ExJW Quiet Activism: World Events and Jehovah's Witnesses

If you have been involved with the Jehovah's Witness (JW) religion, then you are probably familiar with the fact that they believe they are prophets, that only they possess the "truth" about the major events of the globe and they think that they are the chosen ones who are charged with the mission of disseminating religious literature to the world of lost and ungodly people. Please know that they truly believe the world revolves around them. Anything that happens on this planet, the JWs believe it's all about them, because of them, and anyone saying anything negative means they are an enemy and out to get them to stop their message that God will bring about a global destruction of all non-JWs or people who are not studying to become baptized JWs, to make way for the JW elders to rule on the new paradise earth under the direction of the anointed ones who were raised to heaven to rule alongside Jesus Christ [yes alongside, equal, not subservient to the Christ].

Psychologists normally label these types of people as having a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and the JW Governing Body (GB) fits that description. The GB are the ruling class of the JW church that issue edicts to its members in their self-appointed capacity at the top of the pyramid of every-changing policies, rules, regulations, and hide behind what's called "new light", when their religion is recycled beliefs that are repackaged and revised for their blind followers every decade or so.

NPD is demonstrated in all of their followers. All indoctrinated, baptized JWs have an exaggerated sense of self-importance and believe they are special, they have a sense of entitlement and have a total lack of empathy for anything or anyone but themselves. They even think they are martyrs and have to sacrifice their lives by refusing certain life-saving blood transfusions and believe their death ensures their eternal life. Even their so-called preaching work only involves themselves, since they have to recruit more followers into the organization to save themselves from that global destruction brought about by their god Jehovah. If they die before Armageddon, then they want that resurrection to a paradise on earth [remembering there are two classes of JWs, the rank and file earth dwellers and the anointed by God who will be equal to Jesus in heaven and push him off to one side while they face Jah himself head on and ask for the best assignments].

Dealing with people having NPD is a challenge, and if they are not a member of your family or someone you live with, the advice from experts is to avoid them. If you can't avoid them, then it's important to not give in to their pressures, demands, and yes, sometimes their tantrums since JWs believe they are right and the entire world is wrong. They cannot entertain the fact that this world can be a wonderful place filled with many cultures, beliefs, and customs that makes this life enjoyable.

Apparently, God hates veggies but loves those lamb
chops and Cain was jealous and murdered his brother.

Obviously there is crime and violence yet these things have happened since Cain murdered his brother Abel, if you follow the Christian Bible. Yes, violence has existed since the first human couple had their first two kids. So don't let the JWs and their scare tactics lead you to believe that global violence existed only since 1914, which was one of their original dates for that global destruction at Armageddon. Since obviously that date failed, the JWs say that 1914 marks the time of the end. Yet, violence, warfare, skirmishes, revolutions, civil wars, rebellions, etc., have all existed globally since the dawn of mankind. Violence was supposedly introduced by those fallen angels called demons when they first tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden to eat of the forbidden fruit - again, if you believe in the Christian Bible, as there are as many different belief systems as there are people on this Big Blue Marble.

Don't let the JWs bully you into fear and trembling. I hope anyone who might read this blog will take my advice. First thing is to avoid a JW. If you are unlucky and are forced to live with one, then don't be bullied by their demands that you attend their JW meetings. Ignore their threats and tantrums that you will die at Armageddon. Be calm, don't blow your top and call them crazy. Reason with them that violence is a fact of life and personal safety is on everyone's minds.

Rest assured, if you take certain precautions and try and minimize risk in your life, hopefully you will be left unscathed. As has been my personal experience, it was very difficult for me to build trust in anyone not a JW. Not that any JW ever helped me in any specific way other than to become more indoctrinated and taught me to blindly follow their rules and regulations or face the leather belt strap on my bare backside inflicted by my dad when I was a kid or the constant threats as a teenager from my parents that all my stuff would be on the front lawn when I got home from a worldly friend's house after school only to find all the locks on the house had been changed so I had better get back to those meetings and out into the public ministry. But, indoctrinated JWs ignore the facts that they have been wrong about world events since the religion was first formed when they were called Bible Students with the founder Charles Taze Russell. After his death, it was a battle for a new religion with a huge pot of money that was there for the taking, and the newly formed church became the JWs. However, nothing has changed with this fear-based religion, so don't get caught up and entangled with existing on fear.

For many years the JWs taught that 1914 would be the date of Armageddon then changed it to the date of the time of the end, and the generation of people who saw the events of 1914 would not pass away. That generation that was of age to witness and understand the world events of 1914 are long dead. And the JWs now deny they ever said anything specific about that date despite their numerous old literature that states otherwise. JWs never give up with the rhetoric in their literature, public talks, and regional conventions trying to scare people into staying in the organization and scaring people into returning who have faded or were disfellowshipped.

Reference: http://www.jwstruggle.com/2011/02/cover-picture-the-generation-of-1914/

So, remember to set boundaries if you live with a JW or are forced to deal with a JW at work or if they are a relative. Deal with them calmly, don't get angry and rant and yell, simply tell them what you will and will not be doing. You might tell them you appreciate that they are nuts...sorry...you appreciate that they are upset and excited and want you to attend JW meetings, but you choose not to. You really don't need to explain other than stating facts. Yes, the world can be violent, but it can be beautiful too. Yes, the Bible might be right, but there are other books and documents that pre-date the Bible and you enjoy studying many belief systems.

I hope in some way this information has helped as I appreciate all the various websites, videos, blogs, and message boards that have helped me wade through the dark murky waters of the JW culture and find my way to the clear waters of personal hope, freedom, and love for my fellow man no matter what he or she believes, as long as they are good people on the inside, not simply that they walk door to door or stand by a literature cart thinking they have the only path to salvation. The JWs are an organization of narcissists, nothing more, and are only human like you and me. They have no special knowledge or skills bestowed upon them by any god. The JWs do have a proven record of being wrong, while killing a few loved ones or themselves along their path going nowhere because of their refusal of certain potentially life-saving medical procedures.

If you are a baptized JW, don't be afraid to jump off that treadmill now, remembering that you don't need to give any big long reasons, you don't need to quote numerous scriptures or reference material. This is up to you, just leaving is the first important step. I was baptized for 26 years and left in June of 2006 marking the end of my baptismal dedication and oath of allegiance to a bunch of men in NY. I left of my own free will and have never stepped foot inside a Kingdom Hall [prison camp] since then, and will never do so. I do admire activism and the people who want to face the JWs head on and try to reason with them, stand their ground, and make a point. That's fine.

But don't feel you have to do anything you aren't comfortable with or feel that you have to prove anything, just take heart, and focus on the things that are important to you and enjoy getting to know all those wonderful "worldly" people that exist on this great planet of ours, whether they prefer the veggies or those lamb chops.