Mindchild
What i find confusing, is the fact that when we rail against the wt, its policies and jws to a certain extent, we are railing against what we have all been at one time and i have been for the largest part of my life. I learn from therapy groups that to reject any parts of ourselves is mentally unhealthy, leading to stress and other mental problems. And so my attacks have almost always been on ideas and not people.
Maybe many of us have a type of love/hate relationship toward jws. Maybe the removal of the shunning practice would remove the hate part.
Maybe jws should be respected as sick people are respected. Jws are mentally sick, but the question could be raised, who isn't mentally unwell to some extent?
I believe freedom of religion is an essential that must be protected. Govt should not get involved in regulating religion. But what i think govt should do, is make proselytizing illegal or at least strictly controlled by means of permits and liscences.
There is a lot of truth to the illustration that as long as people want illegal drugs, there will be drugs pushers. As long as needy uninformed people are willing to take easy outs, not taking/having the time to investgate, religions/movements/politics like the wt will exist. The world has bad/harmful/abusive elements becuase human nature makes/allows it. And so, human nature must be further uplifted through education and inspiration theough various means. The american founding fathers had confidence that, given enough information and freedom, human nature would choose to do the right thing. The internet in general, and sites like this one are key in the spread of informations that innoculate people against exploitation.
I say the need out there is more freedom and more quality information.
SS
