Would witnesses do anything they are told?

by sleepy 21 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  blondie

  If that is the WTS goal, to have members that will blindly follow anything they say, then they will have to weed out quite a few more members. The elders are stepping down (or aside) in record numbers because they can't fake it any more. Ministerial servants are scarcer than ever before and the elders are being told they will have to do those tasks (no sisters or unqualified brothers) no matter how menial the task, including handling mikes. (Not that the elders listen to the CO)

  More people will just try to fade away as the demands create more and more dissonance in the rank and file. Anyone who speaks up will be crushed and they know it.

  Talk is talk. Actions are the real way to tell how the wind is blowing. When was the last time someone heard from the platform that people who associated with the DF'd and DA'd would be DF'd themselves? Is that because the biggest offenders of this directive are the elders themselves and their families? How can you go to a R&F family and tell them that "you will be DF'd if you don't stop associating with your DF'd family member" when the R&F family knows of 2 elders who are doing the same thing they are? They are surely not going to DF the elders.

  Just remember that your family member will say anything to get you back in a position where they can freely associate with you. They don't care if you come back and pretend you really believe. After all, they are picking and choosing what they choose to "eat from the spiritual table" set before them.

  There is a phrase out there (is it AA) that says to "fake it till you make it." I never liked that one.
• 

  flower

  LOL @ Simon.

  Actually, many of us here are the answer to your question Sleepy. If we did everything we were told active jws would never have taken it upon themselves to come here, or read apostate books or talk to df'd people.

  Also those df'd for wrongdoing dont do as they are told and thats tens of thousands of loyal witnesses.

  They break so many of the societys rules every day that many are living under so much guilt and depression. I have no reason to believe that the society could introduce something dramatically new (ie killing people) and have anyone take it seriously or follow their rules on that. No matter how carefully worded it is or how well they tie it to a scripture I dont know a witness alive that would go for it.

  The society would never do that anyway. Their success has been based till now on subtlety. Sure they let people die because of the blood issue but they give the doctors the opportunity to save them by doing all they can without blood. They get credit from the outside world as being different from other cults because they dont keep their people from going to doctors and trying to save their lives.

  flower
• 

  Marilyn

  :::::::::::::They don't care if you come back and pretend you really believe.

  Ain't that the truth??? I've been trying to make the WTS comprehend that for years. They don't appear to appreciate that its much harder if not impossible to believe it the second time around. I guess they think it isn't that bad to pretend. Kinda like put on a happy face and you will feel happy. I've corresponded with them about this and told them I can't make myself believe and surely they don't want me back in the congregation if I don't really believe it. It's like talking to a brick wall. They say; well it's up to you.

  Basically they have no answer to this problem. They created the disfellowshipping willy nilly situation and like the blood doctrine they have no where to go but forward and stuff the lot of us.

  Anyway 20 yrs down the track I'm not wanted back by most of my family. I've been forced to stand up to them too many times and they now can't stand me - I don't think they even know why they hate me. Probably because I won't be a good girl and play dead.

  Marilyn
• 

  Xenu

  Simon:
  Many visions of Yeshua can be attributed to medication. I prefer herbal remedies myself.

  dmouse:
  If Satan killed God, I would worship Satan, for if he killed God,
  God would be father of the Lie.
• 

  Francois

  "The danger of this cult is much more subtle and directly comparing it to other violent cults betrays a lack of understanding of their real nature." Or so says Pathofthorns.

  In a series of interviews being done for an IAMNEW (International Association and Mutual Network of Ex Witnesses), the following question was asked: If the Watchtower directed publishers to arm themselves and go to the nearest church during services and open fire, would you do it?

  The most common answer to this question was, "The society would never say that, but if they told us to do it, I would." Chilling, isn't it? And I don't think I've got a lack of understanding of their "real nature."

  They are a dangerous and divisive cult and no claim to the opposite can alter that fact. Jim Jones cult gave no clue they were capable of mass suicide until they actually did it. The same holds true with the Witnesses in my opinion. Give 'em all guns and tell 'em that Jehovah told the GB to arm the publishers and go out and help get Armaggedon started and they'd do it in a heart beat.

  It's a mistake IMHO to underestimate the JWs appetite for blood, nor overestimate their dedication to peace.

  Francois
• 

  Beck_Melbourne

  It's all about the money! The GB wouldn't dare introduce a new practice, least of all a threatening one..unless there was a profit to be made.

  Would the witnesses do it? Or would they twig something is not right?

  If there is room for 'twigging' the GB wouldn't do it...the risk of a decline in numbers would affect their monetary interests!

  Thats my 2 cents worth...except you don't get 2 cents anymore!

  Beck
• 

  Prisca

  Beck,

  maybe we should round that up to 5 cents!
• 

  Thirdson

  I've asked this myself and wonder how far JWs would go. They are prepared to sacrifice children over the blood doctrine. They do believe that God kills innocent children as when the Bible claims God directed the Israelites to kill men, women and children, all of them, no survivors. They believe that God is going to kill 99.9% of the world's population including babies and children.

  With such extreme and immoral views I wonder if in desperation for something the happen, the "spirit directed" leadership said in a letter to all congregations that JWs are being directed to further the work and initiate God' action and this includes burning down churches of Babylonish religions.

  I doubt all would follow such directives but some would. However, such commands and directives would leak via the Internet long before such actions could be taken. The leaders would be foolish to attempt to coerce such extreme measures.

  Thirdson
• 

  sleepy

  When I first started taking the witness religion seriously , when I was about 17 ,a pioneer brother who I was working with asked me "would you do anything God asked?"
  I said "no , only if it was reasonable."
  He said that anything God asked would by definition, be reasonable.
  Or in other words , as long as God asks it , its the right thing to do.
  I didn't see that as logical then , and that kind of thinking gradualy lead to my leaving.
  May witnesses do think the org. is God.
  If they think like that brother , then anything they ask must be right, in their minds.

  "These people are lost, but you have to give them at least a small measure of credit. To even ask if they would kill under orders from the GB or spit on householders is just plain ridiculous and hypothetical beyond reason."

  These things may sound stupid , but already witnesses are doing very similair things.
  I am shunned , how big a difference betwwen turning away from a person, or spiting at them?
  Parents have let their children die, how fine a line between letting people die and killing them?

  Maybe there are two camps of witnesses.
  Those who believe it because they think its logical and backed up by evidence.If evidence was lacking they would leave.

  Those who believe it because they think its Gods word and will do anything asked of them.If evidence was lacking they would strenghten their faith.

  Those of the former camp gradualy get here.
  The others,are just waiting for new orders.
• 

  mouthy

  I was warned by an Ex curcuit servant- to take care.I am known as a "chief Apostate"in my area.He said that many ex drug addicts- mentally ill- are being converted into the BORG- one of them may figure they are doing JAH a service to bump me off. He says some of the followers HE met whilst a JW could very easily feel it would be a good cause. Because of my big mouth on T.V -newspapers etc.
  I want to add I do love them -many of my loved ones are still there.