Posts by Distracted

43

Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy Theories?

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

my wife is taking a literature course at a local college.

this was her final topic of the semester: why rational people buy into conspiracy theories?i automatically thought of this site and of jws.

the jws i knew, were the kind of people that would believe in conspiracy theories, and i noticed a small following on this site.. the article that was referenced for this course was: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/magazine/why-rational-people-buy-into-conspiracy-theories.html?_r=0.

Distracted

The thing is, when you call someone who believes a conspiracy theory a whack job, or some other negative pejorative, and say they do it to feel superior, I think you could be the pot calling the kettle black and your missing the point.

Is everyone that believes in a conspiracy theory crazy? Is everyone that believes a conspiracy theory totally unreasonable and unwilling to discuss alternate points of view? How many and which ones are reasonable to believe in and what are not? If you say you don't believe in any conspiracy theories, are you being reasonable?

Take for example, 9-11. Obviously the official story is a conspiracy, since it involved people working together and conspiring to do those things. Has the official story been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt? if you say you believe it happened just the way the government says it happened, you do believe in a conspiracy theory...it's just that you believe the official version and are therefore accepted by polite society.

It seems like you could safely say that that the Queen of England is not a blood-thirsty reptilian and that a person that believes the David Icke stuff might need more education or a shot of Haldol, but can you say for total certainty that there have never been any false flag incidents in the history of the U.S.? Or that corporate interests don't influence politics or hide egregious actions? That billionaires don't collude for their own interests? Or that the NSA always has our best interests at heart? That the people in charge always follow the rule of law and put the national interests first?

Going along with the party line all the time could be just as unreasonable sometimes as some of the more crazy theories out there. I think you always need to use your critical thinking skills. All through history,there are plenty of examples of people buying the political propaganda to their detriment.

43

Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy Theories?

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

my wife is taking a literature course at a local college.

this was her final topic of the semester: why rational people buy into conspiracy theories?i automatically thought of this site and of jws.

the jws i knew, were the kind of people that would believe in conspiracy theories, and i noticed a small following on this site.. the article that was referenced for this course was: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/magazine/why-rational-people-buy-into-conspiracy-theories.html?_r=0.

Distracted

Of course, growing up being told that all the world's governments and all the religions and the commercial systems are all under the control of Satan and are going to be involved in persecuting you, and everybody but the JWs or Mormons or Sanctified whatevers are also part of the world ruled by the Devil...well that might make a person tend to be a little paranoid, too.

43

Why Rational People Buy Into Conspiracy Theories?

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

my wife is taking a literature course at a local college.

this was her final topic of the semester: why rational people buy into conspiracy theories?i automatically thought of this site and of jws.

the jws i knew, were the kind of people that would believe in conspiracy theories, and i noticed a small following on this site.. the article that was referenced for this course was: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/magazine/why-rational-people-buy-into-conspiracy-theories.html?_r=0.

Distracted

There was a quiz I took not long ago about finding the hidden picture in the obvious picture and it had you tell what you see first. People who tend to be more literal and pragmatic pick the obvious picture. People who are good at abstract thinking pick the hidden picture.

People want to put down conspiracy theorists as stupid or crazy or whatever. I think conspiracy theorists come in all sorts of intelligence levels and degrees of sanity. I think they are good at matching up small details, gestalts, etc. It is partly genetic, partly environmental.

I also think people that look deeper may have had rough childhoods with one or more parents that had mental problems or substance abuse disorders. They have to become especially attuned to facial expressions, gestures, and their environment, to avoid getting physically or emotionally abused. They grew up believing the world is a very unsafe place and that they need to be aware and vigilant.

People who grew up in stable loving normal environments never needed to develop these traits or abilities. They tend to take things at face value, because they never had a need to do any different.

My two cents.

129

Silent And Sweet Rebellion Going On Within JW Organization!

by lsw1961 in

after 1975, the vast majority remained as though nothing has happened.

but some left the organization.

however, there arose a third category who did not leave the organization, but brought a new view into their heart: jws are right in their core cause (gods kingdom as the solution to mankinds problems) but may or may not be right in their supplementary teachings, hence are not bothered about changes happening in this unimportant area..

Distracted

I'm wondering why this thread got rather contentious??? It doesn't make sense to me. I thought this group was open to people of various stages of awareness and positions.

24

Watch: Comedian Lewis Black Reads 18 Year Old's Awesome Resignation Letter To The Mormon Church

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

http://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/davidbadash/watch_comedian_lewis_black_reads_18_year_old_s_resignation_letter_to_the_mormon_church(warning!

language!

).

Distracted

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2015/11/14/this-is-the-mormon-whose-resignation-letter-was-read-aloud-by-comedian-lewis-black/

According to this, Lewis Black is inviting people to send in rants...

39

Are You Easily Offended? 😠

by minimus in

jw
friends

i'm sick and tired of everyone claiming to be "offended".

if you are not politically correct, you will need to apologize for some perceived slight.. when i was an elder, i purposely avoided as much as i could, anybody that got easily offended.

.

Distracted

Minimus, Yes, I see that.

39

Are You Easily Offended? 😠

by minimus in

jw
friends

i'm sick and tired of everyone claiming to be "offended".

if you are not politically correct, you will need to apologize for some perceived slight.. when i was an elder, i purposely avoided as much as i could, anybody that got easily offended.

.

Distracted

If you avoid people you tagged as too sensitive or too easily offended, wouldn't you be guilty also of being too sensitive or offended by them?

I think it is true that there the religion/culture does make tweakers out of its adherents, but some take to it more than others.

An affectionate and mildly amused "Okay, xxx, you're getting a little carried away," with a smile seems to diffuse a lot of that stuff. You really have to love people to be able to do that.

31

EPIC!#%* NOVEMBER 2015 WT VIDEO "Welcome Home My Friend, Now Your Life Can Start Again"

by NoMoreHustle in

well i just watched this "epic" video, i would have to say this is probably the most disturbing video yet.

there campaign to get people back is just pathetic in the most mind-manipulating way.

"welcome home" or "come back home" are they serious?

Distracted

My mom kept telling me to watch this video but I avoided it till coming here. Still couldn't watch the whole thing. It is very disturbing. Besides the fact they do equate leaving the org with leaving Jehovah (a huge dishonest thing, I know) there were two examples that really show how much control and manipulation they want JWs to be involved in. The one example where a sister describes how she met someone near a bus and the person mentioned they had been a witness at one time was not quite right. She talks to an Elder and gets the lady's address and starts going by time after time even though the lady isn't interested, even taking groceries. The woman would have to "out" herself if she was just trying to fade and wanted to keep it that way. It seemed a bit like mild stalking to me.

Then there was the example of the woman who was raised as a JW and faded for a couple of years. When she went back to the meetings, she finally agreed to let two sisters study with her because she knew they'd just keep asking. I mean come on, raised as a JW? How much is she gonna forget in two years?!!! Just more control. After these two examples, I had to stop and skip to the end.

I now understand why people are bugging me. I don't mind so much them counting time on me, but dodging the pull back in is wearing.

[I commented about all this on the Fading thread but I realized it belongs under this one.. I was going to delete and write about this under this topic but it looks like I can't delete it anymore.]

37

A question about fading....

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i understand that many on this forum are undertaking a slow fade, over months, years even.. can i ask what is the benefit of that instead of a fast fade?.

as i understand it, the elders only have to deal judicially with people who are still active witnesses, known in the community as witnesses, having contact and influence with witnesses etc.

so surely the sooner you stop attending meetings the better.

Distracted

That November message is really creepy. There was one instance where a sister just kept going over to a stranger's house that she met and found out was a former witness. She wouldn't let up. The poor lady had to go back or face being outed. The sister found out where the lady lived from an Elder. It seemed somewhat like stalking to me.

Then there was one part where a woman had faded for only a couple of years after being raised as a JW. When the JWs got her to go back to meetings, she finally accepted a study because she said she knew that they just keep asking until she did.

It unnerves me because the org. is urging all the JWs to engage in this kind of behavior.

37

A question about fading....

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i understand that many on this forum are undertaking a slow fade, over months, years even.. can i ask what is the benefit of that instead of a fast fade?.

as i understand it, the elders only have to deal judicially with people who are still active witnesses, known in the community as witnesses, having contact and influence with witnesses etc.

so surely the sooner you stop attending meetings the better.

Distracted

I think fading only works if your witness family isn't looking to out you. I've been lucky so far since my mom and siblings are trying the kind, patient, and loving approach.

(However, I have some people in my life who have wrote me off until I start going to meetings again. it is amazing to me still, how they don't see how disturbing that attitude is.)

It is important to not to be too honest or direct. You have to get quiet and change the subject a lot. Or just nod.

I think me and my family have adopted a silent don't ask, don't tell approach. They do try to get me to watch things, read things, or go to assemblies with them. My mom has been getting kinda of pushy since that JW November message. I have also had FB book messages and phone calls from a couple of old friends that I haven't heard from in years. They hunted me down this month.

It really hurts me to disappoint my family.I would go back but I just don't want to be a phoney. I think I might have to move away to some place where no one knows me.

There is a point where your eyes have been clearly opened and you know you would be splitting your soul in half to go back.

I would try to enlighten them but I think being a JW is good for some people. I wonder if it wouldn't be too hurtful if your parents are up in years, made all those sacrifices and lived a life of near poverty, and you go and blast their lives apart with TTAT.

One of my siblings has some mental issues and the religion gives them purpose. I think they would be like a spring in a box that you open too quick; They would be all over the place and it wouldn't be pretty.

It really is a shame to be in this predicament.