Personality Traits: An Inheritance From The Watchtower?

The wanderer

Personality Traits: An Inheritance From The Watchtower?

Five meetings a week are going to have an influence on an individual
whether they care to admit or not.

If an individual were raised on a steady diet of Watchtower and Awake
magazines coupled with publications such as the youth book how will
it not set an impression to shape and form certain character qualities
or personality traits?

Leading A Clean Lifestyle

The Watchtower Society used to preach to us about living a clean
and moral life style.

If we followed the teachings of the Watchtower Society would this
not be apart of our permanent personality?

Explain.

Respectfully,

The Wanderer

journey-on

Then explain how four siblings raised exactly the same way by the same parents in the JW way can all four turn out so entirely different from one another running the gamut all the way from witness fanatic to hell-raising good time Charlie?

changeling

First of all, I believe our core personality is with us at birth. Our natural inclination to be outgoing or reserved, to be decisive or to mull things over, to take things at face value or intuit more than meets the eye, do we take risks or follow proven methods, etc.

Secondly, I don't feel moral values or rules of behavior are an intrinsic part of that core personality. They are things we learn in the course of a lifetime. Now, the degree to which we follow these, may be influenced by our personality. But that ultimately can't be dictated by religion or anything else. If you tended to push the envelope as a witness, you'll do so when you are no longer one as well. If rules of morality made you feel safe as a witness they will when you leave too.

changeling

Journey-on: my core personality theory may answer your question.

humanmetrics.com

changeling

Junction-Guy

I think it plays a big part on personality. I also think that other life experiences when couple with the JW background can help shape a person's personality. That is why JW children in the same household can turn out different and have different sets of problems,even though they had the same JW upbringing.

cmobleness

All experiences have some effect on our personalities, especially those of a young child. When you are raised under the "rules" of the WT, you are taught that you are not important, what you want doesnt matter, you have no right to your own opinion, you are insignificant and the only way you are a "good" person that God would love is if you obey the organization. Yes, there is good teaching about living a clean life. However, the WT is not the only source teaching those values.

minimus

All sorts of things make us who we are. If I was never a JW would I be different? Who would know?

Personality Traits: An Inheritance From The Watchtower?

The wanderer