How many of you felt that the JW environment you once lived in was accepting, warm, supporting, nourishing, and wholesome, a place where the emotional world of man could flourish experience a blissful state of well being and attain inner fulfillment?
JW environment and emotional well being
by greendawn 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
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dedpoet
I did when I first joined, but I started to doubt later
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greendawn
Dedpoet that could be the deceptive love bombing that most people receive to lure them into the cult. Then once in, most people find themselves socially destitute if they have no family in the org.
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peacefulpete
a place where the emotional world of man could flourish experience a blissful state of well being and attain inner fulfillment
It is place called OZ?
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Honesty
After the initial shock had worn off and I began to see the real love shown to others by the captives of the Watchtower Corporation I realised how empty my own heart was becoming.
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yaddayadda
My increasing awareness that the organisation is less and less that kind of a place seems directly proportional to my increasing age.
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Golf
As a business man for thirty five years you need a sales pitch to get customers. My sales pitch is experience.
New things are exciting and enjoyable UNTIL, yes until you wake up to the scam, Elfie, what's it all about?
The org. emotionally bankrupts its' adherents.
Golf -
Mysterious
I'm a walking example of emotional and social disfunction. Having been raised a JW one can only imagine where I point the finger for that.
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seattleniceguy
To the day I left, I believed that the Witnesses only had my best interests at heart. I left without any true awareness of the sociological problems within the organization. Since I was a true believer, I did indeed think that the environment was, in your words, "accepting, warm, supporting, nourishing, and wholesome," and I actually did argue with my dad (during one of my brief telephone calls before I cut off all communication with him) that Witnesses were among the mentally healthiest people on earth. (Yes, I now grasp the cruel irony.)
Ironically, it was only after my mental exit from their doctrines that I began to see the true extent of mental unhealth in the organization. Part of this came as a result of long email exchanges with people trying to reel me back in. I began to notice that their behavior and response mechanisms were totally robotic. I could almost watch the minds turn off at a certain, predictable point in the conversation. A person who hides from facts is not mentally healthy. Their universe is wound up in maintaining their current view of the world, and anything that challenges it is a threat. Such a person lives in a dark, cold cave.
Finally, I began to see the subtle manipulation that occurs in every aspect of JW life. Probably, it is exactly this ubiquity that makes it so hard to see. To a person immersed in the JW life, it is an everyday - nay, every-minute - aspect of life, so it becomes transparent. Only by living in the real world for a bit can one take a step back and see there are other, much healthier, ways of living.
I now see that it is impossible to find emotional well-being among the Witnesses. The culture is one of self-deceit, emotional repression, and oppression of individuality. I believe that JWs are among the most emotionally unwell people on this planet. I sincerely hope that survivors of it are able to find emotional health. I believe I am on this path.
SNG -
Golf
sng, I've used the expression 'emotional misfits' to describe the witnesses. It may be strong language but it's the truth. This will not apply to each and every individual. Hopefully the readers will not take offence to my adjective.
I have stated that I'm not bothered by their doctrinal changes because it has no emotional effect on me, in real life I deal with people's emotions. Happiness and a screwed up life hinges on our emotions.
Golf