by onacruse 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I'd encourage people to get out and get on with their lives. The Society had prepared us well for anyone in our midst who dared question the GB and its doctrine. Our safegaurds would go up the minute someone seemed to be implying anything other than what the Governing Body taught. We were taught to hand eachother in. What hope is there of bringing reform to this sort of mindset?
Brummie
We know many JWs who are doing just that: they are maintaining their "acceptable" status in the org while at the same time influencing other JWs to, at the least, become marginalized, and perhaps even to muster the courage to leave. Technically, this is hypocrisy. In this case, I'd say hypocrisy is good.
I just wanted to clarify... I didn't meant to imply that those who are doing so are being unethical. Personally, I would feel very ambivalent about such a course, but I respect the decision of those who choose to follow it.
My concern would be that, in an effort to maintain an "acceptable" status in the org, one would--at least to some degree--have to promote the org and its teachings. So there would be a risk of the left hand undoing what the right hand is doing.
Do I stay on the Titanic and try to convince people of the need to get on a life boat and save themselves (and quite possibly lose my own life in the process), or do I recognize the ultimate futility and inevitibility of the situation and save myself?
I choose life.
no matter how much you try to reform a pile of $hit, it will always remain a pile of $hit
sEE THIS POSTER IS JUST One Sick Puppy
BUT I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
cause it truly sums up the problem that reformers are facing
Here is what I think will happen, and it just makes me sick to know it will be:
The WT will quietly change the sex abuse policy, after ruining the lives of hundreds (thousands) by the old policy, and defaming the ones who brought suit.
Sooner or later, the rank and file will realize how drastically the blood policy has changed, and realize they can take hemoglobin solutions, just three years ago a forbidden substance.
They will consider it all to be new light, and further evidence that God is with them.
With such a controlled and uneducated rank and file, there is no chance that a grass roots upheaval will take place; mind control is so strong in this "religion" that it takes months and years for a person to even question things in their own mind.
And that is what I think will happen; small, incremental changes that they consider to be new light, and the smug, arrogant attitude will stay in place, preventing real reform and a real grass roots demand for change.
My choice right now is to stay in, and slowly educate my family about the real roots of it, and how corrupt it is, and hopefully they can do the slow fade with me.
I missed Brummie's post above, 'cause we were posting at the same time. I think it's right on the money.
It also made me think of something else. When I was still a loyal dub, I respected "apostates" who had left the organization and expressed their disagreements openly. I detested, however, those who pretended to be loyal dubs while their objective was actually to try to convince people to leave the organization. I agreed with the WTS that these were " the rocks hidden below water in you love feasts." (Jude 12)
Obviously, my viewpoint has changed. But if the objective is to help those still inside the Borg to see that apostates aren't as demonic as they're cracked up to be, using deception may actually hurt that cause.
I'm curious about how the "reformers" imagine they would accomplish their work.
I would imagine, though I could be wrong, that all such "reformers" are men, because in the WTS it doesn't matter what a woman thinks.
Would they act as "reformers" while serving at the level of publisher? Surely they realize that publishers have no control whatsoever over the course this Titanic is taking.
So they must be willing to schmooze their way TO THE VERY TOP - become a local elder while maintaining cover, go on to the circuit work while maintaining cover, get into a branch office while maintaining cover, partake at the memorial to enhance your credentials: as Amazing pointed out not too long ago, the decision to partake is yours to make.
How many years will a person need to spend so deeply dipped in dubdom before they would be able to make the reforms they see as necessary?
This is no trivial task. I think the French underground had an easier gig.
My own feelings are that YOU HAVE TO SAVE YOURSELF FIRST.
I think that means you have to get out.
I'm inclined to think that human nature being what it is, wacko cults are a facet of society. 1975 wasn't the first time the WTB&TS was wrong, and it wasn't their biggest disaster. A great crowd of of insecure, needy suckers are born every minute, and it will continue this way to time indefinite.
Save yourself.
Live YOUR life.
If you want to, throw a rope to those who need it when you can.
Know in advance that you CANNOT save the entire world.
Did you want fries with that?
Thank you all for your comments. I've been thinking for the last several hours about what you've said, from the "it's all shit, just chuck it" to "it's the Titanic" to "it's a personal decision."
This is by no means a mere hypothetical matter for me. There are very real and very deeply personal ramifications about this. Honestly, I'm more than a little afraid to face the "it's all shit, just chuck it" scenario. It would require that I take a completely different posture toward people I dearly love.
Perhaps this is only a natural part of my "extrication from a cult"?
Please continue with your opinions. I'm very much in a listening mood.
Craig
Reform from the grassroots level...where do they start?
It is difficult to know where the grassroots should start
.......blood.........shunning..........faulty prophecy.............intrusion into private areas of life......authoritarian 'leaders'.........cult of personality of GB members......financial demands.............and on and on
The Titanic has been mentioned...some crew members on the ship did try to raise passengers from their sleep and warn of the imminent danger...in this scenario if you warn of the imminent danger they throw you overboard without a lifebelt.
I know some genuine ones stay in the hope of change..........with the grip of control which is far greater than any Dictator can wield the WT has no need to change, has no intention of listening, is always able to 'throw out' any questioners and drag in new unsuspecting ones.
Simple point is "are JWs Gods Organisation on Earth?" - to answer yes blasphemes God as he surely is not responsible for the WT shambles over dates and the points listed above.
Get Out. Stay Out. Regain a Life
