What I actually liked about being a JW was being "right," having the "truth," having God's "approval." Then one day it dawned on me that I probably wasn't right," I might not have the "truth," and I likely didn't have God's "approval."
DID YOU KNOW ANY JWs WHO ACTUALLY LIKE BEING ONE ?
by Summer wine 26 Replies latest jw friends
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R.Crusoe
Yeah - mainly the severalth generation sorts who had parents and siblings in already = who had personal family tribal get togethers which new recruits were absent of as human experiences etc (dropping all traditions from worldly associations etc) and they were usually stereotyped for privelage cuz they were the sons and daughters of so and so etc etc!
This is what you have no clue about when you first believe all their 'Jehovah is ours alone' garbage!!
You soon realise the 'Naked Ape' JWs who enjoy it, have etched out for themselves all the aspects of basic human tribal bonds and community in their personal lives which they generally expect newbies to largely forgo and just get on with all the WT rank and file slavery!!
And obviously it is all divinely inspired so if you get pi$$ed off it is because holy spirit is only in their bloodline!
Yeah, I knew a few deluded by their own lifestyle of godspeak!
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WTWizard
I think there are several categories of people that like being witlesses. The newbies that haven't yet found that it is a scam enjoy finding out that they alone are approved before they learn that they are not. People that cannot think their way out also stay in this category longer. And those who are in it for the power will enjoy being witlesses long after--since they are in it for power, it matters not to them that it is a total scam.
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AK - Jeff
I did!
I considered the ridicule as 'persecution', of course. I loved the FS - especially back in the old days [1970ish] when we actually found people at home, worked hard to cover the territory instead of spending it traversing the territory to kill time.
I made the 'brothers' my family - and really thought of them that way - still do to some extent, but know of course that relationship is over [in fact never really was unconditional as I believed at the time].
I still shed the occasional tear [inside mostly now] when I realize that it was all a shell game.
Jeff
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mouthy
I still shed the occasional tear Me too Jeff
It is as if all of my friends & family died the same day I was D/F
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AK - Jeff
It is as if all of my friends & family died the same day I was D/F
Yep. But I gained so much more, including association with folks like you, Grace.
Jeff
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yknot
Yea me, when I was younger.
I had nightmares from a meanyhead PO but ultimately I was 70's brainwashed into feeling prepared to weather the big A. I guess ultimately being a born-in I enjoyed the sense of certainity. I never cried any over the lack of participating in holidays, facts are facts, of course a closer examination shows you can't swing a dead cat without hitting some pagan off-shoot. The only thing I took hard was being banned from sports when I lived with my Mom (while at my Dad's (SB) I was very active in school sports).
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kurtbethel
That would be my study conductor.
Over 20 months of knowing him, and even meeting his family, I am certain he loves being in the org and sincerely thinks he has the truth. He mentions the fellowship in the congregation, and the book study. Perhaps he drew the lucky straw in finding some decent people to associate with.
I have backed off on overt pounding of the WT. I am convinced that he is happy with being there. Instead, we talk a lot about how things are going in his life, the meaning of things, what is going on in the world. When it comes around to looking in the WT, I always look up the scripture mentioned and of course pretty much read the chapter to get the context of it, look in an interlinear or concordance to study it deeper, and have a good time of it.
Sometimes he balks a bit about not making enough "progress" (as in me being an assimilated dub) but I point out those official WT numbers about how many hours of service it takes to get someone in and promise that I will be patient with him and give him as many hours as it takes to get the job done. -
5thGeneration
I don't understand the people who answer no to this question. Their current feelings and circumstances are skewing their opinions IMHO.
Of course most active, believing JWs like being JWs.
They may feel exhausted and have some problems but they like being JWs.
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Galileo
I knew many that did. My wife, for one, I think absolutely did. I did off and on, but more off. The lifestyle of giving up nights and weekends to go listen to the same monotonous rehash, or of bothering people in their homes, was totally antithetical to my nature. But then I was born in. I would guess the converts would be more likely to enjoy it, otherwise they probably wouldn't have joined.
I also know a great many that I believe absolutely do not like it. Again, mostly the born ins, approaching middle age and seeing Armageddon getting further away instead of closer. They are in my experience beginning to look back at the lives they gave up, the education, the children, and wondering how they are going to provide for themselves when they grow old, a situation they were never supposed to face. I believe these are growing resentful. I personally hang out with virtually all of the friends I grew up with since I was 17, most all active JW's, some MS's. They know my wife left me for my views, yet none ask me regularly about that or why I am inactive. I believe they largely understand and are sympathetic. This is not the behavior of a group that is thrilled with their religion.