"Deep down inside even they know it is BS." Discuss

by rory-ks 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  rory-ks

  Nope, Bungi Bill's interesting statement from this post didn't take, so I'll start its own.

  From my own experience, I hated the field ministry. It might just be because of the kind of character I am, whatever, I never was able to overcome that feeling of dread every time I went door-to-door. I felt aware of how much people disliked having strangers cold-calling trying to sell them something. Street witnessing even more so - hardly anyone likes to be accosted on the street. Underneath it all was this over-riding feeling that ultimately it was Jehovah that was going to sort out who made it and who didn't, and that the little bit of preaching that I was doing wasn't going to make any difference to his decision. I don't think I believed that all these people were going to suffer for it for the want of being preached to by one of Jehovah's Witnesses. That must (partly) be the BS that 'deep down inside even they know.'

  What are your thoughts and experiences on the statement, "Deep down inside even they know it is BS."
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  Phizzy

  "Deep down inside even they know it is BS."

  I think that is true of so very many who are still in, and still in for a variety of reasons, which we have discussed on other threads. I am confident your words are true because of many a conversation I had whilst still in myself, and since leaving.

  Even two real Uber-JW's, a very long serving Elder and his wife, that I spoke to, simply smiled and agreed when I said the crap about the Conventions in the 1920's fulfilling Bible prophecy was B.S.

  The problem is that this couple ,and many many like them, ignore the Cognitive Dissonance they feel, shoving it deep down by such "reasoning" that Jehovah will explain in the end. Such reasoning is very circular, with a gap in the circle.

  They start by presuming it is the "truth", ( a fallacy) then find a gap i.e as above, which obviously is not truth, they leap this gap and get to "its still God's Organization".

  Their are a good number of thinking JW's ( that is not an oxymoron in all cases) who are waking up to the blatant non-Scriptural claims and teachings of recent times, you can find a bunch on the Site "Beroean Pickets", and there must be many more.

  The problem is that there is no way to leave the cult with dignity and family unscathed, such ones know this, and so hesitiate, perhaps hoping for a reform of the JW "religion". The problem is that reform that would make the WT/JW religion close to what the Bible actually teaches is impossible, they would have to abandon all their unique teachings, and then why should anyone stay, let alone join ?
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  Phizzy

  Another conversation I had a few weeks ago with yet another long time JW really struck me some time afterward as strange, and as showing that this sister was waking up to a degree.

  The pertinent bit of conversation was about when she dies her desire to be buried in her home village, where her family are, fair enough, but she then went on about how nice it would be for all her nephews and nieces etc who happen to live in that area get laid to rest eventually in the same plot !

  This is saying the end will not come, in her view, for many many decades. Yet she is one who has been preaching the closeness of the "End" for over 60 years !

  Deep down, perhaps not so deep now, she knows it is BS !
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  Laika

  I'm not sure they know it's BS, but certainly many of them are not nearly as confident as they appear. The fear and loathing of apostates is rooted in this concern, I think.
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  notsurewheretogo

  I agree in that 70% of dubs think it is not true or have doubts as they are in for the social aspect...

  The proof in that is in each cong you have a hardcore select who lap up every meeting and are out on field circus every week...they are about 30%...the other 70% attend every so often, go out on the ministry just for the coffee and chitchat...it is obvious to me when I was in.

  IF they all did believe it they would all be pioneers...

  But I will tell you that the GB and the higher echolons in Bethel believe it al 100%...as Don Cameron says in his excellent book...they are "Captives to a Concept"....that concept is that God has chosen them to be His channel of communication...no matter what!
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  punkofnice

  The trouble with 'deep down' is, it's buried deep within and needs some digging up.

  Each time there is an inkling of something buried, the WBT$ comes along and throws another load of dirt over it to cover it up.

  Thought reform, mind control and plain old confirmation bias are powerful against admitting you were wrong and conned by the WBT$.
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  KateWild

  During the time that I was in, I was sincere right to the core. Deep down it was the truth. As soon as I had doubts about anything I raised them, I did not keep anything deep down. Needless to say I ended up Df'd.

  Not all JWs know it's all nonsense deep down, I did stick a few things on the shelf mind. But they were there in plain view, not buried deep down. Having said this I had my suspicions that others knew it was nonsense deep down and I can name ones that are lilkely atheists also in the BOrg, I think I am the minority in as far as burying things deep down.

  Kate xx
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  punkofnice

  Any inconsistancies and they 'Wait on Jehovah(TM)'.

  So sad.
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  patient

  I was in for nearly 30 years and never believed it ever ... always knew it could not be true .... but thought (as a kid/teenager) my parents are really smart people there must be some truth or merit to the whole charade ... but no as I have gone on in life and now look back I feel so much sadness that my parents although intelligent lacked any confidence in themselves and this "false hope" gave them a carrot to follow ... I have had indepth discussions with my mother who all but admits it is all BS but say " at 75 years old what can i do".....?"

  makes me very sad to have wasted 30 years of my life on one hand but I fell very grateful for the last 15 years of mental freedom

  As far as the current rank and file JWs I would say they all have doubts and probably 80% understand the reality that it is going nowhere but they are caught by the family/social trap of the religion or as my parents have given their whole life to it ... as an earlier poster said there is not any easy way out .. they are all ugly

  so my advice is if you are going out do it in style head held high loud and proud ... let them know you are making the right choice and not looking back!
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  Xanthippe

  A few weeks ago I mentioned an old friend who has started writing out of the blue after 25 years. She insists on 'witnessing' to me. I've covered 1914, generations, Xmas, higher ed. etc. Last time I talked about pedophiles and Candace Conti. No response in her next letter, she just talked about all her lovely JW friends. To my mind that is her making a decision, she doesn't care about doctrine or morality, she wants to stay in with her friends until she dies, even if it's all BS.