Who Are We ?

Dia

I'm interested in exploring a few things. To try to keep these two topics separate, I'm going to attribute the letters A and B to them. A for 'who's on the board?' and B for 'Who are JWs?'

A - WHO'S ON THE BOARD?

After chatting for awhile, I see that we on the board fall into a few categories:

A1) We were raised in it without our consent.

A2) We discovered it as adults and joined. And later left - for various reason?

A3) Maybe we're not ex, but we're on the board and curious.

B - WHO ARE JWS?

It has been suggested that JWs have a definable personality problem and it has been suggested that we can 'capture' the essence of who becomes a JW. I suspect the way to start coming to a clearer picture of that would be to just try listing things that we KNOW about JWs as a group.

I'll start. Please add.

B1) JWs are comfortable and unashamed of cheating on some legal things like taxes.

B2) JWs like to participate in the 'goodies' of various holidays, without being 'part of' them. They do so by 'celebrating' on a nearby date and leaving out 'symbols' of the holiday.

B3) JWs have very superficial relationships with other JWs and must like it that way?

B4) JWs have a deep need to believe that they have a superior kind of knowledge about things in the Bible.

B5) JWs comfortably and gullibly believe that a group of unnamed, unidentified group of people have an insider relationship with God that only they and a few special 'others' have access to. They cling to this belief SO deeply that they will even sacrifice the health and well-being of their own children and all of their social connections for it.

B6) A friend said that a characteristic trait that she would attribute to JWs would be 'self-loathing'.

Your turn.

Edited by - Dia on 9 August 2002 8:19:17

Edited by - Dia on 9 August 2002 8:22:25

Vivamus

Well, I personally am an A2.

Here is an extra B type:

B7) JW who are not comfortable in the Borg, but are afraid to leave, due to various reasons. Most feared would be shunning.

Viv.

Matty

I am an A1

How bout this:

B8) JW are deeply frightened of the outside world, thinking that everyone who is not a JW is "out to get them". They do their level best to cocoon themselves and their family from outside influence.

sadiejive

A3) Maybe we're not ex, but we're on the board and curious

I'd like to add to this: ...and haven't left the borg because of the risk of losing most all family and friends.

I am an A2 (hides head in embarrassment).

Here's another B type:

***JWs already were BEFOREhand of an arrogant nature. People who already looked down on the world with intolerance, with a self-righteous attitude. By being a JW, they feed this "superiority complex" by believing that God has selected them to be a part of "his ONLY true followers"; a select few who are better and spiritually cleaner than the rest of the world. They are, in God's eyes, superior to the world that they had ALREADY hated and despised prior to commiting themselves to this religion.

SYN

A1, damnit!

Dia

I like that one about having an arrogant nature. Let's make that B9.

B10) Some ? (many??) JWs suffer from 'compulsions'. They have little or no understanding of their compulsions and they don't want any. Neither do they want to admit that they have them. They turn to the thin, often useless, strategies of the WTS for dealing with them and when that doesn't work, they assign them to Satan or to demons.

Dizzy Cat

A2 ..... hehe

Some very good "B" points there and I particularly agree with sadiejive ..... I see this trate within myself sadly and have to fight against it. I still think that the world has many evils, but finally I am starting to see the good within people & society again.

LizardSnot

Me...I'm an A1

A1) We were raised in it without our consent.

As far as who JW's are let me comment on the following:

B1) JWs are comfortable and unashamed of cheating on some legal things like taxes.

I dont think this type of thinking is limited to JW's...ie....Adelphia and Enron

B2) JWs like to participate in the 'goodies' of various holidays, without being 'part of' them. They do so by 'celebrating' on a nearby date and leaving out 'symbols' of the holiday.

I'll agree with this one ;)

B3) JWs have very superficial relationships with other JWs and must like it that way?

Personally, I have a handfull of what I consider to be true friends...I cant really get into the typical JW's head and comment on this one

B4) JWs have a deep need to believe that they have a superior kind of knowledge about things in the Bible.

I totally disagree with this...anyone who truly wants to have bible knowledge wouldnt s uccumb to the threats of a society that says...believe it this way or else ;)

B5) JWs comfortably and gullibly believe that a group of unnamed, unidentified group of people have an insider relationship with God that only they and a few special 'others' have access to. They cling to this belief SO deeply that they will even sacrifice the health and well-being of their own children and all of their social connections for it.

This is the one that struck me the hardest...its hard enough to put faith in God and let him do his work in our lives...but to put faith in a middleman who says that God speaks thru him....that is stupidity and furthermore is a mark of someone who simply doesnt want to think for himself.

B6) A friend said that a characteristic trait that she would attribute to JWs would be 'self-loathing'.

I'm not sure how to comment on this one...but I will say that when I was a dub...my self confidence was at its all time low.

love and kisses,

Lizard

Edited by - LizardSnot on 9 August 2002 10:15:35

Larry

A1) We were raised in it without our consent.

Regarding:

B1) JWs are comfortable and unashamed of cheating on some legal things like taxes -

I knew of some Bethelites who were in a car accident and the driver was not covered in the rental car insurance. So of course they had to lie on the accident report in order for them to be covered b/c the car was totaled.

B2) JWs like to participate in the 'goodies' of various holidays, without being 'part of' them. They do so by 'celebrating' on a nearby date and leaving out 'symbols' of the holiday.

True, my former supervisor asked me why I could accept a x-mas bonus when I didn't celebrate x-mas? She also said out of all the years she worked there, only one JW ever turned down a x-mas bonus. I said "I don't look at it as a x-mas bonus but as an end of the year appreciation check :)

B3) JWs have very superficial relationships with other JWs and must like it that way?

Kinda - I recall a 'good' buddy of mine was real close with an elder from another congregation. But once that elder left or got booted, this guy turned on him instantly! He had no mercy or consideration for him what so ever. Of course the same thing happened to me, but that's another story :)

B4) JWs have a deep need to believe that they have a superior kind of knowledge about things in the Bible.

Yeah, there is this Dub on my job, but he doesn't know I'm an ex-jw. I've heard him curse and stuff, b/c he was trying to act cool around me. Anyway, as I was talking to another co-worker about something biblical, she said let me ask 'so and so' he knows his bible. So she asked him and he came out with this attitude like 'how can I help you, the bible is my thing'. So yes, many think they know their bible, but they only know there bible more than most because many folks don't read the bible. He is only knowledgeable by default :)

Peace - LL

Dia

11) (hope I have the count right on this one) JWs are arguementative. They like to argue and the love to be right.

12) JWs are cut off from their emotions. They 'love' and 'hate' with their heads and not their hearts.

Who Are We ?

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