Apostates, brighter than the average witness?

by sleepy 21 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  sleepy

  The question I asked ,
  "What do you reckon, are we brainer than people who remain witnesses?"
  Notice the word remain, implying that by making our decision we have grown in mental stature, at least in regard.

  amccllough
  "And if you are going to make the assertion that their is a difference in intelligence, than run your posts through a spell check to catch words like "propergannda", it might add a little credence to your claim."
  Intelligence is linked to reasoning abilty not knowledge of facts.
  But knowledge of facts can alter your thinking ability.

  One point I'd like to make is that many choose not to think about important issues ,such as thoose witnesses belive in 1914 etc.
  By opting out of thinking they are thus not using their intelligence and can be considered unintelligent.

  We were all there once.I don't see it as proud or arragant to point the fact out that i was using my Brain in deciding not to be a witness.It's just the way it is.

  I believe the decision to remain a witness or not is one of the most important you can make in your life.
  It is showing a gross lack of judgement to become or remain as a Jehovahs witness.
  Therefore being a witness as I was and did do even though I was brought up as one it was still my choise was an unintelligent decision.
• 

  amccullough

  ...a spell check to catch words like "propergannda", it might add a little credence to your claim."
  Intelligence is linked to reasoning abilty not knowledge of facts.

  Intelligence is the ability to learn facts and skills and apply them, especially when this ability is highly developed. Having an 8th grade spelling capability would definitely be considered a requisite. Not saying that you are not intelligent, just that it might, again, add credence to your claim.

  Unless you have done an extensive amount of case studies on JWs and why they remain JWs despite whatever falsehoods you can throw at them, then making statements like

  It is showing a gross lack of judgement to become or remain as a Jehovahs witness.

  is unfounded and an insult to the JWs, especially those who are much more intelligent than either of us.
• 

  ISP

  Yeah I would say that by and large exJWs are 'brighter'. However, a fair number of exJWs were booted for shagging and stuff and have since found that it was all crap!

  ISP
• 

  rhett

  There are idiot apostates as well as people who are still members. As to which group contains more is anyone's guess and can't really be decided upon unless all members of both groups sit down and take an IQ test.

  I don't need to fight
  To prove I'm right
  I don't need to be forgiven.
• 

  LB

  Well if apostates are smarter than witnesses, then people who never become witnesses must be way smarter than apostates....

  
  Never Squat With Yer Spurs On
• 

  amccullough

  Yeah, I would have to say that by and large anyone posting that ex-JWs are brighter is very unintelligent. Hey, if everyone else is making generalizations, so can I!

  Great points rhett and LB...
• 

  garybuss

  I can't think I am more intelligent that practicing Witnesses. I can think I quit suppressing my own intelligence. I quit filtering my intake of information. I read several hundred nonfiction books and contemplated what I read. I accumulated a fairly complete library of Watch Tower Publishing Company books and read most of those as well.

  I took college courses and graduate level brokerage and investment courses after I discontinued my association with the Watch Tower group as well.

  Now I am more informed about influence, persuasion and Watch Tower history than any Witness I ever knew. My bull shit detectors start flashing red two miles away.

  It is not my ignorance that they fear.
  
  gb
• 

  Prisca

  I'd say it comes down to emotional intelligence.

  There are JWs who realise the 1914 doctrine is unsupportable. There are JWs who don't believe the FDS are directed by God. And there are many others who have their suspicions, but don't have the initiative or courage to look into their beliefs.

  The ex-JW who leaves generally does so because they have had the fortitude to investigate, examine and act upon what they have learnt.

  It's one thing to know something. It's another to do something about it.
• 

  sleepy

  Of course there are idiots in either group.
  I was thinking particually of people who were able to work out it was not the truth even though they have been indoctrinated since birth.

  People left for other reasons too , and found out afterward, with a more reseptive mind that it wasn't the truth.

  LB"Well if apostates are smarter than witnesses, then people who never become witnesses must be way smarter than apostates"

  I'm talking of people often brought up as witnesses and who have been able to see that the whole world viewpoint of everyone around them is wrong.Maybe I made my post to general but I did mention it. Of course people do reject Jehovahs witnesses because it doesn't make sense to them, and yes in that situation they are showing more intelligence.You will find that a large number of people who became witnesses did so when they were going through a low emotional state in their lives, and wanted something to beleive, they allowed and continue to allow emtional feelings to get the better of their reasoning ability.
  Many people who arn't witnesses do exactly the same hence most people in the world belong to some religion or other.

  "Yeah, I would have to say that by and large anyone posting that ex-JWs are brighter is very unintelligent. Hey, if everyone else is making generalizations, so can I!"

  Read the title of my post again.It raises a question then presents a view point which is raised in order to disscuss.
  If you like to make personnal attacks then fair enough but I won't pretend to enjoy it.

  I do belive that failure to question issues in life is a big indicator of how deeply a person may think.
  When I read watchtower literature I find it difficult to believe that I once belived it.The way I see things and view information has changed for the better now.Which in general has made me a more insightful person.
  Of course we all do silly things and make mistakes, but life as a witness is not like not being able to do your sums correctly or not being able to learn the accepted spelling of a word.Is is something that effects your life greatly , and witnesses are failing to question what they learn, which is a big mistake.

  Often you will find that those who turn apostate and leave the truth for doctrinal , scientific or similair issues were ones who often did research ,tried to give informative talks and tried to understand what they believed and why.They are often labeled as proud by other witnesses and the society.
  But I congratulate you people for what you have done.
  There is enought shunning and bad egging from the witnesses.Its good to be happy about what you have accomplished.
• 

  sleepy

  Metatron said this intheir own post, which is what I found here in Britian also,

  "Years ago, when my mom was alive, she was very active
  in the door to door work. She always had bible studies.
  But she started noticing a change in the kind of people
  being studied with. There were fewer middle class
  intact families - and more 'damaged' people, often on welfare.

  As she bluntly pointed out, fewer 'quality' people, capable
  of standing on their own and more people with long term
  problems - who were likely to remain dependent on others, emotionally
  or otherwise.

  Blunt as she was, she didn't want to call them 'losers'!

  And so here we are,
  Most (east coast) congregations I'm familiar with
  are loaded with weak, childlike people who have little
  ability to think or reason in confronting the practical
  demands of life. Such as:

  Young married teenagers with no career skills or emotional maturity

  Older married Witnesses with 'I got my green card, so long sucker'
  mates ("I met a nice sister in Russia/South America/East Europe")

  Brothers working three part time jobs (no college, etc)

  People with chronic emotional problems who evangelize out of the
  mainstream remedies ("You have multiple personalities/ are
  are allergic to everything/ were abused by Satanists....")

  Depressed old timers who would never admit, out loud, that they've
  been screwed

  Burdened, tired, broke single moms - who will have their kids
  disfellowshipped, just as soon as the elders get around to it.

  Get rich quick Amway/Pyramid schemers

  Burned out elders, faking it, too cowardly to quit

  Teenagers, rebelling against all of it, but so lacking in
  practical life skills, that the organization will shadow
  them for life.

  and countless bad marriages.

  Too bad for the Society,
  Their goal is control, to keep people away from thinking skills

  and the above is the fruitage

  Good God!, They'd be better off watching Oprah! (shudder!)

  metatron"