Are ex-JW still gullible or serpent-like?

by BEROEAN 141 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  BEROEAN

  Just wondering if ex-JWs find it hard to trust others since their bad experience or are they still gullble souls? Just wondering because some of the stories I read about past experiences are off the charts! Some of you, your childhoods, your parents are seriously jacked up! Do you consider yourself emotionally stable or borderline schitzo? What is the main contributing factor? Not playing high school sports/attending prom? Hypocritical parents? Abuse? Fear of demons/boogey man watching your every move?

  I consider myself an average guy. Nothing special. But, I could never see myself being led by the nose in the Org. the way most of you were. When the CO. visits I don't try to impress him. If I don't want to help out, I don't. If I prefer to sleep in instead of fs, I do. I never give contributions (primarily because when I was studying, I was told all the gold belongs to Jehovah. So I figured if He needs money, He can get it.). I look at it as, they asked me to be appointed, I didn't ask them.

  I associate with my "non-believing" relatives. I attend their funerals and weddings in the churches of christendom. I attend social gatherings by workmates.

  And i'm not the only one. There's tons of JW's that openly do this also. Now, the "old guard" may look down on this and not do these things, but what of it? What are they going to do? Give parts during the meetings? The majority of them can't see or stand up for longer than 2 minutes.

  Quite frankly, I don't know how some of you weren't smart enough to just become inactive rather than getting dissed so you allow your STUPID relatives the freedom to still associate with you.
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  bigdreaux

  i think most of us are like you. i think we are hard to trick, but, you said serpent-like, i take that to mean deceitful and underhanded. i don't feel that way about anyone on this board. i think we are mostly regular joes trying to help loved ones.
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  davegod

  You do these things openly and are still in good standing? BS!
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  BEROEAN

  No, by serpent like I mean very cautious. You know, "as catuious as serpents, yet innocent as doves."?
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  bigdreaux

  well, i am not cautious, if someone asks me what i think, i tell them, but, i don't actively try to get people into debate. my parents are afraid to talk to me because i have a crazy mind and can put things in a light that makes them think, so, they avoid the religious talk with me.
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  BEROEAN

  Davegod,

  Why is it so hard to believe? I've sat in meetings where CO's have come and gone warning of removing me because my hours weren't at the congregational average. Nothing yet. Recently a close family member of mine died and the funeral was at a local church. Half the JW congregation showed up to it. Nothing scripturally wrong with that. How can a person get reproved for not making a "VOLUNTARY" contribution?

  Maybe because my background does not allow for me to "blindly follow" anyone. I've questioned CO's during Elders/Servants meetings on things they've said. No backlash or retribution yet. Living so close to Chicago, the friends go to jazz clubs, sporting events, and neighborhood festivals.

  Now, i'm not saying I hang out with gay people, use profanity, or urinate in public and pass out in a drunken heap. But, those are things I wouldn't do even if I weren't in "THE TRUTH".

  I guess what i'm getting at is, I understand and heard thousands of times about the 70's and 80's JDubs. Truly cultic. But that crap is on you guys and your parents for tolerating it. Todays generation of JW's aren't that docile.
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  davegod

  In all fairness, I got out in the 80's, so maby they are ''cooler'' now. Reading what people say on here does not sound to me like things have changed. We moved to GA when I was nine from NY. Even at that age you could tell a differance coming here. Many rural, raised baptist's in charge. Very strict. I am sure some parts of the world are almost like a diff religion due to the culture. I will say this though, no matter where you live, being shunned by your family is a mighty strong tactic. BTW, all of me are totaly nuts!
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  flipper

  Jeez Louise, Beroean, take a chill. I think you could cut these guys a little slack - if you read their stories you can see that most of them are intelligent people with strong character, and very few like to boast or insult the others. After all, I'm the only one whose gotten a bit huffy with you on this thread and I never was a JW. Now that I think about it, you are the only person I've ever got huffy with here - we have a special relationship! flipper
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  davegod

  One more thing. You need to ask questions regarding your faith, real questions. Regarding the other thread of yours, if wether or not anal and oral are your main requirements for acheiving eternal life.....wrong path mack.
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  flipper

  Beroean- Most of us were smart enough to become inactive when we left this org. When you leave the org. you're going to get dissed anyway you look at it. Fading or otherwise. Quite frankly, I don't see why you're not smart enough to get out now while you are still living a double life and not really believing it, but just giving everybody a line of BS. Anyway it's more emotionally unstable & schitzo to play games and remain in a cultish organization like you do, all the while dissing everybody and their uncle. I don't know where you got your social skills, but to condemn everybodies relatives is uncalled for. Alot of people on this board are so much more supportive & emotionally stable than any hypocritical witness could ever be. By the way, what are your @$#*&% relatives like??? Be nice or don't write anything at all