This isn’t an attempt to in any way paper over the weird teachings of the Governing Body. However, when you read of former JW’s on the internet, talking about how their lives are messed up, its for real. I think that any Jehovah’s Witness who is taking a peek needs to wake up to this fact. People leave for very good reasons…..

Many former JW’s have particularly bad memories on how elders and other publishers mistreated them. Without fail, a common, and valid complaint is that how well you were treated and viewed was in direct correlation to how much time you devoted to knocking on doors and busying yourself in their so called “theocratic” activities.

Having said all of that, most JW’s do what they do because they believe they are serving god. My point in this blog isn’t to draw attention to the many fallacies and problems of JW dogma, but simply to make a point about the people in general.

In spite of what you may read on the internet, most JW’s are good people. Most work hard, take care of their families as best they can, while trying to balance their “theocratic” schedule.

So why do we read so much about how bad JW’s are on the internet? I think most JW’s who love their faith would generally be surprised at how often other JW’s are mis-treated. And I personally don’t blame all of the ones who do the mistreating. It’s how they are trained to treat and view their brothers.

Elders get all kinds of letters and instruction from the Governing Body through the Circuit Overseer to act a certain way in certain situations. An elder is taught to be “firm” with those who are disorderly. But to be loving. Whatever that means. If an elder is on a power trip, his idea of what is firm and loving would shock some. Elder and pioneers are encouraged to “encourage”. So many times I read of those who felt they could never measure up. That is because they were always encouraged to do more, pioneer, work part time, etc. Its never enough, and it’s clear to me that many JW’s are genuinely unaware of the damage that this incessant type of “encouragement” (or call it what it really is, indoctrination) does to a person who is barely hanging in there. And if they react to the encouragement in a non positive manner? Watch out, you start to get a reputation, and it goes downhill from there.

Judicial hearings can be unnecessarily embarrassing and humiliating. Forget the fact that there is not precedent in the Greek Scriptures (NT) for 3 elders to pass judgment on how sorry a person who sins might be. So many sisters (brothers too) get asked the most embarrassing questions about sex acts they have participated in. Elders are told not to ask, but they do often anyway. I am sure you can appreciate how this can cause bitterness. To say that a person is not repentant, not sorry, (including teenagers!) and then decide to disfellowship is a heavy responsibility, one that elders frequently mess up.

I write this because there is justifiable anger on both sides. Frequently, JW’s who dare take a peek at what others say about their faith on the internet can’t understand the anger, and immediately dismiss it. They shouldn’t.

Ex JW’s sometimes seem to lump all of their former associates as brain dead morons. That isn’t true either. I for one, wasn’t brain dead. I didn’t beat anyone over the head to do more. (once I grew up that is) It’s just a simple matter of believing that you are the only group that has “the truth”. It’s a heady feeling that can cause you to act in all kinds of ways you wouldn’t if you weren’t so indoctrinated.

I hope any Jehovah’s Witness who might be “taking a peek” will stop and realize that all the hysterical accusations made in the Watchtower concerning apostates are simply not true. After all, aren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses looking to make apostates of everyone they convert, to get them to leave their faith? Why should those who leave the Witnesses for conscientious reasons be viewed any differently than who you look for door to door?

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