"Us and Them Mentality"

by rocketman 10 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  rocketman

  From Newsweek magazine, March 10, 2003, page 33:

  "But, as theologians in a number of faiths remind is, the demonization of the enemy - an "us and them" mentality - can inhibit self-examination and repentant action, critical components of any faith."

  This statement appears in an article about US President Bush's religious faith and how it factors in with regard to the current campaign against Iraq.

  However, the statement's application can perhaps be taken further. With regard to religious faiths like that of Jehovah's Witnesses and others as well, thinking that you or your beliefs are better than those of others can be a barrier to real humility.

  With regard to Witnesses, we may have noted this to be the case. They essentially "demonize" the world around them. Nearly everything about it is inferior and deserving of destruction. Hence, though they are reminded at times in print that they are not better than other people, it seems as though, in practice, things are really just as the statement above implies. As a result, it may be that few Witnesses we know really seem to be modest, humble people, because, in essence, the religion's worldview makes such actions difficult.

  (Edited by hawk ... hoping I helped and not hindered a little?)
• 

  rocketman

  God, I hate that gray highlighting. And can't we edit posts? What the heck?
• 

  dmouse

  I asked an elder about this once and he modestly replied: 'well, we are better than them...spiritually and morally superior, because we follow Jehovah's ways, why hide it? We are just telling the truth.'

  Hmmmm.

  Yes, you can edit...I think it's at the bottom at the end of the 'action' line but I haven't looked lately.

  Edited to add...you have to click first on the title of the post you want to edit.
• 

  Angharad

  To edit :

  Click on the title immediately above your post, one of the actions at the top will be EDIT.
• 

  Latte

  Yes, Rocketman, I absolutely agree! The JW's are def. stuck in the 'dark ages'. We live in an age of information - they will have to listen eventually. Everyone else they speak to, knows it's nonesense only - they don't!
• 

  rocketman

  Thanks hawk, the post looks much better. Previously, editing was easy. If I could have gotten into HTML, I simply could have eliminated the <backround color</>, but I'm not sure if that could be done here, so I didn't want to mess around and accidently delete the whole post.

  dmouse, good comment. One elder once told my sister that a nice woman she new really wasn't "good" because she was not a jw. That's the mentality that so many of them seem to have.
• 

  minimus

  That same mentality came thru with a few self-righteous Witnesses on 9-11. They were saying that at least, now, they had a possibility of a ressurection! You really can't blame JW's for this attitude. They are TAUGHT that they are a special people. We're going to live. They're already dead in God's eyes. If we don't bring them the truth, they will die forever.
• 

  Introspection

  I think demonizing 'them' is a step farther from the basic us and them mentality, though. You can have this same attitude without making the other party total villains, you might just not care enough to have a dialogue with 'them' for example.

  This works both ways. Of course. there is a difference between distancing yourself, poo-pooing the other side and making qualitative distinctions, and if someone thinks this way that's just calling it what it is. On this level, witnesses actually have a lot in common with other people, because most people do think this way, even if they don't demonize others. Not being a witness anymore is also no guarantee that one has given up this divisive perspective.
• 

  rocketman

  Intro, very true, which is why I mentioned that the same thing can happen with those of other religions, not just jws, and it can of course happen outside the realm of religion totally.

  As MInimus and others mentioned, and from what I have observed, jws claim to be a humble people, and yet their view of folks outside their religion seems to often be condescending, even if not "demonizing" in the strict sense. And I think this sometimes prevents many of them from really looking inside themselves and treating others with true empathy and compassion.
• 

  joelbryan

  The only mentally ill people I know, are the ones that critizice and killing trust on good JW's people.