Do you think the general public cares about former Jehovah's witnesses? (page 3)

DesirousOfChange

Nobody gives a shit about JWs unless they are knocking on their door early on Saturday morning.

Half banana

I would imagine that the general public view former JWs to be as nutty as they think practicing JWs must be.

The wider public doesn't really care about much for an extended period of time. It seems like, at least with American media, we jump from one scandal to another. I think the only real way that the wider public is going to care is if there is some large salacious scandal that the media can talk about for ratings. If, for example, there is an egregious lawsuit that has all the right elements to get blasted on the news.

I've thought long and hard about this topic, and from the perspective of JW activism I think we need to be focused on how the public views witnesses and from their perspective the only time they interact are those sleepy Saturday mornings every six months. I think the biggest thing, then, that activists could promote is that the person knocking on your door could be a child preditor and you would never know. The witnesses could be sending unreported sick pedophiles to the doors of the public when often the parents aren't home and a small child opens the door. I think that is the biggest lever to push in my opinion

steve2

Everyday, the public are bombarded with myriad stories of grief and angst. Stories about JWs - pro or anti - bubble up for a tiny slither of time every now and then to be followed by other more gripping stories such as the Grenfell Towers in London.

We speak primarily to ourselves and those who are from similar background or whose paths have in some way crossed with JWs.

We may genuinely believe we have gripping stories to tell the world in general - but perhaps for 5 minutes here and there, the world's attention span is brief and inattentive.

That is not to downplay the role exJWs have in helping others see TTATT.

Hecce

General public with no attachments: NO

Darkknight757

I think those close to us who leave care but the Jehovah's witnesses are insignificant little bunch of oddballs so most could care less. I'm sure they will be happy the day those idiots stop knocking on their doors.

neverendingjourney

According to some reports, 3 million children die every year due to poor nutrition, roughly one every ten seconds.

How much time do I spend thinking about them? Sadly, hardly any. I'm wrapped up in my own concerns, many of which directly relate to JWs.

There are much bigger problems in the world and JWs don't directly affect the lives of 99% of the world's population.

If a definitive history textbook of the last 100 years existed, the Witnesses would occupy a footnote at best.

sparrowdown

No, if you can manage to explain JW life to a non jw they usually go "oh, that's terrible, I didn't know that." But, apart from the curiosity factor that's it, though they view JWs differently which is a good thing.

I have given information and literature to sexual assault counselors and psychologists in my area and they were very grateful for the insights, after dealing with jw victims and clients themselves and not knowing how to treat them. After initial interest was shown I ended up having several meetings and discussions to explain JW beliefs and mindset to these groups.

Bungi Bill

It is rather difficult to imagine that the "general public" even knows the existence of such persons as "former" JWs:

- and even more difficult to believe that they might actually care!

Health Professionals who are engaged in the counselling, psychology and similar fields, though, may be a different matter. Although the Jehovahs Witnesses make up only about 1/1000th of the world's population, they are very much over-represented amongst the patients of such professionals (This, according to a number of such counsellors that I have known) .

OUTLAW

JW`s have no idea.

They`re not extremely important in the outside world.

Worse...

They wouldn`t believe you if you told them.

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Do you think the general public cares about former Jehovah's witnesses?