Do we have double standards about JWs?

by Skeptic 38 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  AlanF

  I don't think your question has a single answer, Richard. By objective measure, I would say that plenty of ex-JWs are quite a bit harsher on JWs than on others. But that's perfectly understandable, given the harm done. You'd be a lot harsher on someone who has just punched you in the face than you'd be on someone who punched someone you don't know in the face. Depends on whose ox is being gored, no? On the other hand, didn't Jesus say something about being judged according to the way you judge others? JWs judge everyone else by a quite different standard than they judge themselves, and sometimes turnabout is fair play. It makes a point about double standards in a way that might be difficult to make otherwise. When a JW complains about being singled out for harsher judgment by critics, it's easy to pull out dozens of quotes from their own literature and prove that that's exactly what they to do others.

  AlanF
• 

  worldlygirl

  The higher the pedestal, the harder the fall.
• 

  proplog2

  I have trouble with organizations - period. Running any organization is a nasty business. Bad decisions are made as often as good decisions. Some bad decisions result in good. Some good decisions result in bad. Policy is seldom thought out carefully. A lot of policy is justified because "that's the way we've always done it".

  The Watchtower like the Catholic Church claim exclusivity. I have no problem with organizations making that claim - BUT then they must defend that claim. Organizations are always a work in progress. My only problem with JW's is that they have shut down all significant avenues for individuals to have input on organizational decisions.
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  I can't speak for anyone else, but the reason I'm harder on them is because they lie about themselves and paint those who actually do tell the truth about them as "liars, opposers and apostates."
  

  For instance...the pedophile issue. If the org would just step up and say, "Yes, we have a problem, but we are going to get it taken care of," but oh, no, instead they say, "it's all lies made up of those who hate us," while at the same time df'ing those who are abused or who try to warn others. Not only do they insist they do nothing wrong, but they cling harder than ever to practices that cause the problem, out of stiff-necked insistence that it doesn't exist! Why? To protect their image and for no other reason.

  They howl about "false religion" being associated with the UN, and when it comes out that they were an NGO for years, all of a sudden, they did nothing wrong and anybody who doesn't immediately manufacture false memories to go along with their story is a lying apostate.

  When I studied, I was constantly told that all other religions were false because they didn't 'follow the rules,' then, when I saw time and time again, evidence of JWs not 'following the rules'...that was not evidence that JWs were wrong and I'd better keep my mouth shut about it.

  Rudeness by Witnesses often gets commented on.

  Any misconduct by elders.

  Misconduct by JWs.

  The difference is...JW propaganda claims that JWs aren't rude, Jehovah's holy spirit directs elders so they don't behave badly, and if an JW does something wrong and doesn't repent he's removed. THe truth is that JWs are almost always rude if they are challenged about their beliefs, elders do behave badly, and misconduct by elders or other JWs is much more likely to be covered up (and any who know about it threatened to silence) than handled.

  They're definitely a "kill the messenger" religion, and they deserve every bit of opposition they get. Not because I hate them, but because I will take every opportunity to point out their lies, contradictions, and inconsistencies.
• 

  asleif_dufansdottir

  Oh, and it's scriptural (if you believe in such things)

  Mathew 7:1 "Stop judging that YOU may not be judged; for with what judgment YOU are judging, YOU will be judged and with the measure that YOU are measuring out, they will measure out to YOU."

  To paraphrase..."watch what you say or it will turn around and bite you in the a$$"
• 

  Ghost of Esmeralda

  Witnesses sanctimoniously proclaim to be absolutely superior and correct about religion, morality, science, behavior, earth, heaven, death, and life. The look down on every single person who is not a Witness. They therefore deserve any criticism they get for being so much less than they claim to be. In fact, I don't think they get enough criticism.

  dedalus, i think you're right on with this. it's the self righteous manner in which they conduct themselves in their daily lives that really gets to me the most and is the root of the feelings i still have about JW's as a group. individually, there are those i still think well of, even though they don't think well enough of me to speak to me *lol* weird, eh?

  individually, i don't judge them any more harshly than i would anyone of any other religion who behaves the way they do. as a group, it's the superiority complex that drives me nuts. and they claim to imitate Jesus, who never acted superior in his life (according to the book, anyway) and if any of it is more than mythology,(which i doubt, but i digress...) of all people, he would have had a right to, he was perfect! so much of the time it seems like they haven't heard a word he ever said.

  an aside...i've missed you, dedalus. hope you and the family are well, i think of you often. tried to e mail awhile back, but the address was outdated and it was returned.

  ~essie's ghost

  "god help the outcasts, or nobody will."
• 

  garybuss

  
  I promise I will treat any high control religious group, that has done the same deeds to me, the same as I treat the agents of the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation.
  
  Deeds that include:
  
  Instructed my children to shun me,
  
  Tried to interfere in my marriage,
  
  Lied to me,
  
  Gave fatal medical advise to my first wife,
  
  Trained my parents to hit me and my brother,
  
  Caused me to be an outcast in school,
  
  Insulted me and my family,
  
  And on, and on and on . . . . .
  
  
  
• 

  berylblue

  This difference I see is that the JW CLAIM to be the only org god is dealing with on earth. They CLAIM to be better people, they CLAIM to be honest, loyal, hardworking, good citizens, have "love among themselves." They actively DOWNPLAY goodness in other people

  I was raised Catholic. Please keep in mind, while reading my comments, that what was taught in one particular Catholic parish was not necessarily the same as in another parish (with the exception of Catholic dogma). Also keep in mind that I have no fond memories of being Catholic; I suffered unnecessarily with all the guilt they lay on you. (But let me tell you, that guilt was NOTHING compared to the guilt the WTS lays on its members.)

  With that said, in my parish and grade school, and in my high school, while we were kind of taught that the Protestants were to be pitied (with kindness and tact), we were never instructed in any way shape or form to look down on them. While we were taught to be proud and happy of the fact that we were in the "true" religion and on the "narrow road", we never were taught to denigrate the contributions non-Catholics made to society. Loving tolerance was stressed; even while we were to pray and hope for those not of our faith to join us, we were never instructed to look down on them. Now, I realize the Catholic church came down hard on the JWs in the past, but one can hardly blame them as the WTS frequently and blatantly attacked the Catholic church.

  There are a LOT of things wrong with the Catholic church,.but my impression is that it has gotten more tolerant over the years (I left at age 17; I am now 47).

  The same CAN NOT be said of Witnesses.

  For that reason, they deserve stronger criticism, in my humble opinion.

  Rosemarie
• 

  Mystery

  I’m not partial or prejudice against JW’s in particular. I completely agree with garybuss and the other points brought out above.
  
  When treated that way by anyone, I would use the same tone and standards.
• 

  Brummie

  and I wonder if sometimes we have a bias against JWs

  I have a bias against anyone that plays abusively with my mind, its just that in our circumstances it was JWs or should I say the Watchtower Organisastion, I dont think I owe them an apology for having a bias against them, I think I'd be pretty thick not toohave a bias.

  All humans have traits like JWs but I dont have a bias against human traits, only against abusive soul destroying, mind blowing cultist who think I owe them an apology for the destruction of spirituality and family life.

  Good thread Scep

  Brummie