by misspeaches 25 Replies latest jw friends
Was I perhaps too much of an independent thinker in the congregation which is why I felt the difference?
Going off a bit at a tangent here but I have noticed there are an awful lot of BIG personalities on this board. Having a personality (any personality) they would have stuck out amongst the sheep like drones down the hall. I wonder if this is why some of us are here instead of at meetings nowadays, because we shone.
Matt
BANG... Real world. It turns out I am as average in my intelligence as the rest of the population. That there is a whole lot more important things that i know nothing about. I am learning constantly. So why? What actually went on?
- Was I perhaps too much of an independent thinker in the congregation which is why I felt the difference?
- Was I just full of myself in a typical JW behaviour and I've since realised my limitations?
- Anything else?
- Am I alone? Did anyone else feel like this?
Welcome to the club!
When I started meeting and conversing with genuinely educated people I suddenly realized I HAD WASTED MY INTELLECT ON GARBAGE!
It is the educational equivalent of eating five McDonald's cheeseburgers everyday for 20 years and thinking you are fit and trim!
I had to start all over and clean out my brain. I threw out my JW concepts and mopped up the false definitions and set about relearning everything from scratch!
It has taken me another 20 years to repair the damage. That is why I'm so pissed off at the Watchtower. They made me feel like I knew the most important information in the Universe.
Turns out it was tainted meat in due season!
I had to read about science, math, physics, history and philosophy to clean up my act.
Without a firm foundation intellectually it doesn't matter how quick or talented your brain is. You have to have good data to work with!
Sounds like you are well on your way to spring cleaning!
Good luck.
T.
My view from the outside is that the wt conditions one to not think for themselves, by the way the watchtower questions/answers are developed, the level of writing of the study tools and the way that "knowledge" is force fed by the Watchtower (governing body). When one does not use the mind, it does not develop as it should. Plus, with the way the studies are run, the 'teachers' are instructed to tell you how well you are progressing so you naturally feel smarter, because someone is telling you that.
As I said, I am looking from the outside, but as soon as someone starts to really think for themselves, they seem to find the path that leads outside the watchtower world to brighter light that really is good for you!
Its funny you go through stages the more time you spend away from the organisation. Its really dawned upon me recently how much I have yet to learn.
I'm glad I posted this topic. I really feel inspired to start expanding my knowledge. I don't know how yet but I want to. I have this really keen desire now to get out there and start absorbing.
Honestly before now I don't think I was ready to. Up until recently I've been unconciously been following JW concepts. Its hard to explain. But now I'm over that and ready to learn.
misspeaches -
don't have time to read all the posts here but I have had the same experience. I can also relate to what Dan the Man says. I have the same personality I suppose.
I think I felt smarter than most when I was a dub because I've always had "emotional maturity" and I really feel most dubs don't have that. I guess that's why I felt so different from the majority of them.
just my 2 cents.....good observation from you though....
Oh, Misspeaches.............luv. I guess it could be the 'big fish in little pond' syndrome. As a convert to dubdism, when i started studying and going to meetings, (and you know who i studied with) i was always made to feel as though i knew little if anything. even my italian was corrected by my teacher, her being slovak and me being italian.........guess i was dumb. maybe if you're raised to believe you are in the true religion and have holy spirit directing the borg, therefore you have godly wisdom, you must be extremely smart. when you join like i did, particularly as a woman, single mother and obviously capable, you are humbled by the elders and others constantly because you need to control your spirit of independence or pride. i remember when i started my job as a film technician, having worked in television before, so many bros and some sisters would try to put down what i did, like say things that made what i do seem so trivial and unnecessary compared to what I COULD BE DOING FOR JEHOVAH. yet so many of the elders would be challenged by me.........guess that's why i got df'ed at one point. do you remember bro/elder MO? when there was a vidoe of the quickbuild made i was asked how to edit something. he listened to what i said. i offered to do it but he said not to worry, it may not even get done. next thing, he's done it and bragging. god forbid should i be better at something than him. i'm so glad i had a life and many experiences before becoming a dub, and i'm even happier i got out and have broadend my thinking again. life is so dull and mind-numbing in dubland. we must speak soon......re. our last phone conversation ok. cheers bliss
