When JWs come here

by larc 50 Replies latest jw friends

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  larc

  Some thoughts about JWs who come here:

  I have been here for six months now. In that time, I have noticed a certain pattern to the conduct of JWs who come here and are true believers. They think they have the answer and they are going to give that answer to us. They fail to understand that we know everything they do and a whole lot more. Somewhere in their discourse, they make unsubstantiated assertions and show glaring ignorance of logic. Since they have not been taught critical thinking skills, they don't understand and they are not prepared for the critical analysis that their words are about to receive. When people respond with penetrating questions, they become mentally disoriented and they do one of two things. They either insult the questioner or become even more illogical. Sometimes, they do both - become insulting and illogical in the same post. Usually, they don't last very long.

  I wonder if you see the same pattern that I do. Seeing this, I have to ask myself several questions. Why do they come here in the first place? It is against the rules. How do they handle the obvious cognitive dissonance they must have, when they can not successfully defend their faith?

  I do respect them in one regard. They are more daring than most of the other worker bees. Hopefully, some of them will come out.
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  Mommie Dark

  Larc, they are like newly-hatched June bugs that bumble into the house and drive you nutz bumping and buzzing into the top of the window while you are trying to shoo them toward the opening, just a few inches away, that will let them out. They get scared and panic and try to bite you, thinking you are threatening them, when all you want is for them to quit annoying you and go be a free bug outside in the wide world. Until recently they were just blind grubs rooting in WT filth; they are attracted to the light and sound of everyday living, but are entirely unprepared to withstand the sensory overload of the very things that attract them so powerfully. They KNOW there is life beyond their JW grub days, but they are too disoriented by the light to do more than bumble, buzz, and, too often, fall onto their backs where they will kick fitfully and buzz angrily until some kind soul turns them rightside-up and boosts them out the door.

  The trick is to resist the temptation to stomp their annoying little guts all over the kitchen floor...
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  larc

  Thank you Mommie Dark,

  That was a wonderful analogy. It is hard not to stomp them when they are so damded annoying. Lotsa love sis.
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  Francois

  Remember being in service? Hated it didn't you? This is a way to engage in "service" absent the nasty necessity of actually going door-to-door. That's one.

  Number two is they can do this anonymously, and therefore fearlessly.

  Number three: JWs don't think rules apply to them. That's why they're so pervaded by alcoholics, child abusers, spouse abusers, liars, cheats, embezzlers and frauds.

  They handle the cognitive dissonance in the way you've described, the way that women married to abusive husbands do it: deny, deny, deny. And when you bring up a penetrating question, what's the response? "Well, that's different." "That never happened." "We didn't say 1975."

  And when that doesn't work, and being frustrated that their canned presentation can't puncture the critical thinking common to people who got the hell out of the Borg, they do what abusive people always do: what their arguments lack in merit, they attempt to make up for with loudness, anger, and invalidation. If they can invalidate you by labeling you (calling you names), then they don't have to deal with your truth.

  I've recommended "The True Believer" here so many times I know I sound like a broken record. This book by Eric Hoffer is a perfect description of the Borg, and of so many other mass movements. It's the generic version of Crisis of Conscience. Try it you'll like it.

  There's one question I have for you: When Jehovah's Witnesses act like stupid ass-holes and ignorant jackasses, why are you surprised?

  Francois
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  larc

  Francois,

  Thank you for your comments.

  The book you recommend is a good one. The "True Believer" by Eric Hoffer should be read by everyone here. It explains, not just the Witnesses, but the mindset of all people in all groups who have blind faith in their organization. I think it can help to put the JW experience into perspective.
• 

  thinker

  Larc,
  When someone from this forum presents questions ands facts which an active JW cannot refute they attck the messenger because it is their only recourse. This is a common tactic used by many people, not just JWs.
  You asked, "Why do they come here in the first place? It is against the rules." While the WT has come out with warnings about the internet I don't think many active JWs see these warnings as a definite prohibition (yet).
  Also, "How do they handle the obvious cognitive dissonance they must have, when they can not successfully defend their faith?" It seems to me that JWs are experts at burying their own doubts. They are taught that the doubts and questions they have are not because of the conflicted messages and history of the WT, but are caused by their own "spiritual weakness".
  I have been thinking about this alot lately. Logic and reason does not reach the emotional need that atracted these persons to the WTBTS in the first place and the truly heartfelt emotional stories presnted here are dismissed as "lies". How then do we get though to an active JW?
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  Tina

  Hi larc,
  Spot on observation!
  My observations lead me to think that altho professing ultimate faith and belief,there just may be some points tugging in the back of their minds-be it wts policy or scriptural.
  On a cognitive level, the lack of critical thinking skills doesn't allow them to effectively process info they find here ,which increases that dissonance to real uncomfortable levels. All they can do then is fall back on emotions. Unable to logically defend their stance,the old emotional wts buzzwords kick in,effectively shutting down any real thought process. They feel threatened and oftentimes aren't fully aware(denial) of how distorted their perception and reality testing are.

  They have to keep up this wall of denial up to relieve feelings of dissonance,fear and the anxiety that it produces.
  As long as they can deny the reality of their religious beliefs,they can continue to behave/act the way they do here on forums.(name calling,etc)
  Acceptance of reality might commit them to the very difficult process of changing the way they think.
  Just some thoughts.
  Regards,Tina
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  larc

  Thinker,

  Couple of comments: I think they come here, despite the fact that they are told not to, because they have a haughty, supreme confidence in themselves as defenders of the faith.

  How do we change them? All we can do is provide information. Some have changed radically as a result of the information provided here and at other cites. However, some will never change.

  As a side note: your wife is very fortunate to have a man like you who spent so much time in research to help her get out of a bad situation.
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  larc

  Tina,

  Very good further analysis. Thank you.
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  thinker

  Larc,
  Check your mail !!!

  Thinker