Is it unacceptable to stand up for Jehovah's Witnesses on a site called Jehovah's-Witness.net? (page 9)

TD

Like I mentioned early on in this thread, an active JW who comes here seeking a balance between the good they believe the JW community accomplishes versus some very legitimate complaints and injustices is respected.

Ten years ago, there was a living, breathing example on this board. He was actually someone of note at 'Bethel.' I didn't believe that part of his story at first, but he convinced me beyond any shadow of doubt offline.

Here's a link to one of his threads. You can read it and judge for yourselves:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/265/1/Blood-Transfusion

BluesBrother

Reading TD's link does make me wish for the more measured tones of the board in those days..However , I can see that so called Witnesses do nothing to help their cause when they resort to insults and blank denials of the facts.

I would rather we did not make things so personal or shout people down.. There is always the one who may respond to a properly expressed thought that they had not seen in dubland

THE GLADIATOR

Thanks for all your comments. Good points TD & BluesBrother.

There will aways be people claiming to be JWs coming on the forum. Some will be genuine some will simply be here to gain attention by winding up vulnerable people.

Many more people read what we post without commenting. So the way we respond will make a difference to people who really do matter, regardless of how genuine the apologists are.

We will be most effective if we use our experience to show these visitors that we have moved on and are able to defend ourselves skillfully and effectively. Or that we simply know when not to respond. Many of the people who come here and attempt to cause upset are simply at a different stage of the journey we are on. It is a long road and can take many years to reach the place we have found.

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

T.S. Eliot

WuzLovesDubs

People who come into an obviously exjw website and do what Bane and AIW do, I call that "poking the bear". They poke and prod and anger people deliberately to get a rise out of them and when the bear is tired of taking their shit and strikes back...then they say "Look!! I TOLD you they were nasty dog-returning-to-their-vomit apostates! I TOLD you they were bitter horrible worthless individuals who couldnt live up to Jehovahs standards! Look at all the terrible things they say and do!"

Then they start all over again....poke....poke....poke.......

Violia

I came here still a JW , mostly in my head. I had stopped going in FS years before I finally stopped attending. I refused to help spread their lies and hate any longer. I was surprised to see that it was basically an XJW site but there was a lot of debate and like a train wreck- I could not look away . Debate is not something you can do at the KH or with most other JW. I was not told to leave just b/c I was not a card carrying apostate. My problem with JW was I could not understand why they said one thing and did another. I would have returned to them if they had made efforts to undo the damage they have done to my life as my family were all in. I had not really thought about the doctrine issues ( except DF) and I think that is not at all uncommon. A lot of jw do not know what their religion actually teaches. I was mad enough to listen and read what I had previously thoughts were just lies and half truths. I could not argue with those who had personal experience and some of the personal stories were what helped me to leave JW behind in my thinking. I also found out that many of those in "Babylon the Great" are similar to JW . I did not know that before b/c I had not investigated other religions. A dear friend ( who was older than me) once told me all religion is more or less the same. They said JW carried certain things a too far but basically religion was about control of other people--- power and greed. I was shocked to realize that JW were just another of the numerous apocalyptic religions that started up around the turn of the last century. They wern't special at all.

This board is very tame compared to years ago. Jw that came to the board were called out and there were some firey debates. The board is different now as most of us have moved past that stage .When this board was new there was very little info out there for those leaving jws. In 2002 when Bill bown blew the child molestation thing wide open there was no other place to get that info. Now all you have to do is google jws and you can find just about anything. So many books have been written and brave people like Randy,Ray and Bill and others have put themselves on the line so those who exit now don't have to scratch and search too hard for the truth about jws.

Remember debate and people having a difference of opinion is a foreign concept to most JW. If they stay here long enough they will learn to love it.

steve2

I have a high regard for JWs contributing to discussions on this site. What I have a lower regard for is the "hit and run" style of some of them. They say just enough to cast aspersions and then disappear. Moreover, they may also minimize and even scoff at the painful and traumatizing experiences reported here.

Yes, I agree that sometimes others make it worse by "joining" in with their own subsequent vendettas. The internet provides a high degree of anonymity - and sometimes I wonder if that cnotributes to people writing in ways that are provocative and judgemental - maybe people would exercise greater care with how they write if their identities were public knowledge? In the meantime, I take a lot of the more heated comments with a pinch of salt. On some threads the negativity seems evenly spread between the pro-JW and anti-JW sides. Neither side comes out looking too favourable. I guess it's just an aspect of human nature that is encourage by anonymity.

agonus

Wuz:

That, my friend, is what as known as a self-fulfilling prophecy... just like "persecution" and 1914.

Aussie Oz

''If the roles were reversed, and we went to JW discussion boards or even a kingdom hall to express our views, how long would our presence be tolerated?''

You cant get on most of their pro JW sites or groups without providing proofs as to who you really are. Say anything remotly negitive and you will get kicked off.

I too have no problem with those who search for answers and question, but hypocrits who only wish to debate and accuse get what they sow as far as i am concerned. They know exactly what this site is and what they are doing.

that said, i pretty much dont look at any thread they now post or look at their comments...

oz

THE GLADIATOR

Violia

I came here still a JW , mostly in my head.

I do understand. When I first came here posting as myself, I had left the JWS but I was still looking at the merits of Christianity and other major religions. After much debating, I dismissed the whole concept of holy books and organized religion. I reinvented myself as a gladiator in order to enjoy the freedom of anonymity and have a light hearted approach. That does wear thin after a while and something more meaningful is needed to continue posting. This forum has been of great help mentally and emotionally.

Aussie Oz

I too have no problem with those who search for answers and question,

but hypocrites who only wish to debate and accuse get what they sow as far as i am concerned.

You raise an interesting point. Having dismissed the merits of religion, I have over the years done my fair share of Christian baiting. Mostly out of genuine frustration at their unfounded declarations and inconsistency. At other times purely for fun. After much soul searching, despite not having a soul, I have endeavoured to be kinder.

I ask, how is Christian baiting any different from people claiming to be JWs coming on here and winding up ex JWs just for the the hell of it?

MMXIV

What is acceptable / not acceptable?

In my humble opinion I think it's ok to stand up for JW's on this site assuming logical debate. But if you wouldn't say it directly to someone's face then don't write it here.

I've never stood on a householder's door and accused them of being

This dense

or

rampant retardedness

so I'm not sure why BANE thinks this is a reasonable way to address people online. I know some of you make a sport out of exposing BANE's lack of JW credentials (and humorous it is too) so I won't tar the Borg with his brush but I have known JW's who said things or acted in a way that was acceptable in Dub-world but wouldn't be tolerated in the real world.

If I spoke to people in the street the way AIW or BANE write online I'd get a punch in the face - so I'd learn to shut the f**k up or tone it down. There is a wide berth between debate with banter and judgemental baiting.

MMXIV

Is it unacceptable to stand up for Jehovah's Witnesses on a site called Jehovah's-Witness.net?

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