Interesting post. I wrote something along those lines last year, using the word "Schadenfreude" which describes the glee and joy JWs find in wishing harm to their opposers.
Schadenfreude comes from the German words for damage (Schaden) and joy (Freude).
If you look through the literature, you'll see time and time again how the WTS describes how the destruction of wickedness will bring joy to the JWs. You'll see references, one after another, of how JWs are instructed to "be glad" when Jehovah brings vengeance against opposers.
Gives an interesting and sadistic twist to the term "The Happiest People on Earth", doesn't it? Especially when you consider what it is that brings them happiness.
The deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from cruelty.
Extreme cruelty.
Scully,
Just another word I was thinking of that fits that description. It is sad that anyone would teach "punishment" as joy. Makes you wonder how much of that hits the persons subconscious and affects other parts of there life, doesn't it.
In watching stories of murderers being put to death and hearing the thoughts of the family membersbefore and after the exucution one thing always stood out in my mind. The family members who witnessed the exucutions were never satisfied with the exucution. No matter what the murderer said in his final statement the family would belitle the statement. I saw that most victims were never fully satisfied with the punishment given to the culprit. They never felt justice was truly dealt.
Just as the view of JWs toward apostates- what would make ex-jws happy? What would have to happen to the WT to truly satisfy us? Just as the JW has a judgemental attitude toward apostates- wishing thier death, calling them evil- so too the apostates call the GB evil calling for their demise.. Would the JW be happier if apostates no longer existed? I don't think so. Why? They are trained to have that enemy. Would the average JW truly be happy in the new order when all believe as they do? I doubt it- who will they hate then? On the other hand- will the apostate be happy if the WT changes their policy toward pediphiles? Probably not. Most want to see the whole doctrine changed. Then, if the WT changed its entire doctrine would the apostate be happy? I doubt it. We would still have the need to grumble about our experiences with the WT- We might shout with glee that the big bad org fell- but them we would have a void. Where could we then place our hate? We would at one point tire of saying "they did not fall soon enough" The fall was not hard enough" "look at all the poor people that suffered in the org for over a century"
Dragon is right in my opinion- until we can love without judgement we will never find justice....
I think there is something inherently evil in wishing harm on another. I see the practice of hoping someone suffers because you do not agree with them, as a hateful comment.
I wholeheartedly agree. That is certainly evil. But you have to remember, these brainwashed dubs don't see it that way. The concept that they wish suffering on you because you don't agree with them is foreign. They see it that you are against their GOD Jehovah, and his organization. You are touching God's eye. That makes you evil and bad. They've been mind-controlled into this mode of thinking.
In line with Karma, there is universal law that exist, in that whatever you put out is what you will get back, kind of like you reap what you sow from the Bible in Galatians. No way around it. When you cause harms to others, e.g. raping, abuse, murder, knowingly withholding information to help people better themselves, you will reap the consequences eventually.
That is why the best way to live is by these words of wisdom: to do unto others as you would like them to do unto you...
I believe that we all, to a point, wish the pox on others who have hurt/offended/angered us. I know I do...there is one person that I entertain such thoughts...I would not like to see her in pain or to see her physically hurt in any way, my thinking is not quite that destructive. But I would like to see her financially crippled...I feel bad for having these thoughts...just being honest here....oh and I also wish the pox upon her
But the difference between entertaining such thoughts, and the society's teachings are that the society is saying, like Scully said, to 'be glad'. This is a barbaric teaching but is in harmony with the bible's accounts of victory when warring nations would conquer or be defeated. But let's not forget, "God Is Love". It all comes down to interpretation of scripture.
The society has got the blood issue wrong, and the 2 witnesses to child abuse wrong, it indicates to me that they have got the 'be glad' teaching wrong also.
