Why is there growth in the Jehovah's Witness relig

kenpodragon

One of the most amazing and disturbing events in human history, has got to be the time of the black plague. In which people were dying so fast and in such numbers that the authorities were unable to bury them fast enough. Disease in general has been a terrible part of the human race, even today. In the 1970's we never heard of AIDS, yet today we almost all know or have met someone with it. Even recently we have seen the "West Nile Virus" go from something we only read about to something that has grown nearer to our own home town. Basically, we have learned that disease is something humans will always deal with, as it grows throughout our culture. So when I think of these diseases, I think about how they spread. Did a God promote their existence and power so that they would grow faster, and then slower at times? Or was the growth caused by natural encounters between people and animals? Why do I wonder this?

Well for one thing, when I was a Witness I was told that the only way a organization like the Watchtower could grow would be through the power of God. That Jehovah was directing his people and making sure the message got to all corners of the earth. Which is something I believed, as the organization went from only few hundred to millions by the time I left. Is that true though, does growth need God's hand to ignite it?

Well keep in mind the immune system. Some people have a natural immunity from certain aliments, while others do not. So when a virus enters a culture, those with the power to fight the virus live, while the rest succumb to the virus and die. Did that mean that God had some play in it?

Not likely, as science has now shown through mapping of the genes that not everyone is 100% a like. For example, some families are more susceptible to heart disease or cancer, where as another family may be more open to diabetes and other traits. So basically, it seems that it only natural then to expect that in this world there will always be a certain portion open to certain viruses.

Now on this planet is over 6 billion people, and of those only 6 million are Witnesses. So what that tells me, is that about 5,994,000,000 people have an immune system in their mind to what the Witnesses preach. The other people had something missing, and thus they succumbed to the message. It could have been birth (born into it), depression, insecurities about life, lack of education, or any number of things. The things is, what this tells me is this.

Anything can spread in our society, anything! It does not matter if it is a disease, religion, fashion trend, or philosophy. Some where out there a certain percentage of people who are going to lack the immune system to fight it, and thus they will ingest the virus. What makes us different?

Well much like those children of ours that got their immunity shots young to make them strong, we got our taste of the religion enough to make us strong. By natural means, we made our immune system mentally strong enough, so that we could truly see what was a disease growing on it's own and what was truly a life of happiness.

My thought

cellomould

Hey kenpo,

I enjoyed your thoughts. There is much that can be said about disease pushing human populations to evolve. Very interesting stuff. Have you heard about the relations between malaria resistance and sickle cell anemia?

As I recall, there are two types of genetic mutations, both involving only one gene, that are common in African populations at great risk of contracting malaria. Both give increased resistance against malarial infections. But one mutation leaves people particularly vulnerable to sickle cell anemia. If a person has one copy of this recessive gene, they are quite healthy; two copies of this recessive gene causes their red blood cells to drastically change shape. This can be a fatal disease, but the benefits to the entire population are still apparent.

The other mutation has fewer side effects, to my knowledge.

Anyhow, back to the point of your article: Why is there growth in the JWs? Perhaps the survivors of this 'disease' will be better equipped to meet other challenges in life. That is a good point you make. I agree.

cellmould

kelsey007

Personally I do not think god had anything to do with it. Through out the history of man he has created a god to credit for good and a devil to credit for evil. If a man succeeds in business or sports "god had blessed him".

The United States credits god as having blessed them as a nation for their wealth and power. After 9-11 Bush wore out his usage of "the evil ones" in identifying the enemies of the U.S. And of course the enemies of the U.S. would label that nation as evil.

The JW's have a very slick sales organization. They have been very prolific publishers and clearly their growth has been from this relentless door to door ministry.

By the way: the devil made me write this post! LOL

kenpodragon

Kelsey

The devil makes me write all my post. To bad I did not believe in him any more. ;)

Take Care

Dragon

dannyboy

Dragon,

Thought-provoking post. I liked your points, especially the part about us not having immunity....never thought about that way before.

I've been reading through a book that I think is relevant to mention here, the title is something like "True Believers-The background on mass movements" (this isn't the exact title, but it's close). The author sets out compelling arguments about how folks (ie you and me and the rest around here) can get sucked into something like the Watchtower organization. Interesting parallels between our experiences and say, the Nazi's, Bolsheviks, Mussolini's group, and so on.

Have you noticed how many "extended" family groups "get the truth" (ie get sucked in)??? The role of family "pressure" if you will has got to be significant. And I've noticed how few in some cultures get sucked in (like in Pakistan and PRC (mainland China). The Watchtower message must sound defective to them.

I don't think we (ex-dubs) as a group are inordinately defective. Most of us are caring, thoughtful, sincere people who genuinely were/are trying to do the "right thing", but as you point out, got sucked into the "wrong" thing.

Anyway, thanks for the interesting and thought-provoking post.

---Dan

DocBob

Why is there growth in the JW religion? I think P.T. Barnum had the perfect explanation.

William Penwell

Religion appeals to our approval seeking self. That is OK but when you have an organization like the Watchtower that manipulates and uses these nature good qualities to their advantage, then that is what is refereed to as spiritual abuse.

Will

nancee park

There is good religion, bad to horrible (WTS included) religion, and mostly middling to boring religion. Also sometimes it is simply what the individual makes it be.

Sentinel

Dragon,

Thanks, I do appreciate your thoughts here. And, it makes sense to me. Personally, I was brought into contact with the bug (JW's) through my mother, at a very early and impressionable age. I became infected. I began to exhibit the behavior of the JDub. The changes were both very obvious, and yet, others were going on inside me, much more senister, which I did not even recognize until I got a bit older. The borg was attaching itself to every partical of my being. By the time I "knew" something was very wrong, I was trapped, totally encased in it's control over my being.

However, my inner soul was very strong. I managed to get free of this killing viral infection, but it was still in me. It was still latched onto my mind and heart. I had to fight it's control over my life. I suffered "withdrawal" symptoms. I felt very insecure. I had no self-esteem. I questioned my own beliefs and my own sanity.

Then, after years of constantly attempting to pull away, it happened. I broke the connection. It felt so great to be "well" again. I began to slowly heal, but the damage was extensive. It is now some 44 years since the original infection entered into me and took control. But, now I have eradicated all of the most harmful parts.

What remains is just enough to keep me from getting re-infected. My immune system is strong and they cannot penetrate me again. And, the fact that I was infected and survived has made me a much stronger and much better person all around.

Love and Light,

Sentinel/Karen

TTBoy

KenPo's not allowed to make any other posts - he makes too much sense.

Why is there growth in the Jehovah's Witness relig

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