At what point did you stop being an idiot?

Hiddenwindow

Were you always an open-minded JW? Did you ever think that another brother was an apostate because he asked a simple logical question? The latter, of course, is the most natural reaction among most JWs. As a matter of fact, I realize my first question contains an implicit contradiction, because I strongly believe that the beginning of the end of your “Witnesshood” is precisely when you start being open-minded, especially about doctrinal issues; in short, a level of idiocy that can only be comprehended after you have escaped from it. Anyways, I would like your input on this.

Nathan Natas

Uhhh... was I supposed to stop?

changeling

A leopard doesn't change its spots.

changeling

Happy Harvester

I wish I could say that I stopped being an idiot and could blame all of my ignorance, insensitivity and arrogance on the JWs, but nature versus nurture - either way, it's all my parents' faults.

summer

I am still a first class idiot. I'm afraid it's in my genes

OnTheWayOut

precisely when you start being open-minded, especially about doctrinal issues; in short, a level of idiocy that can only be comprehended after you have escaped from it.

Although I was tempted to say I am still an idiot, as our first posters did, I will answer the question you are actually asking.

It took a long time from precisely starting to be open minded to the point where I left the organization behind.
I started examining the possibility that doctrine was wrong when we studied the 1995 WT on the change of
"this generation." I was busy as a new elder, so I didn't get to really doing anything about it, but I knew I would
look at it one day.

It gained momentum when the 2005 elders school reminded me that elders are a clergy class. Also, prior to that
school, the C.O. told the elders to start promoting the idea that college is TOTALLY unnecessary. I asked my mother
about "this generation" and she told me all about the stuff she was taught about Adam being 6000 years old in 1975 and
how we were merely waiting for Eve's creation to be 6000 years old, and then the last 1000 years of the creative day must
start before 6000 years from her sin. I was floored that she still believed what she was indoctrinated with, realizing that
I still believed what I was indoctrinated with (1914 generation must still be alive) and we were probably both wrong.

I started research heavily in the WT Library. When I realized the religion had too many flaws, I dared to google search and
followed wherever it took me. My favorites were jwfacts and freeminds then JWD from the link on freeminds.

That was more than a 10-year process. I hope others do it quicker and less idiotic.

aquagirl

when i turned 40

darkuncle29

When I admitted to myself that I am an Idiot.

There were things that I didn't like way back when I believed, I remember reading a whatchtower article during the study one sunday, and I thought to myself, "That's just wrong." and thinking then also that if that situation came up, I would not comply, but I'd also keep my mouth shut. I don't remember precisly what the issue was, I just felt it was very unreasonable. And yet--and this bothers me still--I could not free myself from the belief system of the Borg.

Since I've been out, I've enjoyed reading the Tao Te Ching, and one of my favorite lines is:

The one who speaks, doesn't know; the one who knows, doesn't speak.

I also like this, not from the Tao Te Ching: People who think they know everything, anoy those of us that do.

AuldSoul

darkuncle,

The one who speaks, doesn't know; the one who knows, doesn't speak.

I wonder if the person who wrote that ever said it ... if so, it would seem that "Houston, we have a [paradox]."

Homerovah the Almighty

After 1975

At what point did you stop being an idiot?

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