There were some good things about the organisation... (page 5)

mtbatoon

Nearly forgot the guess a minute game, though the wife (united reform) says she played this too. We challenged each other an I won 7 out of ten.

HA take that you Presbyterian can't count know nothings.

Nellie

Yes, I agree that there are some good things about the organization.

For a minute forget about it being the "truth" or not and forget about the "lies" you know about-

There are many people out there who were ruining their lives through alcohol and drug addiction, criminal activitiy and nonresponsible lifestyles who have changed their ways because of the truth. Now, before you jump on me, I do not think that in order to become a responsible citizen of society you have to be a witness. But some people need the guidance and direction of an organization (be it witness or perhaps the military) to straighten up and become responsible.

I credit the org with giving me the guidance not to follow the footsteps of my friends in the neighborhood when they started down a path of criminal and sexual activity. Without the structure, I'm sure I would have thought it was all fun and games too. I am thankful that I didn't get into the trouble that they did, and since most of the members of my family were "out there" too, I give full credit to the org for my clean past.

I have nephews who were raised in the org until they were in their early teens, at which time their family broke up and they went buckwild and have never recovered! I've told them many times, the choice isn't: be a witness or be a drug addict - they CAN be productive members of society without being JWs. I think that point of view always separated me from the rest of the cong - and ultimately led to me being here and out of there!

I think the org has many faults and they are expounded on in almost every thread (rightfully so) - but I also think some may still be too angry to see (or acknowledge) the good things they got out of it.

- "I will now go put on my complete suit of armor as I await the arrows about to be slung at me."

Nathan Natas

Hi DISA,

As you have seen from the previous posts in reply to your question, anything "good" that a person might have benefited from inside the WTS could be found in superior quality OUTSIDE god's chosen organization.

There is not one single "benefit" of Dubdom that is UNIQUE to the WTB&TS, is there?

LouBelle

I personally try take something good out of any bad experience - no matter how bad - and there have been some horrid ones.

Personally I was pretty much "out there" from a young age, I wasn't shy, I was extremely spontaneous. I did public speaking at school before my family became heavily involved with the witnesses, I suppose it did help when you had to speak in front of 100 or so people, but they were friends & friends are comfortable with each other.

One thing though is that they preferred me to be a bit quieter.

mad max

I ask God to help me to reply to this tread and you know He could not.

Talks - control CONTROL

Field service - control CONTROL

Dress - control CONTROL

gossip, shunning, fornication, adultry, clicks, hate (not love) vomit - society tell you one thing then go back to their own vomit - liars - stuck up - selfish - and yes many people are ON THEIR OWN in that org.

desbah

DISA,

I am sure I will face a number of counter arguments regarding my viewpoint but that is the chance I am going to have to take.

You ask for it and you got your wish. To me your still in the WT mindset where you are still head strong and willing to make an argument to prove your point.

~desbah~

TemperateWarrior

Just my two cents,

I do miss some of the people still trapped in the org. Being in dubdom all you life, you can't help but form at least some friendships there, albeit shallow ones.

Some good things that I can take as my experience as a witness:

1) My critical thinking skills have taken a good jump since leaving. I don't get fooled easily anymore and I can usually look beyond someone's smokescreen and see what is really going on in a situation.

2) I so thoroughly enjoy my freedom. After 30+- years in a prison fresh air is oh so sweet.

-TW

"Lord grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the weaponry to make the difference."

georgefoster

The Watchtower magazine taught me how to masterbate,now that's an interesting story that I may expand on one day.

red orc

I learned from James Dobson's "Preparing for Adolesence" book.

orangefatcat

Mad Max, you put that so eloquently. I loved it.

orangefatcat.

is there a troll around here?

Odrade

I have nephews who were raised in the org until they were in their early teens, at which time their family broke up and they went buckwild and have never recovered!

But you see, there is the faulty assumption in there that the nephews went wild because they left the organization. I've seen this happen lots of times, and it's always pointed out that the Organization is the reason that the were moral, and when they left they suddenly became rotten.

The more accurate picture, in many of these cases is that the Org provided only peer pressure to behave in a certain way, but never truly imparted training in morals and ethics. It teaches HOW to behave rather than WHY it's important to behave that way. When these young people leave, they leave behind the peer pressure, but have no moral compass or ethical behavior of their own developed. No wonder they go wild. And the responsibility for that can be laid squarely at the WTS door.

The Organization does not teach moral values, it teaches rules. The family, if a child is lucky, takes those rules and crafts morals and ethics from it. Any family can do this, it is not provided by the WTS, and it is not dependent on affiliation with them. If there ever comes a time when the individual decides that the JWs do not have the truth, if they only have rules to live by, and have never developed their own morals, they likely will throw out more than just rules of dogma--losing also the rules of behavior.

The lucky ones who leave the Org. and DON'T go "crazy," have most likely developed their own sense of morality, so they don't really need the rules. Am I talking in circles? LOL!

There were some good things about the organisation...

Share this