In the sense you are speaking of I basically have never changed. I changed a little while I was in the org, but only in submission to the leadership and it's rules and doctrines. I am basically the same person I was before I was JW and while I was JW. Nothing ever changed much in me. I was only really there for the 'true' doctrines, not because of some superior morals.
Are YOU Basically The Same Person Now As When You Were A Witness?
by minimus 34 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Amber Rose
I have stopped fighting myself.
-
sass_my_frass
No, I'm a kind person now, and I'm not suicidal, bonus!
-
PrimateDave
As a human being I have been constantly growing (mentally, emotionally, spiritually) throughout my life. Sometimes hardships spurred me to change and grow. At other times my increased awareness of the world around me has cause me to search for better "answers" which often bring up more and deeper questions. To answer the question of the original poster: yes, I am the same basic person. I simply outgrew the constraints of being a "Witness".
Dave -
new light
Good question, Min. Actually, a lot of the time I feel like a teenager, learning seemingly obvious lessons every day about what it means to be an adult. Once the JW filter was removed, it became clear how stunted I was in real life skills, and now my goal is to get up to speed on life.
I think back on all the non-JW people I froze away, looking down my nose at them and judging their every move. So many chances to show compassion and grow as a human being were lost, so it's quite a thrill to make the most of them now, and do things based on principles that come from within, not from those crackpots in Brooklyn. So, to answer the question, it's almost like being an entirely different person now, in that I can actually be me.
-
minimus
When I look back at original Witness thinking, I feel so happy to be out of the Organization's mindset. When I read (here) some of the gems of nonsense in the publications, how can anyone ignore this?? The whole religion has built its teachings on false hope, false prophecy.
-
tetrapod.sapien
hey minimus!
i don't think that anyone can go through the instense journey of freeing their minds from the borg and still be the "same person".
peace,
tetra
-
minimus
Tetra, you're so right! Unless, of course, you're missing some marbles to begin with.
-
mouthy
course, you're missing some marbles to begin with.
Talking about me again EH!!!
-
I quit!
I'm not the same person I was a minute ago or the same person I'll be a minute from now. When I look back on my JW days (which happened many years ago), it's like it all happened to someone else. The memories have the quality of a dream/nightmare from which I finally awakened.
I love this quote. I wish I had said it.
About the changes one makes when they become a JW. I made changes like getting my hair cut stopping smoking and taking drugs. I stopped using the F word and the minor swear words. This type of change is very superficial and doesn't really make you a better person. I knew quite a few JWs who didn't do the above mentioned things but were dishonest people who were abusive to their families. I think many JWs are what Jesus referred to as whitewashed tombs. It is all about appearance in the WT so witnesses work on the things that make them appear better. I know this doesn't really answer the question but I thought it might give a little insight into why I think it is a difficult question answer.