Where is the Passion now?

sammielee24

Just a question. Many of us were passionate about the 'truth'. Our lives were the Watchtower. There was no room for questioning - there was no doubt - the society owned our time, our families, our life and in the end for many of us here, we may be out but the cost has been great as we find ourselves financially, emotionally and mentally struggling - especially those who may have been inside for most or all of their lives and are now older. So what do you do with your life now? What do you do with that passion now and how do you direct it into something positive? Have you found something to funnel all that time and energy into - or are you still fumbling around searching? Some seem to be just as passionate about exposing the Watchtower as they were in promoting it while they were 'in'. Is this your way of dealing with things? Are there many who have begun attending services in other churches and do you use your insight and experience in teaching others about cult experiences? ..sammieswife.

unique1

I was never passionate about it. I fill my time with excersize, cleaning and tv nowadays.

greendawn

There are serious Christian religions where one can have a good spiritual life, the JWs are not in any way necessary and they are not spiritually sound anyway. They got most of their doctrines wrong as they themselves admit and they keep changing them.

Finally-Free

I converted to the JWs in my mid twenties, and by that time I had pretty much done it all. There was already very little in life that excited me. I think I lived my life a little too fast. It's been a very long time since I've been "passionate" about anything. Since I DA'd the only thing I really care about is my bird. He's what keeps me going.

W

jojochan

To answer your question; I really don't know. My passion?...I focus it on my art, my writings and to read and study in improving my spiritual awareness in my life. To be able to answer my question that has stumped me for years which is "What is truth?" Is it from a certain point of view? What makes them think that it is the truth? Because of wt propaganda? Or what? I personally feel that I'm becoming something, someone that is different from the man that I once was. It scares me a little.

who knows where this will take me.

jojochan.

FlyingHighNow

I approach my entire life with passion. Always have. Only was involved passionately with JW's from 20-30 anyway. I am attracted to intense, passionate people.

THE GLADIATOR

I am attracted to intense, passionate people.

Wow, thanks FlyingHighNow. I thought it was the sight of all that steel and leather I wear but I see you have discovered the real me.

The Intense Passionate Gladiator.

troubled mind

I think I am still fumbling around for something to be passionate about. One of the regrets of being raised a witness is that I was never allowed to pursue outside interests. I have always had an interest in art, and am trying to be more involved in photography.I've always wanted to learn Tai Chi ... Missing meetings is freeing up my time , maybe I just need some ideas of things to try .

damselfly

lIke unique1, I was never passionate about it. What I am passionate about is learning, I can't get enough of it.I am also very passionate about my freedom to do and say whatever I feel like.

Dams

sammielee24

Maybe I worded the question wrong and maybe it applies more for anyone who was raised and lived by the Watchtower, I'm not sure. Growing up as a JW your world is restricted - no outside influences and this includes no sports after school, no dates, little socialization, only family that are 'in the truth', no vacations, only approved reading, music and movies and so on. If a family is not inclined to sociality then it narrows your world down even further. Additonally, if all that is approved is working for the Watchtower, then that becomes your only 'real' world and this leaves no opportunity for a 'good' or obedient JW to even begin to know what he/she is interested in or might excel at. In effect, for many JW's who are raised in the truth, your experiences as a person stop in your teens as you follow the societies wishes and give up all of your time for the preaching work and pioneerl. The only thing you can be passionate about is what is sanctioned by the society - and that is them. All of a sudden you are out and then what? It's okay to say well, I like this or I enjoy that - but given that many JW's don't get out until after they are 50 or 60, how many of them can even start to go back and try to figure out what they enjoy and how do they even try to grasp a sense of direction? After being told what to think, what to do, how to raise your kids, how to treat your mates, how and where to work, what amount of education you will have, how do you take back the thought process - something that usually comes through experiences that perhaps you never had? How do you find a passion for something now when the passion you had for a belief is destroyed by the reality it's a lie?

There are days that I find this more frustrating than others. Think of the families - maybe your own - who came to this country for a better life, some fleeing dictatorships - so that they might be able to give their children a better life full of freedoms and choices. They work hard to provide and start over only to have their family join a religious sect that is in fact the same as the dictatorship from which they fled. JW's are always afraid. Afraid to be seen with a person they shouldn't be, afraid to be seen at a movie or listening to some 'questionable' music, afraid of being seen reading an unapproved book, afraid of being seen in a bar or maybe in a casino, afraid of talking to anyone about things they might fear, afraid of questioning what goes on in their congregations or the world around them - always afraid. Hard to believe that many ancestors fought wars and personal hardships just so their children did not have to live in fear and then those children choose to give that up so willingly.

Anyway, just meandering....sammieswife.

Where is the Passion now?

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