by Crazyguy 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Thoughtful OP, Crazyguy.
There's nothing wrong with choosing not to rock the boat and thus having a peaceful life, IMO.
Who am I to screw up their happiness? - if only active JWs sincerely asked themselves this question, there would no religious problems for the posters on this forum ...
I feel like "Never a JW". Past a certain point, you don't want to destroy the only thing they've had for years. Their whole social circle and social calendar.
I'd add one more thing. Who are they to screw up the happiness of others? Why do they go door to door trying to pull people from their beliefs when they may be completely happy?
Their answer. Because they're believing false teachings and/or to save them. Well, we all know there's no "saving" at the end of the rainbow (or at least many of us do). But ultimately you're trying to save them from false beliefs. Eventually kids are told or find out there's no Santa Clause or Easter Bunny and an adult who believes this stuff is judged to have psychological issues.
So what would you have, if you had the opportunity, told the families living and working in Jonestown? They had a doctrine and a close knit community too.
The difference with ex JWs is that we have hindsight. We understand that the JW doctrine easily kills off hundred's if not 1,000's of people every year. Jonestown was disgusting but it only happened once.
If it comes up I speak my mind. I try to be tactful not bombastic. I don't hunt down a JW and try to anti witness to them but if it comes up with family or if approached at my door I will ask uncomfortable questions about the two witness rule and the well documented RCA and the 1006 unreported instances of child abuse in and out of the congregation.
I will speak about the need for education and the foolishness of the blood doctrine and waiting on Armageddon. I will ask them why Jesus waited until he was 30 before getting baptized and why he never mentioned blood or Armageddon as the two prime central doctrines that the WTBTS promotes.
I would discuss the earlier years of the WT Society it's anti science stance, bigotry and racism. The great schism under Rutherford, the renaming themselves JW's when that is only a made up name for god. A name Jesus never bothered to revel. The current folly of the GB and there hunger for money by over charging for assemblies, there investment portfolio's, off sure banking and shaking down every congregation they have access to.
We have the knowledge and wisdom of hindsight..........we should on occasion..... use it.
P.S. The "let them bleed out" triggered another point. They used to practice committing suicide (Jonestown) in their after work meetings so on occasion they pretended and drank sweetened fruit juice miming the poison they would consume if ordered.
The JW's do it differently they walk around with a printed signed blood card/suicide note in their pockets.
Who am I to screw up their happiness?
If it wasn't for the shunning and blood doctrine, I couldn't have cared less about what Jehovah's Witnesses believe. They could have believed in lizard aliens in human skins that rule the world. If the belief made them happy, good for them. I would only become concerned if they decided that it was imperative to eliminate those "lizard aliens in human skins". My point is that I don't care what Jehovah's Witnesses believe, but I do care about certain actions caused by their beliefs.
After reading the responses in this thread I have added one more reason. It has been pointed out that Jehovah's Witnesses don't give other people the same consideration regarding their happiness. So when Jehovah's Witnesses decided that their doctrine had to be spread worldwide, their ideas became open to debate and criticism .
I am not an Atheist, yet based on experience I've found Atheists to have the greatest set of morals and they have nothing to gain.
Agreed, and that is prescisely why , their kindness is usually a well thought out personal decision.
Eg. Pew statistics show less divorce amoung athiests than JW's. I guess because their commitment is genuine, as in some cases JW's will marry because they have to.
