Do You Think That Jehovah's Witnesses Are Basically Good People? (page 2)

JamesThomas

In my view it seems that Witnesses are at first your ordinary, basically good people looking to improve the future for themselves and their families. But years of attempting the impossible: to love a god who will kill you if you don't - wrecks havoc with their mind, emotions and soul. They loss all sense of a bigger world as they are blinded with greed for a new system and all the material satisfaction it will provide, and numbed by deep fear of being killed at the hands of a vengeful god (an idea of God) whose very existence goes against the very nature of love. I image most would be "good" people if they were allowed to be; but they are imprisoned within destructive beliefs. JamesT

minimus

Granted, a lot of "God-fearing" people are in fear that God will punish them, but that doesn't mean that they are not genuinely good people.I've has some JW's rip me off but the majority that I know wouldn't. (At least, I hope they wouldn't). I tend to give people the benefit of doubt, if I can.

NaruNaruChan

I agree with freedom96, good people just following along blindly. I was looking at an active JW forum today... and they are just soooo BRAINWASHED! They dont' even know it.

dedalus

good people just following along blindly

Yeah, but eventually, whether one grew up in it or not, a person makes a decision: to commit to the organization or not. When a person decides to commit to the organization, he gives up the capacity to make just about all moral decisions (this is what we mean when we say "good" and "bad," right?).

At some point along the way, each true blue Witness made a choice to be "blind." Testimonials are full of statements like, "I thought what I was being told was wrong, but I followed anyway." The ones who feel twinges of guilt often leave, invariably expressing regret when they tell their stories -- regret because they knew where they were, what they were, was wrong.

But those who stay in, year after year, decade after decade -- the rank and file who are committed -- grow numb to doubt and guilt. The compulsion to consult a bound volume each time a moral dilemma presents itself -- should I go to my unbelieving aunt's funeral? -- becomes normal to them.

Like I said, they're neither good nor bad. They're blank. Some are blind or duped but they choose to exist so thoroughly insulated from ideas contrary to the organization's that they choose to remain blind and duped.

I don't know. The answer, "they're basically good people" doesn't seem right to me, not because Witnesses are "basically bad people," but because, in way, they're just not really there at all. Being a witness is such an utter abnegation of identity and autonomy that the orginal question of this thread makes less sense the more I think about it.

Dedalus

JH

They are better on the outside than inside for starters.

If you look inside their little hearts, all they do is for themselves so that THEY can be in the Kingdub one day.

And basically they are only playing a game of looking good.

Realist

in my experience JWs are neither better nor worse than other people.

mouthy

I think they are mostly good people -I speak at Churches & every time folks come up to me & say "Oh I have a neighbour she is so good -" But !as has been said -It is why??? are they so good ??( to get the carrot)Always looking for ways to get some one entrapped...I can remember being SO guilty, if I did something that I knew Jehovah didnt like..... I do believe guilt is the most destructive force in the world....Just a little side whisper... about guilt... My husband used the F.... Word constantly- I hated it ( still do) But one day I thought I would teach him what it sounded like in front of my kids- he had been doing it all morning so come lunch time . I gave him some biscuits & said "Hey you want some of these F.......g biscuits "( I had winked at my daughter to let her know I was doing it) Well my husband laughed so much!!!!! I hardly slept for a few nights -so guilty......DAH!!!!Poor JWs I love them so much.....

MoeJoJoJo

In my experience with JWs, I would have to say that many are genuinely good. There are some who enjoy looking down their noses at others. I have met a few who are habitual liars. Quite a few, don't really extend themselves to help others, especially those they would consider worldly.

My opinion is that they are no different than any other group of people as a whole, yet they are supposed to stand out as different.

jgnat

My JW honey is a real honey. But I don't give the WTS credit for that. He has always been a sweet-hearted kind of guy. There is one mark against him. Sometimes out of guilt or fear (Jehovah Will Not Hear Your Prayers) he can do astoundingly cruel things. I do believe the WTS warps people's natural affections.

berylblue

Depends on what is meant by "good". If one is talking about not committing immorality, well, yes, perhaps, because in some ways and on some levels, there is a degree of accountability. For the rank and file JWs, someone is usually watching and will "turn you in" in a heartbeat if you mess up that way.

If one is talking about genuine "good heartedness", no, I don't think there are any more "inherently" good Witnesses than persons in any other religion.

Do You Think That Jehovah's Witnesses Are Basically Good People?

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