AGREE or DISagree with the following statement...

by Terry 10 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Terry

  AGREE or Disagree with the following statement (and say why):

  Great Churches attract Great people. Goofy Churches attract Goofy people. Crackpot Churches attract Crackpots. etc. etc.

  Agree or Disagree?

  People who are already loving, caring, ethical and pious seek out an institution (religion) which advertises itself as THE BEST PLACE to experience the highest behavior model: church.

  The Religion (or church) then takes credit for their fine qualities and attributes it to the theology! In other words, the tail wags the dog.

  We tend to give a lot of lip service to Religion for improving mankind when, I believe, with few possible exceptions, religion merely attracts such a large number of PREDISPOSED GOOD PEOPLE that it ends up being a place where non-functioning members are either reformed or kicked out--just like private schools. Religion doesn't make anybody good or better. It simply amplifies the already-existing qualities into organizational attributes and claims credit.

  The "teachings" and beliefs and faith part of religion is just window-dressing and a justification for already caring, loving, moral people.

  When we decided to put 3 of our children in the finest school possible we turned to private schools with the best reputation. Nothing wrong with that, right?

  Upon investigation I discovered something rather interesting.

  Really good schools only take the BEST students in the first place---the do not MAKE them great.

  The child wanting to gain entrance is tested, interviewed and reviewed extensively BEFORE being allowed to enroll.

  In other words there is a FILTER in place.

  Here is the principle I discovered which I want to USE AS AN ANALOGY for the statement I'm going to make in a minute.

  The principle is this: BY putting already great students into a school and then taking credit for making them great a GOOD SCHOOL is just a warehouse for the "best" (already) students! The corollary is that any student who falls behind is ASKED TO LEAVE! Otherwise, the school loses its status!
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  Terry

  The corollary is that deeply Loyal people gravitate toward religions which demand deep loyalty.

  Hence: those who remain as JW's even after they know the truth about the Truth--are victims of THEIR OWN LOYALTY!

  A Loyal person (by nature) cannot, in fact, commit what is perceived as a Disloyal act!!
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  I agree with you Terry

  This has been my contention with the WT for some time now. When you have a mentality like WT, that everyone except Jehovah's Witnesses are wicked and under Satan's influence, this current life sucks, there's no happiness to be found now, you long for the demise of this world and billions of people living on it, etc., then it only stands to reason that people with similiar thinking will be attracted to the religion. People who do not have that thinking will not find anything attractive about JWs.

  Also, a person who is more loyal to men than God will feel at home with WT.

  WT only wants people who will show unwavering devotion to the Organization, even when their conscience and the Bible tells them the Org. is dead wrong. Eventually, those who experience a massive conflict between Organizational procedure and their conscience will leave. What's left is exactly what WT wants.

  There's no big mystery to it.

  JWs brag that you can go to any kingdom hall, anywhere in the world, and ALL JWs will give the same answers to questions and think in the same way. Really, what other way can it be? The WT has no tolerance for dissent or critical thinking, nor does it allow for any latitude of opinion. You think and act as WT dictates- or you're out! The WT likes to claim that this is the result of god's blessing and proves this is the truth. The hard, cold fact is the WT hand-picks people who conform to this mindset. Those that cannot, or will not, conform either leave willingly or are shown the door by force.
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  fakesmile

  dont agree. money is the great equilizer. a big enough "donation" can open the doors of harvard. and with the right connections even george bush can be a president.
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  Tater-T

  I disagree .. because there are no great churches..

  I don't think people that go to church.. give it much thought... I agree with some of what you are saying but it's a small percentage..
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  The other thing to consider is this: atheists can be, and are, decent, loving, kind, moral people who lead good lives....all without a religion.

  Contrast this with the "good" people in religions throughout history and currently who have done the most barbarous, unthinkable things imaginable- all for god. Their religion was not only incapable of making them act in a morally sound way- it was the driving force behind the evil.

  "Men, in order to do evil, must first believe that what they are doing is good." -Alexander Solzhenitsyn
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  Simon

  I agree - organizations in general follow that trend: good companies tend to hire good people.

  If a religious belief is crackpot, well ... more crackpot than the other religious beliefs (which are all crackpot, just we're more used to them) then they will attact crackpots because they are the only people such a belief system will appeal to.

  Also, the 'good schools' description is spot on: great schools make the biggest difference based on what they have coming in, they don't select the best.
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  DATA-DOG

  Ok, so what about born-ins with no choice in the matter? Imagine if a private school allowed students who married the choice of living on campus and working as teachers for the school. Any children they had are automatically enrolled. Did the child make a conscious choice to join? What happens when you discover the cirriculum doesn't suit your personality?

  I agree with ADCMS for the most part. There are many who are never forcibly removed. They are just forgotten about. The end result is the same. The WTBTS gets the type of people they want.

  Except for being born in, I think that water finds it's own level.
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  LisaRose

  Agree, partially. Yes, a good school attracts good students, but how did they come to attract such good students? They were at some point a new school, they had to build up a reputation before they could attract the best. And they would not keep a good reputation if they didn't give their great students a great education. Even great students meet a great school to bring out their best qualities.

  Equally, a good church will attract good people, but if the church does not not continue to meet the spiritual needs of the people and bring out their best qualities, they will leave. I believe I am a good person, I always wanted to do good and be good, but being a JW did not bring out my best, I hated field service, and did the bare minimum. The dubs did not bring out my best or make me a better person, I did not grow or mature spiritually or contribute to society in any way.
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  Tater-T

  @ data dog was about to make same point..

  I also disagree .. in that said churches create their followers according to their kind.... belief systems are developed

  I realize exceptions, some do seek out new churches.. but for the most part people are born in, or through social peer pressure attend what ever necessary to belong..