I suspect this will sound wierd (page 2)

simplesally

Why did it affect our lives so much??

Because the elder system acts much like parental authority, ie, that you MUST tell them everything and that they have CONTROL over your life, what you should do for a living, whom you "should" marry (or experience being looked down upon), what you should wear, who your friends should be, whom you should associate with, what your entertainment should or shouldn't be. They can shun you or shun a family member for not agreeing totally with them, they can shun you for a "bad attitude" (as well as serious sins if they deem you are unrepentant) and if one doesn't go along with the shunning process, then they risk being shunned as well.

Notice I used the word "should" .... they use words of these type to by-pass the word "must".... this way, they can say the choices are really up to you! In this way, they decide who is and who isn't "spiritual" and one must only associate with "spiritual" people or risk being dragged down.

Many of us have lost relationships with family members when we became witnesses. Many lost relationships with friends and family when they left or got disfellowshipped. So why are we so passionate about this? Because family and life-long friends will not speak to us or risk being cut-off. Because many people gave up college educations to do what was considered "spiritually correct" in order for them to purse ministry work and low paying jobs; because many people gave up good jobs with retirement benefits to take on part-time work in order to perform more work in the ministry; because many people DIED because they would not take a blood transfusion, etc.

hamptonite21

Knocking on doors in the heat and cold weather, and giving up sunday football and tues and thurs nights was great.

buckthesystem

Whoa! I didn't say I have studies jw's...I said I had found it difficult to find impartial information.

What I have found it is they are broadly hated by many and have a number of beliefs that appear to me -a layman - as being as man-made as many teachings in Catholicism.

I am also fascinated by the level of feeling against Witnesses.

For example, one might reasonably expect that "jehovas-witness.com" is an offical web site. Clearly - again, as a layman, it is an anti-jw site. This suggests a passion by ex-Witnesses; a religion with an official-sounding domain name set up by those who oppose it!

I really haven't meant to be agent provocateur, or cause offence. Apologies to all who think this is the case.

RubyTuesday

Hmmmm...maybe it could be the child molest and rape that is swept under the rug.

Robdar

Buck,

One sentence to describe JWs: A group of people who follow the teachings of controlling old men who haven't a bit of truth in them.

I was a witness for close to 22 years. Raised in it.

Robyn

Buster

I were a dub

Self-perpetuating doomsday cult living off the human tendency of some to want to be told what is right and wrong, as well as their own human tendency to ell everyone else what is right and wrong.

(boy that felt good)

Edited by - buster on 14 November 2002 18:14:25

Iwasyoungonce

buckthesystem-

You did not answer my question. What do you know about them? If you are going to come in here and troll then it is you that is bias. It does not matter to me if that is what you choose. I know more about the Witnesses than I ever wanted to. They pushed their belifes into my life not the other way around.

Do you believe that they are tolerant? You seem to be here saying that they are a victim. They are no ones victim. They have put themself in a position that you must believe them or you are a bigot; See thing in their perception or you are wrong. They produce an opinion as fact and then challenge anyone to disprove it. Which I am here saying OK I will. Jehovah Witnesses and all of their doctrines and beliefs are false. The men in the religion made it up as they went along. And, that is what they are doing to this very day. Now buckthesystem prove that I am wrong.

Kenneson

"Wolves dressed in sheep's clothing."

truthseeker1

Not everyone is as angry as some here, but these people have had something dear taken away from them and they feel hurt and deserve to be angry. Some have lost sons, daughters, parents, spouses, decades of life, money and careers to this religion. All because of this religion, so don't be surprised if people are angry. There are other people who haven't had anything wrong happen to them because of the witnesses, mostly people who haven't had any ties with them. These people feel indifferent towards them, and some even like them. But these are people who don't know the inner workings of the religion. If you care, you can always study about them.

buckthesystem

Blimey.

Many thanks for all your comments. Again, I instigated this thread as an absolute newcomer to these ideas. I have never been a Witness, but was curious to find out about why people feel so strongly against them. And again, I mean no disrespect to your views, your former views, or the weight of your experiences.

And as a never-been and never claimed-to-be good, might I also add that Robdar, if you're ever in London, do look me up.

Kind regards,

Ed

I suspect this will sound wierd

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