I had an interesting chat(?) last night with two friends who were involved with the WTBS and active JWs. The one desires to return and the other appears to defend the WTBS, whilst having a very unusual set of beliefs that are tacked onto the JW dogma. So, both parties are still mentally "down the hall" (so to speak).
What I notice time and time again, is that collectively one comes under attack when daring to prod the society with the "pointy stick of scorn", even when the scorn has certain merit.
I know this is not unusual, as many have expressed the same thoughts here from time to time.
One area we did discuss, which started to ruffle my feathers was the issue of the JW mindset considering itself as an authority on other's faiths and beliefs. Of course, in past times after reading "Mankind's Search For God", I too considered myself an authority of sorts and would happily engage a Muslim say, and believe within myself that I had enough information to shoot his/her faith down in flames.
How arrogant and disrespectful to take this mental approach, that one small book is enough to understand a man's life and that I felt well equipped to rap on his door with an assured indignation to go on the attack based around the WTBS program of learning.
I am not suggesting for a moment that I asborb and believe faith and ideas from every source, but what I assert to the ones who monitor my posts whom I know, is this:
You express collectively a spirit in my considered opinion that runs contrary to the faith that you profess to defend and honour. During our discussions we rarely consider the example of Christ and simply focus upon the name of Jehovah. In my reading of the Gospels the name of Jesus is elevated above and beyond the name of Jehovah and the God who is supposed to be focused upon during this time period by practising Christians is Jesus.
Thank-you for letting me vent.
piss down my back and tell me it's raining"