Does the averageJW really believe it is the truth?

by whatistruth 36 Replies latest jw friends

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  whatistruth

  Hey, What is, hang in there! Your search for truth, meaning, etc. is going to be a rather convoluted journey. I now know that things I always considered "absolutes" aren't. Between two distant poles of Black and White, there exists a great deal of Grey.

  I couldn't agree more. Life is 99.9% grey. I don't expect to find any absolutes in this world but then again for some reason I or anyone else are not supposed to know. If we were supposed to know we would have by now.

  Until that time comes live, learn and enjoy.

  By the way, thanks for the welcome.

  On in two but in in five - lol - that's my version anyway.
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  seeitallclearlynow

  I ask this question because the average jw does not show true love though they are commanded to do so. The average jw often confesses that the meetings are quite boring. The average jw complains about almost everything within the org. but still stay. The average jw does not have a deep seated zeal that one should have if they really believed everything they taught was the truth. The average jw in all honesty does not look forward to the conventions.

  So true, whatistruth! You sure pegged it. But I still think most believe they really have the truth. It's just a hard life to live. So boring and unsatisfying to the human spirit.

  And welcome to the forum, whatistruth!!
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  cyber-sista

  I can only speak for myself and say that my faith was not a solid one. Sometimes I believed more than other times, but never completely. There was a lot of denial. I didn't like meetings--I hated conventions and going out in service. What kept me there was obligation (the constant reminders that I had made a promise to Jehovah) and fear of displeasing him and being ostrasized because of it - Or not looking good in the eyes of the others in the congo and not receiving their love because of it. The later I have experienced since I left the Org. It's over and I'm trying to get on with life. I think many I knew were in denial--you could tell by their actions. Many were depressed--which is not a sign of someone who is living a joyous life in a spiritual paradise...

  cybs
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  whatistruth

  So boring and unsatisfying to the human spirit.

  Agreed.

  And thank you for the welcome.
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  XQsThaiPoes

  THe truth about what? Thats the kicker. JWs seem to well... "if someone gave you a new rolls royce, and it had no wheels, the emblem was gone, and it had a few dents in it would you refuse it? Well we may not have everything right, nor be the doing everything we should, you can't deny this is the truth." So basically they play bookie for God. THe thing is the things JWs promote as "the truth" are pretty good considering it is a religion and with all religions buyer beware. It is the human interactions that piss people off. 700 years ago I bet many people would prefer the JW truth to the Catholic truth back then.
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  MegaDude

  THe thing is the things JWs promote as "the truth" are pretty good

  XQ,

  you're a *expletive deleted* liar if there ever was one.
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  Cygnus

  I think a lot of it boils down to friends and how well-liked you are. When I was a JW kid I had a few close friends but not many. When we grew up our wives and their families took precedence and we were never as close as we were when we were teenagers. Then you woulda start to feel the lack of love and a more corporate atmosphere from the brothers in the congregation. You start to ask yourself, why am I busting my butt for basically one invisible man in the sky who never talks back and seems to not give a rat's rear about anyone or anything except books and numbers? That's when you start to do some research and decide it's not worth living a lie for practically nothing in return.
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  dh

  The average JW would not stay in the "truth" if it were announced tomorrow that the promised New System is not coming in our life time. There would be a mass exodus.

  I wonder if this is truly the case... My parents for example, my mother particularly will openly admit that she does not think the 'End' is as close as she used to think it was... If I pushed the question I know she would admit to knowing that her life will end before any New System appears... I think deep down she probably knows my life will end before any New System comes either, yet she still goes.

  I also think a lot, tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands or more, doubt whether the New System will come in their lifetime and indeed wonder if it will come in the lifetime of their children, but they still go because they are programmed deep. It's almost like it doesn't matter if they really believe it or not, they will say they do and take a defensive stance if challenged on it, and they will remain subdued by the indoctrination... It's strange like that.

  I know JW's who've told me that 'they wouldn't know what to do without the truth'... People who were born in, and only ever worked for other JW's, it's ridiculous. I think the average JW who was born in doesn't have enough knowldge to make a sound judgement on belief, their belief makes them as blind men telling us eyesight is bad.
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  frenchbabyface

  They want to believe in god (Salvation)
  They want something that matches with there convictions (the truth = through brainwashing))
  They want to stay aware and appreciated in the community (Meetings)

  As everything is incoherent it is not motivating for most after a while and of course they fail to be good nor loving enough (they still want to believe but noChristians dogma matchs anymore with what the WTBS stated that it was the truth = the cross / the name of the lord / life only in the limb for everyone not only 144 000 and they definitly don't want HELL TO BE TRUE ! (LOL) ... for the biggest difference ... ) So they are stucked ...
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  onacruse

  The "average" JW has changed with time, as with all social structures.

  Like so many of us, who've been in for decades, we've seen the org change.

  Gone are the days when it was a default position for teenagers to pioneer for a year or two, in lieu of college.

  Gone are the days of disregarding future financial needs, because Armageddon was right around the corner.

  Gone are the days when there was major excitement and speculation about the newest releases at the assemblies.

  Gone are the days when JWs hung around after assemblies for hours, just because they had so much fun fellowshipping.

  There will always be a core of "true believers" in any group, however perverse the goals may be. But for the now "average" JW...no, they no longer believe it to be the truth--it has simply become a way of life.

  Craig