embarrassed about having been a witness? (page 3)

AK - Jeff

As an active Jw - I was proud of it!

As a fading Jw - I was embarrassed somewhat.

As an active apostate - I am proud as hell of that! I can finally think for myself.

I am no longer embarrassed that I was a Jw - it is part of my history.

Jeff

Great comment "Journey on".
As a born-in I have now been out as long as I was in.
It is who I am and helped to make me what I am today.

Embarrassed about it, yep. When I was a kid it was constant.
I was the only JW in grade school, the only one that I
knew of in Junior high, and only one of maybe 3 in high
school. It was tough.

When I finally faded after 26 years and a failed marriage,
I refused to even acknowledge that it even ever happened.

I've just recently faced it square in the face and have
been purging it out ever since. It get better once you
begin to reconcile it with yourself.

This board has helped a great deal in that process.

Elgiard

I might as well have been born in. I think I was six when I was made to start going to the meetings. I was in up through early adulthood before doing the fade. I'm still very embarrassed about it. I've never really talked about it with anyone. I have one close friend I've been wanting to tell, but I haven't yet.

Bring_the_Light

I concur. Born-ins make proud Ex's! Wee! I took the Red Pill, I'm Neo and I can dodge bullets etc. Plus the sheer joy of being smarter than one's peers, adults and parents, now that is a new definition of self-esteem! I have Light, would you like some? Bring_the_Light

beksbks

Good Lord! I'm crushed! Did Queen plagiarise from the WTBTS??????????

Jim_TX

"Do you feel shame and embarrassment?"

Nawww... I was about 5 or 6 when my mom got snagged by the JWs goin door-to-door. So - I was a JW for most of my life - up until I quit going in about 1983 or so.

Where I now work there used to be a JW. I knew he was a JW (and so did the others who worked there), but he never knew that I was an ex-JW (or at least I don't think he did).

Whenever the JWs came up in conversation, I would make a joke out of it... "I used to be a JW... but now I'm all better." *twitch* *twitch*

Everyone laughs, and we move on. No biggie. Folks are pretty understanding and forgiving - non-JW folks, that is.

Regards,

Jim TX

purplesofa

Thanks for all your comments, so many newbies!!!

And AK-Jeff, congrats on becoming a mod.....

purps

flipper

PURPS- Good thread by you ! Good subject. Even though I was raised in it - I WAS actually embarrassed when I was a witness when having to face situations at work- just as you described. I worked in my early 20's as a warehouseman , and sold electrical supplies to contractors. Being the good little ministerial servant dub I was when younger- I'd read my Watchtower at lunch break in some quiet place in the warehouse. Bad idea ! I was severely ridiculed and teased for being a little " Christian boy " , and it made me very embarrassed. Also when I was 20, I worked for a carpet cleaning company , and the manager who knew I was a witness , coerced me into a conversation about my view of the American government. Of course- not thinking I said I was neutral, did not vote, had already cast my vote for God's kingdom. Then I explained that Jesus was going to destroy man made kingdoms and Jehovah would rule the planet ! My manager said, " Your God Jehovah ain't going to do $hit ! " Well, once again I felt very foolish .

So in time I became self employed and didn't have to be harassed over it anymore. Now that I'm out I do regret that I was brought up in a " mind control cult " from birth- and I usually will not tell people, unless it comes up, then I'll address it. I see no need. I'm over it, and it was a former part of my life. But like AK Jeff said, I'm damn proud now of trying to help people get out of the witness cult - and develop free, clear thinking ability. That's my goal now, to help as many getting out of it as I can to move on with their lives

BlackSwan of Memphis

Wow, hello there purps

Do you feel shame and embarrassment?
purps

no. What I do feel is that very often people can hear your experience as one and not quite understand the gravity of the meaning when you say "I'm an ex-jw." And from there they lump it into the billion other religions that are out there, without much of an idea of how it affects the way you see life and relationships.

Black Sheep

I used to be embarrassed, but not any more.

I bring it up at every opportunity

Everyone I know, knows that I was brought up in a high control cult called Jehovah's Witnesses and that I am still recovering from it. It is surprising how many people consider JW just another harmless Christian religion. I leave them with no illusions.

Cheers
Chris

embarrassed about having been a witness?