When I was in, just about everyone I knew was aware of me being a jw. When I left, however, I didn't tell any of the friends I have made since leaving for the first few years, although most of them know now. They also know why I left, and steer well clear of the jws they meet partly because of what they know of my experiences, so I am glad now that I got around to sharing it with them.
Embarrased that you were a JW?
by Lady Lee 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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horrible life
I have always been embarrassed to be a JW. As a child in elementary school, and up. I didn't tell anyone. But they usually knew, because of all of the JW "rules". But inside the confines of the congragation, I was fine.
After I was out, my favorite thing to do, is make people guess what religion I used to be. I tell them first, that it is one of the weirdest religions. I don't know why JW isn't their first guess. Then I say, let me give you a hint. Then I knock on a table or wall.
You should see their eyes, as they realize what I'm saying. Most of the time, they will say EWWWWW, you were one of them!!!! LOL HL
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young hearts, be free..
make people guess what religion I used to be. I tell them first, that it is one of the weirdest religions. I don't know why JW isn't their first guess. Then I say, let me give you a hint. Then I knock on a table or wall.
That's great !! In all of my humour and wit, why didn't I think of that ? It's now my new party trick
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Cellist
I was usually not embarassed to be known as a JW when I was one. Being in a restaurant full of JWs was the exception.
Since leaving, I prefer not to identify myself with them. Not that the world knows very much about them. Last night we were at a music practise and the subject of housecleaners came up. One of the musicians said, "----- (local Dub), cleans for me. She usually works with ---(another local Dub). When there's extra cleaning to be done she shows up with a whole bunch of Mennonites and they get the job done in a hurry." She knew that her cleaner was religious, but got the religion mixed up. And this is a small area. I would've corrected her, but then I would have had to explain how I knew what their religion was.
Cellist
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AK - Jeff
Like Grace and Ian, I usually take every opportunity to announce [rather loudly if appropriate] that I have left a cult called Jehovah's witnesses.
If the Lord has a purpose for us individually in life, and of that I remain unclear, I think mine is to do all I can to get and keep people out of that cult. Funny how we change, huh? I brought about 10 into the organization - I hope I can take as many out too.
Then at least if Jesus and I go over the scorecard at my end, it will be even up.
Jeff
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Mysterious
When I was in school I hated telling people I was a JW, but nevertheless I sucked it up and did it because that was the "right" thing to do. Since leaving I tell everyone.
Most people have curiosity of just what goes on inside the religion and I like to tell them in great detail. It's a great party ice breaker as well. Suffice it to say JWs will get an icy welcome from all my friends for the rest of my life. My boyfriend also has a great interest in religions with the view to debating them so he makes me tell me a lot of what JWs are all about.
However since I was raised in the religion and left people mostly just have pity that my early life was filled with that instead of wondering how anyone could ever get involved in such a belief system.
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Aude_Sapere
In school I was a bold little proclaimer.
First few years out of HighSchool I was a little embarrassed because I wasn't completely 'living up to our name'. My close friends knew, then others found out. I was sure to let them know that I was not a perfect example of how JWs behaved but that I was still a believer struggling with my little rebelious streak. (Such a small streak - I'm sure no one but other JWs really cared!!)
As a pioneer, I started to get more stressed and just a bit embarrassed.
As a fader, I think I was as much embarrassed about my JW past as I was that I had no clear view on what I believed. I thought JWs were mostly right but had some serious issues to work out with Jehovah and I could just not sit in my chair at the hall silently while I knew things were happening that were so, so wrong. I became a walk-away believer - but straddling a fence of sorts.
About this time last year (roughly 13 years after walking out of that meeting) I started to have very intense physical symptoms whenever the subject of holidays and religion would come up. It was very much 'fight or flight' syndrome and manifested with sweaty palms and tension in my gut. My instinct was to 'flight'.
Around this time of physical pain, I started this thread:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/82295/1.ashx
The pain is gone. I am still in therapy (once a month) and now speak with relative ease about my JW past. I even joke about it a little. (I don't find it so funny with others laugh about JW issues with me though. That still feels humiliating - as if he/they are laughing at me.)
Thanks for for this thread. It's therapeutic for me to re-visit this topic.
-Aude.
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Riverview
I was always embarrassed being a JW.....all 35 years of it!!!
I am not embarrassed about being a Christian though
chris
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bythesea
I never made it a point to tell workmates or anyone I met that I was a JW...unless something came up that required me to take a stand on an issue. There was an incident a few years ago that I've thought back on and realize now was an indication that I was on the slide out of the Org. A df'd husband killed his wife and 3 children in our state and it made national news... When it hit the local papers he was all the talk at work and the fact that he was a JW...since I'd only been on the job barely a month I knew no one was aware I was a JW...and I kept the fact hidden. I knew others(JW) would have been quick to defend the Org. and explain the df policy, etc but I couldn't help but feel that the df policy might have had something to do with his desperation(not that I'm defending what he did! Not at all!!)and the actions he took. I was embarressed to admit to anyone that I was part of an org that shunned its members. It was only a few months later that another JW family in our area also met the same fate...both of these families had recently moved to this area and were trying to start over after the husbands had been df.
Now that I am trying to fade myself out of the Org I never identify myself as a JW when the subject comes up...I do refer to myself as a Christian, rather than a JW. My husband recently introduced us to a new neighbor and managed to work in the fact that we are JW....I just cringed and wanted to speak up and say "he may be, but I'm not!" but I haven't had "that talk" yet with my husband, so ..... bythesea
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FairMind
I'm an active JW and it doesn't embarrass me at all. I'm certainly not an apologist for the goofiness of some of our teachings or organizational actions but i see the same human failings in all other religions and organizations as well.