by sweet pea 14 Replies latest jw friends
I don't really think that I have more friends, or better friends, as I didn't have many friends in the "Friends". What I have come to realize is that I myself am a better friend to those close to me than I was for so many years. I'm more open and honest with them, and don't feel the compulsion to cover how I truely feel in order to protect myself. The things that I did to hide that slimeball religion make me want to barf.
s.
You all said it! For me, there were no real friends, just acquaintances. It was only after getting the boot, that I found out what a real friend was. Family, too, for that matter! I am reminded of an old saying that seems to apply from time to time, "When a pickpocket meets a saint, all he sees are his pockets!" All they see in "us" is converts to their scheme, not friends, not family. Just converts.
I have over 2,000 friends on myspace. Thats more than I had when I was a jw. Maybe not. When I was a JW all of the witnesses were my friends, I must have had a couple of million.
I never had many friends in the Org to begin with, and some of those I don't communicate with anymore. My social base is slowly but surely growing with those that don't care what I believe.
R.F.
No. I have far fewer friends. "better" is rather subjective - I like to think of my ex-jw friends as conditional friends - they were only friends with me on condition I remained part of their religion.
the few friends I have now don't have that condition (although I would argue that friendship always has some kind of condition attached).
Friendship takes a great deal of energy and time to maintain. I don't have many friends because I don't have that kind of time, but at this point in my life it's not a big deal.
