Why do most Ex jW W‘s seem to be liberal?

by JaredScott-1977 39 Replies latest social current

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  TonusOH

  There are reasons for exJWs to lean in either direction.

  The religion is a deeply literalist fundamentalist one. So it is no surprise if exJWs are very right-leaning. At the same time, some exJWs may reject the religion so completely that it also helps shape their political views, which might have them lean left.

  Another issue is that the WTS discourages advanced education and career paths. Many JWs are dependent on government aid and subsidies, which are often championed by the left. A JW may take offense at many liberal views on sex and science, but they find that liberals are more inclined to offer the social services that many JWs depend on.

  If you are a JW long enough, I think you're more likely to take a hardcore political stance. It is a very all or nothing approach to how we view the world. That particular concept is what I rejected in order to eventually fade.
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  StephaneLaliberte

  I consider myself to be in the center.
  

  • I'm for abortion rights but don't agree with forcing truckers to get vaccines.
  • I'm for immigration but within reasonable, controlled limits.
  • I'm for freedom of religion but not when teachings of that religion goes against basic humain rights.
  • I'm for free education and healthcare but don't think these should be managed by the state.
  • I'm for social programs but expect tighter oversight, where people must participate to earn, as with cooperative housing.
  • I'm for more accessible mental health care but believe we should consider bringing back mental institutions.
  • I'm for free speech but believe people should be held accountable for spreading deliberate and demonstrable lies, similar to how defamation is handled in court.
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  road to nowhere

  Just maybe the REPUBLIC is safe for a while. Actual representatives who consider the minority view and do what is necessary to not overly harm them.

  Abortion is not going away few want it pushed back into black market but neither want full term decisions.

  Crimes get prosecuted and punished.

  Immigrants bring a needed skill and want to retire back to their homeland. Refugees need to be real.

  Pie in the sky extremist views that actually harm normal people will be put to rest.
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  road to nowhere

  Woops. Previous was intended for thepresident thread.

  Neighborhoods tend to draw alike. The local lower income congregation here is typical innercity. My friend who lives on 5 acres in the rural has red acting people in his congregation.
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  carla

  As a UBM, I have noticed that my jw who is not supposed to be 'political' is probably the most political person I know! If he could, he would be a raving lunatic liberal. No, he was not always like this, this came with jw-ism. To be fair there are some issues he would be a staunch conservative but then on others he is way on the left. So weird to me, I just say; "wow, I didn't know you were so political" which luckily for me ends any rant, rave or foolish discussion. Yeah, I know I am a bit of a witch to use their own doctrines against them but heck, then I can chuckle to myself the rest of the night. We all need our little amusements.
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  carla

  Oh, sorry, the original poster said ex jw 's , mine is a current jw. Also very liberal when it suits him.
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  Anony Mous

  I find the WTBTS to be very liberal-adjacent, very clear with Obama, they had to admonish people not to go vote, with the whole COVID mandates, and the UN and other scandals where they profit off FEMA and other government handouts around the world, they like to cozy up to left wing politicians.

  And JWs often acted as if Jehovah directed government to give them money, to protect them, so they are indoctrinated to use government as a tool to extract value, without giving back by serving that country, which is another hallmark of the left, the faux pacifism/anarchism (unless it doesn’t suit them).

  Instead their paradise would be to institute a world government of themselves, while their fever dream of the end is that all governments unite, this is a very Marxist, late 1800s and early 1900s socialist idea that there will be some spontaneous uprising that throws out the establishment, install a central government that will attack and abolish religions. Marx was wrong (luckily) but that ideology did end up in 2 world wars and a Cold War.

  Just extract the movements on the world stage that would be necessary to institute a JW world order (aka Armageddon and Paradise), remove the references to specific religious/supernatural concepts (they’re not real Christians anyway) and how they would run it (hierarchy of uneducated and unelected top-down dictators), the intentional undereducation of children and their critical theories on science, race, gender and general underlying antisemitism (although that has been toned down in modern times, early on they were more clear) you end up with basically early 1900s socialism - Marxism, Nazism, Trotskyism.
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  liam

  Anony Mous

  and how they would run it (hierarchy of uneducated and unelected top-down dictators), the intentional undereducation of children and their critical theories on science, race, gender and general underlying antisemitism (although that has been toned down in modern times, early on they were more clear) you end up with basically early 1900s socialism - Marxism, Nazism, Trotskyism.

  Wow, I never took the time to look closely at how the WT functions. You're right, they are very liberal adjacent. They like the hand-outs but don't want to serve for the Country that gives them the handouts. They want to act like Kings with the lowly class doing the work for them. I always thought they were very Conservative, but in reality, they "Act" Conservative, but are far-far-far-Left. They don't want to work for the good of humanity, they want humanity to bend to their will and work for them. I believe they have said the GB will be Kings over the Universe and all the Elders will be Princes over the earth. That means regular people will be the Slaves.
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  TonusOH

  I think one reason they do not align with the political right (at least in the USA) is because the political right is often closely aligned with 'Christendom.'

  I'm not sure if that's entirely true (the alternative would not be very attractive to them either), but one reason my mother is so adamantly opposed to the GOP is because they are aligned with the religious right and because they support Israel (whose existence is tied in with some end-times beliefs of other religions).
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  peacefulpete

  In my circle of friends that are former JWs, we have all the above. I am decidedly center (as is Biden and Harris) but the recent sharp turn to the right for many Americans has us labeled 'leftist extremists' lol.

  I have no problem with the label 'liberal'. Loving liberty means being liberal.