Some of them are brainwashed. Some were bad already.
I’ve been thinking about why I've been so intolerant of JWs lately. Weary of their prattle? Maybe. Perhaps I'm beginning to believe that the people themselves are bad, and not the WT alone.
That seems very ignorant of me, but think about this.
A man is abusive towards his wife before becoming a witness. When he studies with the Witnesses, the rigidity and stoicism of the Witness life beats a new behavior in him. But, the tendencies are still there to be abusive, although he may not be physically so to his wife anymore.
He may use his newfound religion to berate people. He may use the "conscience" argument to control people. Although he is an abusive man, he could rise through the ranks of the Witnesses, all the time still being that man who used to throw his wife around.
He may do terrible things as a JW MS, Elder, etc. (we all know the type of fellow I'm talking about). But, who is to be faulted for his behavior? The WT, which indoctrinated him to be a punisher of anyone for any reason, or the person he was and still is?
Bad men inhabit the Watchtower. We all agree on that. But, how much can we fault the WT for? Isn't some of it the person's fault as well? Where is the dividing line between sins of the WT and sins of the individual? Can't the argument be that bad men in the Watchtower were going to be bad men anyway?
That's what I was thinking about. Kismet got me thinking about it when he commented on a thread that had a witness defending the JWs over Dateline. I immediately responded what an asshole the fellow was (to me). Kismet wondered how many of us would have gave the same explanation ten years ago.
I remember back, and can't think of a time that I hated people as much as some do in the WT. Just read the Silentlambs Guest Book, for starters. I used to talk to DF'd people, pushed the envelope, made decisions based on love and not WT fashion, and generally loved people. There were people like me, too.
But, those who vehemently defend the Watchtower carry some of the blame for the wrongs in it, although they may be brainwashed. I know people who are good people as witnesses, and would never defend the WT on the Dateline issue. But, I've seen a lot of bad men come out of the woodwork, defending an indefensible position: that the WT is blameless as to the pedophile issue.
I feel that if you are a JW, you have to answer as a JW. If you defend a wrong position, then be prepared for the dissenting opinion. I have no real hatred for JWs, but I'm weary of trying to reason with unreasonable people. Sometimes I just want to say, 'F**k 'em.'
But, who is responsible? The person or the WT?
ashi