Did your reading skills suffer from your JW experience?

Maryjane

I was a staunch JW and rarely read anything other than the WT/Awake and newspapers (reading level - 6th grade maybe?) Prior to becoming a JW I could easily read a book a week...now it takes me forever just to get through one novel. Has anyone else lost their reading attention span? Maybe it's just old age creepin up on me :)

Finally-Free

I noticed it when I was in my mid thirties and had to go back to school to retrain for new employment after having some injuries. I found I had to backtrack after each paragraph in my text books, much like is done in watchtower studies. I don't have this problem any more, and I can now read an entire chapter in a text book and actually retain something.

W

Dune

I saw my public/private reading abilities increase. Of course, i was at a developmental stage (7-12)

One thing i have noticed is that my writing style is very similar to Watctower's. I use alot of "therefore, futhermore, on the other hand" and i start alot of my sentences with well(in speech). My english professor was slightly irritated with my writing style. The only way i could redeem myself was a use of a bigger vocabulary.

Maryjane

found I had to backtrack after each paragraph in my text books, much like is done in watchtower studies

That's EXACTLY what I find myself doing...re-reading stuff I already read. I used to just read straight through. My speed is coming back slowly, but I'm still way stuck!

Nosferatu

So that's where it comes from!

I absolutely hated reading for the longest time. It would take me months to get through an entire book. It was probably the combination of schoolwork and "studying".

More and more I'm enjoying reading, and I believe it's because of the internet. The fastest I ever whipped through a book was two days. I was absolutely shocked that I was able to accomplish this!

daystar

I'd say that mine was actually enhanced by it. I was reading by the time I entered Kindergarten and read voraciously throughout my public education.

greendawn

The JW connection never caused me any problems with my reading skills and I can't see why it affected your ability to read. They interfered with my social skills for a while.

blondie

I'm a fairly fast reader with good comprehension. The brothers could never figure out how I could read 2 daily newspapers, 4 to 5 non-JW magazines, and 15 books a week and still give better answers at the meetings than all but 2 or 3 of the rank and file. I knew a couple of other sisters who did the same.

I have noticed that I don't read as much since I got married................only 5 books a month.

Blondie

rwagoner

I'd have to agree that mine was enhanced, but I was raised in the dubsfrom a very young age...I do also have a JW writing and speaking style even now that is difficult to get rid of. I find myself, like above, using way too many "..." continuations in my writing and I tend to be a bit wordy when its not needed.

GermanXJW

I think reading skill was one of the few benefit I have from my Watchtower background. First talk in the TMS at age 6 had its impact.

However, I have the same issues with my writing style as Dune above.

Did your reading skills suffer from your JW experience?

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