Your View of "Worldly" People as a Jehovah's Witness ... Then and Now

I never felt contempt for worldly people. I felt pity for them, as they were outdide jehovahs organisation and thus doomed to die at armageddon. I was wary of having any unnecessary associatin with them, as I felt that to do so could affect my own spirituality adversely, so I had no worldly friends, apart from the man I now live with. I kept in contact with him after he stopped attending meetings in 1999, and even when he disassociated last year. He was very worldly by then, but I was on the verge of leaving myself by that time anyway.

I have been out of the lie for almost a year now, and though I still have issues to deal with from my many years as a jw, I feel that I have made great strides to putting the years of being trapped in a cult, and the brainwashing that goes with it, behind me.

• As a Witness did you feel a contempt for "worldly people" ?
• In your own mind did this create an environment of "us"
  verses "them" ?
• How did you get over this psychological brainwashing ?
  Or did you get over it ?

I havent been a jw since 83. I dont remember having a contempt for worldly people. I felt that I probably had higher standards about certain things and I was concerned that they might adversely influence me. Now for the past 23 years the only people I deal with are so called "worldly people". I think I am somewhat of a loner. I deal with people for what I can get out of them, business relationships and my private life is just my wife and I and my grown up son and his wife. I dont know if the jws made me this way or this is just the way I am or if there is anything even wrong with the way I am. Most days this year I have been pretty happy. People at work say Im friendly and always have a smile on my face. For a long time now in my life I just do my thing and dont follow anybody. And I dont crave or want anybody.

I just had the experience of witnessing (no pun intended) an elder from my old congregation treating a food service person at a local establishment very badly . He was waiting in line for his food not realizing I was directly behind him. He reamed out the poor girl for not getting his food to him right away and how he was sure it was cold by now. He was very rude. I told my friend who I was out to lunch with that that was a JW and an elder at that. She said, "They are not very happy people, are they?". It's funny how they are so nice at the KH or out in service while being observed by others, but when you catch them out in public they are totally different. I don't think they realize that people know who they are and they should behave better if they want to live up to the reputation they have in their own minds as being such shining examples of Christians.

There was definitely an 'us' verse 'them' attitude that was crammed down my throat at an early age.

I've given this experience before, but I'll do so again.

I was about 10 years old, and I had just returned w/ my mother from a return visit that had denied our offer of a 'free home bible study'

We sat in the car for a moment, when I asked my mom what would happen to this nice lady that had refused our bible study.

My mom responded by telling me she would die at armageddon if she didn't become a witness.

At that moment I knew this whole religion was a sham.

Witnesses were often nasty to me. I didn't like the Witnesses much then and I don't like them any better now. My neighbors have been good friends. Some have been life time friends. When I started first grade there was only one other boy in school and he was three years older than me. We were friends for our whole lives, about 54 years, until he died two years ago.

I have no long time functioning relationships with any Jehovah's Witnesses. All my friends are former Witnesses or never were Witnesses. I like it this way, I'm not complaining. This has worked out well.

I never believed that all "worldly" people would be killed by God. I thought this was as bad as believing in torture and hellfire. Of coarse, I didn't voice my opinion much around the JWs. I would sometimes say that I certainly hoped many others would come into the organization before the end.

I did put up a fence, though, between me and "worldly" people. I was always friendly, but wouldn't go beyond that. I'm sorry for that now because I could use some good real friends after breaking all ties with the congregation. They were the only ones I had for many years.

Now, I do not think of people as us and them. We are all just people. but, I forgot how to fit into normal life so it does still affect me. I think it will take along time before i can totally adjust.