by Skeptic 30 Replies latest jw friends
When I first saw this thread, I said to myself... this is going to be a short one!! LOL
In the last 5 years that I was an active JW, I can count on one hand finger the number of times any of them showed any kindness toward me or my family. That's pretty pathetic, IMO.
I'll have to think about it a bit.... nothing really comes to mind as outstanding acts of kindness and Christian love.
Love, Scully
Hi Skeptic
When the IRA bombed my family out of our home, we moved with nothing to Canada. We arrived in minus 15 weather in Feb. My brother and sis were wearing t shirts, and my dad didnt have a coat.
the JWs gave us everything, we were fed and clothed by those wonderfull people. Later when i major chemical spill, forced us to leave our home for days, we stayed at the assembly hall in the sick room.
Sadly to many other things happened to make me sick of the jws, and i will not set foot in a hall again unless im at a funeral.
But your right, like all other humans, they are full (sometimes) of love, and human feeling.
To all who say they never noticed anything like that think, when you were a witness did tyou ignore the suffering of people ? if you didnt, then you did see nice jws caring for others!
nice post
josephus
I met many fantastic people of the jw variety. I've met many fantastic people of the nondub variety.
I've met many fantastic people of the popular variety, and I've met many fantastic people of the unpopular variety.
Humans r humans. There's good bad an ugly in alluv'em.
Even me.
So who am i to judge?
SPAZ
Well, I can tell you of a family that made me feel like I was a part of theirs - my home life sucked and the only time I felt happy in a home environment was when I was able to spend the night. Their father was an elder, and except my own I have known few more beautiful gentle human beings. Thanks Found!
I also knew a wonderful elder who seemed to truly care for EVERYONE in the congregation. Approx. 6 months after I had stopped attending meetings, he came into a restaurant where I was working. He followed me into the back kitchen area and with tears in his eyes told me that he loved me and still thought of me. I had to leave work after that, he was just so kind & good.
Too bad more of them weren't like that. But there were some - perhaps alot I didn't know. But there definitely were a few that come to mind.
i have to agree with the above statements.....become disapproved some how----you know,,miss some meetings,,,become inactive,,,see then how much love is shown to you!!!
Skeptic, Josephus,
Although I think experiences with JWs and their helpfulness with friends was greater years ago than it is today, I totally agree that there are many fine ones. That's the sad part. The leadership squeezes these these kind onees into a mold that compels them to override their basic instincts towards kindness and compassion. If they remain good people, it's in spite of, rather than because of, their having become JWs. If anyone is reprehensible, it's the leadership, not the rank and file.
I agree with ugg and Room215 as well.
It happens in all groups. The witness organization being unexceptional.
I'm of the opinion that it has to do with humans on a social level and on a power/ego level.
Being a witness or not being a witness,
popular or unpopular,
rich or poor,
having a hundred friends or having just one,
does not a good or bad person make.
The fact that there are "good" witnesses, doesn't mean I wanna be one.
Just as the fact that there are "bad" witnesses, isn't why I'm not one.
I could add that, since leaving the witnesses, every time I encounter a "bad"/"worldly" person,
I know that my witness dad would say, "see?"
I know he iz motivated by what he would call love & the desire to protect.
And my witness mom would assume I'm sleeping with every last one of 'em.
She being motivated by her fears, or maybe envy, I'm not sure which. lol.
Both claiming to be motivated by "the truth".
Humans judge. It's what we do. *shrug*
It's negotiating the minefield of judgements-without-all-the-facts that I'm workin on.
Anywayz, I'm kinda gettin' off on a tangent,
to say it to ya straight, I really couldn't even begin to count the number of "good" witnesses I've known.
Nice to see a thread that offers to comment on a lighthearted positive note, tho.
SPAZ
Yeah, there all great as long as you are active and strong meeting attendance.
BeelzeDub
, normally yes. But at the time that elder helped us with treats, I was rarely attending meetings due to working 2-3 jobs to feed my family. Even then, we were destitute.
Would they do the same for a complete stranger (worldly)?
Sometimes, yes. I remember Witnesses who found a man in field service who had no food. They brought him groceries every week or two until one day they saw a sign on his door saying, "No Jehovah's Witnesses". They were puzzled as to why this man rejected them when they had been so kind.
Suffice to say that you, Skeptic, are a very grateful person and that is a very beautiful thing.
Thank you, Dia. I have been through good times and through pure hell. I am grateful for the good things people have done at both times.
In the last 5 years that I was an active JW, I can count on onehandfinger the number of times any of them showed any kindness toward me or my family. That's pretty pathetic, IMO.
I am so sorry, Scully. I found the Witnesses in Ottawa to be pretty decent on the whole.
To all who say they never noticed anything like that think, when you were a witness did tyou ignore the suffering of people ? if you didnt, then you did see nice jws caring for others!
josephus, I am glad the Witnesses help you out. I remember sleeping at the Kingdom Hall once, but I can't remember why. It was some weird scheduling thingie related to my marriage and living arrangements.
I am suspicious of those who find not one good thing that a JW did (No offense, Scully, I know you have integrity.). After all, if JWs did NOTHING good, why did we decide to join? And why would we stay as long as we did?
As SPAZnik says:
Humans r humans. There's good bad an ugly in alluv'em.
pettygrudger, I am glad that that family made you feel so welcome.
Although I think experiences with JWs and their helpfulness with friends was greater years ago than it is today, I totally agree that there are many fine ones.
Room 215, that may be true. My ex was raised as a Dub, and she says the same thing. Mind you, that might be true of humanity as a whole. I worked with a sister at my last employer and though I strongly disagree with how she treated her daughter, and her scorn for Windrider and me living common law, she was a very kind lady. Even when she found I was an ex-Witness, she treated me kindly.
Richard
If anyone is reprehensible, it's the leadership, not the rank and file.
I had to laff when I read this, cuz it reminds me of the never-ending arguments of my fellow "union"members where I work.
With "leadership" comes responsibility. Yes.
SPAZ
Skeptic, I've been wracking my brain for a while now, trying to figure out why I was having a hard time finding an answer to your question. And then it dawned on me: your thread title asks about "good" JWs, but your topic asks about "sincere" JW." Now I can answer your question:
imo, 99+% JWs are sincere, very sincere, sincere as the driven snow is clean...
but, to save my life, I look around, under the bed, on the roof, all around, and I just don't seem to see any "good" JWs in my life. They may have been there once, but they're not here now.
Their sincerity destroyed their goodness.
Craig
