So what sacrifices did you make for da troof? Any regrets?

by hamsterbait 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  hamsterbait

  A few years ago at the CA, there were experiences about what people had given up to serve Jehovah.

  (Sidebar - in every instance where I personally knew those on the platform, the experiences were LIES or at best half truths embroidered with lies.)

  ANYWAY - the interviewer was constantly saying " as a <insert profession> you could have earned <insert salary>"

  What annoyed me was that somebody who gave up a full time job cleaning toilets for jehovah, and took a part time job cleaning toilets was not even invited to participate.

  HB
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  no more kool aid

  I did not speak to my DF'ed father for 30 years (regrets that words cannot express).
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  greenie

  I was thinking about that the other day. What's the rate of white collar people giving up everything for Jehovah? Does the WTS attract people from a similiar background? I know growing up well into early adulthood I had never even really heard of JWs, and certainly not the WTS. Sometimes I really do think back and wonder if any of the kids I went to school with were Dubs. I can't remember a single one.
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  SallySue

  I did not go to college, but pioneered. Wish I would have gone when I was young enough to fully enjoy the experience.
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  treadnh2o

  Did not go to college.

  Still make a phenomenal living.

  But wish the resume' was had a college degree.
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  blondie

  It is always possible to go back as an adult...some on JWN have, I did. Many non-jws go back to school, even married and with a family, or a single parent with children. Where I work pays for 12 credits a year for employees.

  Now if someone had decided not to have children and now were too old to have them, that could be sad.
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  no more kool aid

  I agree with Blondie about the college thing. I wanted to go as a JW teen and was not permitted, so I went back when I was 36. I wasn't the same as the 18yr old experience but work did pay for it. In the big picture, I felt it started to make up for some things I missed out on. There were plenty of people there that were in the same spot and not because they were former JW's. My advice is start making up for the things you missed out on NOW!
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  asilentone

  YES, I do not want to talk about it for now, I have mentioned about it several times here on JWN.
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  OnTheWayOut

  I got out of the military as a conscientious objector and did the typical window/carpet cleaner jobs for years.
  I didn't do something about having a better future at work until the 1995 change in "generation" and I realized I needed to retire in "this system of things."

  Despite my better outlook on things now, the very question, "Any regrets?" is difficult to answer. YES. Many regrets. Nobody should be allowed to bring people into a cult.

  As an aside, I was looking into beginner's meditation and meetup.com had some free classes to attend. I saw one where the lady priest conducted it at a Center of Light Church. I have no problem walking into a church, but it sounded hinky. So I read a bit and saw that these people were of The Order of Christ Sophia, a group on the dangerous cult list. Yeah, I bet they give free meditation classes. That would be ALL REGRETS.
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  treadnh2o

  Blondie,

  I agree that I could always go back. My problem is time, I have dedicated myself to my career. It is very lucrative and extra schooling would interfere with my professional success. I don't need it now, it just would have been the easier route to go.

  But I also ask myself, If I did go to college, would I have been as driven as I am now.

  The bigger sacrifice I made was geting married at 23. Don't get wrong, I love my wife, I just didn't fall in love with her. At 23 I married the hottest sister I could find. I can't say I regret it, but I wonder who I would have married if I both matured and didn't marry quickly because those were the JW rules.

  Now that I am ou,t the only common ground is our kids.