Several years ago, I was studying the Bible (JW literature) with an MS from the local congregation. I happened to mention that I had several pen pals who were incarcerated in various prisons. No matter what crimes they committed, I said I saw them as fellow human being who deserved to have a friend to write to. He told me that an Elder in a former congregation didn't believe in doing anything to help inmates because 'They are in there for a reason'. To me that showed a hard-hearted, indifferent attitude totally unlike the way Jesus would have treated an incarcerated person. This was one more incident that caused me to soon after stop studying. To this day, I continue to have long-standing penpal relationships with those prison inmates. I look at it as my own personal form of human-to-human 'ministry', and I don't 'count my time' while doing it.
An Elder said: 'They're in prison for a reason'
by NAVYTOWN 16 Replies latest jw friends
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punkofnice
'They are in there for a reason'.
Blimey o' rielly these JWs are observant!
The JWs are a high control cult and one of their methods of dealing with their fellow human beings is to shun them if they break a WBT$ rule. Unless the person is a paedophile.....then they recieve the corporation's backing and protection.
This shows to me that there is a hateful attitude prevailing in the most subtle of ways within their cult personality.
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prologos
There was a prisoner, a JW who had killed a sister that worked at a fast food joint, a sex crime, it appears. He was disfellowshipped of course, even if he was repentant, it was notorious, in the papers for weeks. so
An interested kind lady, a 'special pioneer' writes to him, and ends up marrying him.
comment of the DO: "She has to be disfellowshipped.Of course"
as a good jw, you do not talk, marry disfellowshipped ones.
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cantleave
I would have reminded him that Ratherfraud and his cronies were inside too.
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nicolaou
According to the Bible story (and it is just a story) Jesus visited fallen angels in prison. I think it was called Tartarus.
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Terry
As a Jehovah's Witness I was in jail and in Federal prison. I had a lot of time between 1967 and 1969 to get to know what
kind of people end up in prison and why.
First off, they are just like everybody else. They don't look like what the movies show us.
A great many people break the law all the time. The unlucky ones and the stupid ones get caught.
So, on the surface, you might say prisoners are unlucky and chalk it up to that. But--it goes deeper.
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Over a period of years I had an unfortunate opportunity to watch, listen and learn what a criminal is.
A criminal is a different breed of cat.
A criminal thinks differently, but is often very skilled at not acting differently. They blend in.
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A criminal can be skilled in social interactions. They can make friends easily.
But, with observation and skepticism, an intelligent person can begin to detect the inconsistencies.
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1, Nothing is ever THEIR fault. The criminal has an excuse for all that happens to them. You see, THEY are the victim (in their own mind.)
2. Criminals blame others. They nurse the wrongs done to them and have a sad story to lay on you to gain your sympathy.
They've told it a thousand time and it is a smooth and compelling story.
3. Criminals can size you up and discover your weaknessness in less than five minutes.
They will use your weaknesses to exploit and manipulate you.
While this is happening, you'll feel like a million dollars. You'll feel charitable and useful and benevolent.
4. Criminals have black and white opinions on EVERYTHING. The more ignorant they are, the more opinions they share.
They don't think they are smarter than everybody else--they KNOW they are smarter than everybody else (in their mind.)
5. Criminals are lazy. They are opportunists. They are like the alligator floating in the river with only their eyes above the surface
watching . . . watching and waiting for any opportunity at all.
6. Criminals fake human emotions, but they are as dead as a beaver hat inside. They care only about themselves.
The rest is just a show for your sake.
7. Criminals need your help. Yeah, YOU. They will appeal to you and you will really WANT to help them.
I know from experience. I wanted to help Hajim. He had questions he needed answered. He was polite, soft-spoken and humble.
I swallowed the bait and found myself trapped and attacked and violated before I even knew something awful was happening!
Fool me once: shame on you. Fool me twice: shame on me.
That's all the advice I can give from my own experience. Take it for whatever you think it is worth.
I only wish somebody had given me advice.
Before I went into prison, I called a Brother on the phone who had recently been paroled after 2 years as a conscientious objector.
I asked for any advice he might help me with.
He was quiet for second or two, and then he said, "No, just do your time and do as you're told."
Well, thanks a lot. You were a BIG help!
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berrygerry
Terry:
Was this for conscientious objector as a JW?
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Terry
Yes, Berrygerry.
I was 20 years old when I was sentenced and 22 when I was paroled.
I wrote about all this in my book:
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hoser
Terry :
Your description of a criminal sounds just like a circuit overseer I used to know.
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cultBgone
Terry, so sorry you had to experience that.
Your description of a true Criminal is also what we call a Con Artist or confidence man...tricksters and professional liars.
And in reading your description, it defined Some Elders I Have Known, The GB, and my ex who used to be an elder. Don't know if he learned his con man ways from them or if he helped groom others.
