer for over 40 years but because she went to her inactive granndaughter's wedding which wasn't held in a church, she was suddenly removed. Over all, I think she's better off----but she was SCREWED big time!!!

Scarred for life

The main thing that I have anger and bitterness and regrets over is all the time that my family spent doing the "Kingdom Work". I mean the 5 meetings a week, the field service, the circuit assemblies, the district assemblies etc, etc, etc. This was all time that my parents could have used to build relationships within our family. I believe our love for each other could have been stronger and deeper and we would have maintained positive relationships throughout the years.

Also, in the case of my immediate family, I believe that my parents began having doubts about the "truth" of all the JW teachings when I was about 10-15. But they never totally stopped being JWs. They still attended meetings but more sporadically, their field service activity eventuallly dropped off to almost nothing etc, etc. But they never discussed this change of life with me or my sister. We still did not celebate holidays or do any of the things that normal people do. We also did not spend more time together as a family. It was like we were even more isolated from each other because there was this big issue that no one talked about. My sister and I did not know what was going on or what we were supposed to believe.

So, we were somewhat "outcasts" at school and in the neighborhood because of our strange religious beliefs but I think we were also considered to be "bad associations" at the KH because we had gradually become"irregular". It was a horrible thing to do to your children and my parents always seemed totally oblivious. Our family never recovered from this lack of communication and respect and neglect.

So I hate the organization for what it did to my parents and how they raised us.

minimus

Talk about being in no man's land.

Albert Einstein

In my country (eastern Europe) I was obliged to go to military or alternative service in the early 90s. Alternative service meant to be assigned to work in a hospital or school or similar assignment for 1,5 year. But society decided alternative service is not good for true christians...

When we asked "why"? Society said "Dont ask so silly questions... it is clear and obvious!"

So brothers had to decide: Either to go to prison for not going to the alternative service (many many really did...) or be disfellowshipped (many many really were...)

Actually there was another option, encuraged by the Bethel: Go to the psychotherapist, lie to him you are mentally sick, have suicidal ideas etc. and be declared insane to serve in the army (many many really did so...) .

This was my issue at the time and I was just minutes frm getting into prison. Also my nonbelieveing family thought I must be an idiot avoiding alternative service, giving stupid illogical reasons...

Many were questioning the policy of the society.... "whats wrong in helping in a hospital and this way be deleted from the army records...." but we only got arrgant and zealous speeches from COs and DOs... "It is so clear brothers, how can you even think about serving the alternative service and have doubts abut FDS...!"

And then all of sudden in 1996 WT came saying "In countries, where it is possible to serve an alternative service to a military training, it is a fine way for christians to do so and this way to show obedience to the authorities blah blah...."

And then a letter came to the elders: How should we view brothers, who were DF for serving alternative service before WT stated it is possible? They are still DF and we will not apologize to them. However, if they will ask us to allow them to return to the flock, we will consider their request... blah blah blah "

Idiots and hypocrites!

Albert

blondie

Nothing the WTS did compares to what my parents did, non-jw pedophile father and jw alcoholic mother. I have learned to set boundaries and keep away both my parents and the WTS. I am equipped to handle any crap the WTS brings and did before I left. I learned to separate what the WTS said from what the bible said and could see that it was 2 separate things.

garybuss

My old friend minimus, often disagreeing but always agreeable, please answer me this.

You wrote: "The Organization really cares for no one but its own existence."

I agree, but . . . How do you separate the "Organization" from the people who, as an aggregate, make up the "Organization"? . . . Because I can't.

daniel-p

I agree, but . . . How do you separate the "Organization" from the people who, as an aggregate, make up the "Organization"? . . . Because I can't.

The organization is not the same as the religion. A religion has followers, and an organization has members. Some JWs only have experience as followers of the religion (going to meetings, out in service, giving talks, etc.), while others also have experience as members of the organization (implementing GB policy in local congregations, helping to formulate policy, or to a lesser degree of importance, carrying out operational orders for financial or legal functions). Just as there are low-ranking members of a corporation with little to no authority or knowledge of higher operations, so to members of the WTS organization vary in what they know, and how much responsibility they carry.

Think of the parts in your car. Not every part carries the same level of importance, and some parts could be dispensed with altogether without any reduction in performance. Not until you get to the core components of the system can you affect the performance and operability of the machine.

Kudra

Screwed by the org to me means how my life is different because I followed what are the technical rules of the org. Not because I was subjected to a bunch of weirdos.

I was "screwed over" in that I was a little delayed in having proper friendships with non-JWs, having proper romantic/sexual relationships with people in general, delayed in attending college and (as a result of the college delay) delayed in having a well-paying job. I am 33 years old and am at a point in life where I should have been ~5 years ago.

Could be worse. I am trying to progress and do not consider myself seriously screwed in any way.

minimus

The Organization is the machine that makes things happen. The people who are in the Org. can be divided into certain sub groups. Some are diehards. Some are in the middle. Some are "not spiritual, weak".

How Were You "Screwed" By The Organization?

Share this