Wow ! Great responses ! thanks.
OUTLAW- Very true. Witnesses can change from being high and mighty to feeling lower than scum. The leaders of the cult keep these people on an emotional roller coaster for sure !
SD-7- Good points you make. So true that the WT society makes witnesses think they can never do enough, never please enough , or never be good enough. There is always one more goal - but never attainable . Once you get it- can't be satisfied. They just keep promising these people false hopes and false illusions - until witnesses have wasted their entire lives. Really sad.
WARMASASUNNED- Really interesting what happened to that sister you described. Sometimes the biggest whiners and fault finders end up being the ones with skeletons in their closets and all their sins come spilling out of the closet. Actually kind of funny to see a pompous a-hole get their just desserts. Thanks for the kind words about my daughter. Yes- it does rip me up inside - but I do keep positive . Just a question of when she will get out, not if . It's how I need to look at it.
GIRLIE- I know for a fact that yes, a lot of witnesses were on pills for depression or other afflictions. How else could they cope listening to mind control drivel ?
LEAVING WT- Yes, evangelical cults DO make people feel guilty, bad about themselves. I remember hearing that " real life " expression often in the witnesses. Good U-tube, thanks for posting it. The gentlemen there talking I agree completely with. Very good discussion.
DARKLIGHT3R- Very true. It always seemed that the WT society expected us to put blind faith in every word. Kind of like if THEY didn't understand it - then WE would never understand it. We were not allowed to understand ANYTHING without the WT societies input. Hypocrites is accurate, yes.
CANTLEAVE- So right you are. I saw some very talented people have to bury their talents also , just fritter away their talents or skills to come into line with clone type cult mind control. Very sad. I hope as many can get out as can now.
THE BEREAN- Very good points you make. It does become a " vicious cycle of self-deprecation " to many people. They just can't get out of the mindset of being born sinful and spend lots of their time beating their self with an imaginary stick feeling guilty needlessly. You are right- until they get out of that mindset they will continue being unhappy and not satisfied with themselves.
JAGUAR BASS- I totally agree with you. 100 years from now - all different people will be here- we will be dead. Sobering thought- but honest and true. So exactly- I feel we have to make the most out of THIS LIFE we have in the here and now - because it's all we got. I too think religions and cults are a snare and a racket just trying to make money off of fearful people.
VILLABOLO- My elder dad used to ALWAYS quote that scripture to me you cited ! " Good for nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done " ! Drove me nuts. I'd say, " Yeah, O.K. But can't we enjoy what we are doing while we are at it ? Does it have to be such drudgery ? " God I'm glad I'm out !
STARTINGOVERNOW- It's so true, even when we didn't commit wrongs - the elders would still look at us like we were guilty. That is good you stood up to the elders for your own self esteem. You are right- they don't expect us to do that. They are used to people cowering under with fear and hanging their heads saying, " I'm so sinful brother so and so ! " You are right - witnesses have it verbally beaten into them repeatedly that they are sinners, not good enough , and will never measure up to Jehovah's standards perfectly. It's enough to make a person throw their hands up and ask " Why try ? "
But the JW's are very unbalanced in life. Too fanatical and many times marriages suffer, as do relationships with grandparents or children. Just too much guilt and fear pushing people in the witnesses
