Forget all of the stages: Denial, Anger, Sadness - Don't you sometimes just feel STUPID for having believed in the Organization?

by BonaFide 48 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  BonaFide

  I know I have been through all those stages, I denied it, then I got angry, definitely sad. Months and months of this, and I still am in for my family and friends.

  But sometimes I just feel STUPID. Why did I ignore BASIC COMMON SENSE for so long? When I sit at the meetings and listen to people repeating what's in the paragraph, or when I am in a car group in service, and everyone says the same stuff about Armageddon coming, I mean I have to laugh at myself believing for so long.

  I FEEL STUPID.

  And you?

  BF
• 

  OUTLAW

  Not Likely..I was raised in it..I never had a choice...............................If you Joined as an Adult..I have no Frigg`n Idea,what you were thinking about.....................................................OUTLAW
• 

  wha happened?

  I've had many what the f&%K moments. I look back and I wonder why I allowed myself to be manipulated.
• 

  BonaFide

  I was raised in the truth, so I had no choice. But thinking back now, its weird that I forced myself to believe many things. It's like I WANTED it to be true.

  BF
• 

  OUTLAW

  If you were born into the Jehovah`s Witness Cult.....And.....Found your way out..There is no Reason to feel Stupid................OUTLAW
• 

  boyzone

  Yeah, when I look back, sometimes I feel stupid, but that feeling makes me appreciate what I have now all the more.
• 

  ninja

  I got a letter from the watchtower once.....saying THEY felt stupid allowing me to join
• 

  Luo bou to

  From reading the comments on this board I would say that the ex's here are anything but stupid. Understandably some have emotional issues but to their credit they recognise them and take measures to resolve them. I try very hard in my posts to say something intelligent to fit in As a witness I was ignorant I did not have the whole picture. I was idealistic rather than pragmatic and I trusted the Org believing as I did that they had Jah's blessing No I don't believe I was stupid and niether were you
• 

  Hopscotch

  I was raised as a witness from the age of 5. Looking back I think there were many reasons why I kept believing when I became an adult, but I believe the primary reason was fear. The JW view of the world is the only one you know. To me it's like a child who is horribly abused by his parents but who still wants to be with his parents - it's all he knows, his security. But now (after 40 years a JW) that I've gone through the years of doubts, then the years of fading and am now out there are many times I think "How could I have been so stupid to believe those ridiculous ideas." But then I tell myself I wasn't stupid at all, just brainwashed. Mind controlled with fear and guilt tactics. In fact I now think it's the smart ones who work it out for what it is and are eventually brave enough to leave and start living a 'real' life.

  Hopscotch
• 

  darth frosty

  Part of how a cult works is that you the person help it along. I remember several things I thoughtwere wrong I just reasoned with my self how they can possibly be right. So your own mind works to help promote the false doctrines and BS till yo0u just reach a point where you can't validate the BS any longer.

  But yeah I do feel stupid for not coming to this realization earlier.