Dearest minimus;
Im glad you started a new thread on this subject.
My point is the big world out there usually considers the offspring to be the same religion as the parents. I know that is not always the case when one is old enough to make a choice. The JWs do not recognize free choice. They do not like their religions name in a bad light and that is understandable for any denomination. The baptized rule to be a full fledged member is WT brainwashing and cruel. It is just another means of control of young ones and new converts. You will die at Armageddon if you are not baptized I know you have taught this and so have I, but its wrong.
The JW religion name comes up in news of tragedies such as the one mentioned in another post because it is an extreme religion. The members themselves will use it to try and show some kind of special pious when faced with adversity of some kind. Things are not always so cut and dry as either you are a JW or not. There are JW associates that may not conform to the rules as the WT would like and it can still show up in news casts as a: former Witness, current Witness, in between Witness it doesnt matter. Whatever the religious position or their status in that religion, once its in print or broadcast the WT cries, and disowns them.
No matter what the WT tries to do to protect their name it is tarnished by these occurrences. What they themselves portray: WT vs. the world, live or die, cut and dry it is pidgin holing every one else as they see it. The WT teaches, when things get real bad, their god will feel as if his eyeball is being poked and he will swat billions to death at that time. They place themselves in the coveted, but fabled, position of that eyeball, when the big bad world comes after Jehovahs Witnesss that is when Armageddon will commence. If you are unfortunate enough to have refused their magazines one day, youre dead. The status of how you worship the WT is only important to the WT most other individuals do not care.
How any former Witness wants to be viewed by the WT is up to them not the WT. The law in the US and many other countries protects religion so they can treat you the way they like, good or bad, my opinion is the WT treats its members bad. That was not always my view, obviously being a former member. I chose to leave the WT and have not told them why, I just stopped attending one day. Automatically Im bad in their view regardless of why. I must be vilified to remaining members or it would be too easy for others to also walk away. Hence the Witness or not rule and similar thoughts.
HCM
edited,formatting
Edited by - HoChiMin on 19 October 2002 10:32:25
