Hello all......some things that have happened during the past week have made me think about exJws and honor. We all remember 'theocratic warfare' and how it is ok to lie to those who don't deserve the truth. So, my question is.....are exJws as a group more dishonest than people from other religious groups? Are we quicker to turn on friends and acquaintances? Are we more likely to assume the worst in others? Do we have a harder time accepting responsibility for our actions? Especially if those actions have caused another to be hurt? Do we go to outrageous lengths to justify those actions?
Honor among exJws
by ticatoo 15 Replies latest jw friends
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Introspection
petaQ ! What do you know about honor human? No seriously, I don't know that ex-JWs can be compared to other religious groups though, as we are talking about EX-JWs, and they are not necessarily religious. I don't even know that we're a group really..
"It is not so much that you use your mind wrongly--you usually don't use it at all. It uses you. This is the disease." -Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now
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hippikon
Honour is demanded. Respect is earned
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Mommie Dark
The answer to all your questions is:
NOWe are not a religion, club, organization or even a loose concatenation of likeminded believers. We are just individual humans, and our honesty, loyalty, sense of responsibility, all that other stuff, is as individualized as we are.
Ex-JWs are as likely to be dishonest, cruel, disloyal (insert favorite human failing here) as ANYONE YOU MEET AT RANDOM. This is NOT a fraternity of elite enlightened evolved souls. As in any realworld neighborhood, you'll meet sinners and saints; heroes and villains; cretins, lackwits, the occasional genius; jokers& clowns; intellectuals; bighearted and hardhearted souls, and lots of Just Plain Everyday Joes & Janes: and as in the realtime world you will have to use your discernment to decide who is cheap base metal, painted to look good at the casual glance, and who is genuine gold.
And aren't 'honor' and 'honesty' two entirely different things?
Here, as in real life, CAVEAT EMPTOR "let the buyer beware". This is a discussion board, NOT a replacement church.
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Gray Wolf
It is quite true that ex-JWs are not united in any way except that they have all had the same background. But that background has had a serious impact on most. Personally, I think that many exes are not a very healthy lot because of their experiences, and I do not think that most are very attractive people. While there may be a few saints among exes, the majority are rather sad. The anger and bad manners that are often diplayed on this forum do not say much for exes. Of course, one can blame this on the Watchtower, and with some justification, but not all.
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Sam Beli
Ticatoo, you asked: So, my question is.....are exJws as a group more dishonest than people from other religious groups?
My impression (based on meeting a few and observing several close-up) is that many are outstanding in intellect, honesty and zeal for finding the real truth. Look at the work of Metatron, Maximus, Seeker, Hawkaw, Shilmar, Silentlambs, Amazing, Norm, Lee elder and many others. The honesty of these has attracted such fine individuals as Sam Muramoto and John Doyle to come to their assistance.
Honest people are turned-off by Watchtower dishonesty, have had their fill of dishonesty and (IMHO) try harder than they ever did as JWs to be honest.
Among ex-JWs I have also known of several sleazy characters, some of these were even thrown out by the JWs for dishonesty or immorality. While official shunning has many problems as has been discussed on this board elsewhere, some of these characters are persons that I would not want to associate with.
So, bottom line: You can find all sorts among ex-JWs, but I know of many who try very hard to be as honest as is humanly possible, especially after coming out of the dishonest JW environment.
Regards,
Sam Beli
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SixofNine
I can say with a certainty that the group posting here is MORE honest than the group of "real" witnesses I encountered at Witnet and WOL.
Much more honest. As far as other things that would be a measure of "honor", I can't really say. Although, as I think about it, the people here have a much more passionate desire for justice than Witnesses do. Most Witnesses are just fine with sublimating justice for unity. Sublimating just about every honorable quality for their precious faux unity, for that matter.
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nicolaou
ticatoo
Just a reminder that you can now use your new email address [email protected]
Why not send yourself a message to check it out?
Nic'
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ticatoo
wait...wait....wait.....I am going to learn not to post after a long sleepless night....I am not talking about anything that has happened on this board or about any of the participants here, or anyone online...this is an incident from my personal life....and yes, I have two really bad habits (certainly not the only ones).....one, I will be thinking of things and will start talking or typing as if everyone else know what I am talking about; and, my verbal communication skills and much better than my written communication skills....
I also know that exJws are not a "group" and that honesty would have been a better word that honor.
However, my neverbeen Jw friends seem to handle things in a different way. They get mad, blow up, talk it over and then it is behind them. Some of my exJw friends seem to get caught up in arguing and not always taking responsibility for their actions and trying to build conspiracy theories and turning on each other.....the trust factor seems to be absent...they spend time trying to build "sides" and if you aren't on their side then you are the enemy....is this "leftovers" from our time in the tower?
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ticatoo
Thanks, nic...will do