by BabaYaga 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
...it is also a good example. As such a good example... your loved ones who are still in may turn to you for assistance or advice on occasion.
Live as well as you can... educate yourself in everything that peaks your curiosity... and work on responding in love, not bitterness, whenever possible.
Their adage of "being won without a word" works both ways.
Excellent reminder Baba!
Also, when it comes to any personal "weeping or gnashing of teeth" that ALL humans engage in from time to time, it's best not to let a mind-controlled JW see that. Just reinforces the programming.
Thanks Baba,
om
Thank you so much for your kind words, Om! Of course, it is a reminder for me, as well.
BabaYaga: Their adage of "being won without a word" works both ways.
That may be true for some, but not for my family. My brother and I left the "Truth" when we were in our twenties and still had time to earn univeristy degrees. We've both have not-too-shabby careers, stable marriages, great children, and have lived well for many years.
My other sibs remained dubs and, at the point of what should have been their retirement, are forced to hustle just to get by. Their reaction? Bitterness and envy. Very "Christian" emotions, to be sure. Sometimes you can't win no matter what you do.
You young dub lurkers out there, get thee to a university and learn something useful before it's too late for you. It gets a lot harder to wash windows when you hit your 40s.
parakeet, of the no-apologies class
Parakeet said:
Their reaction? Bitterness and envy. Very "Christian" emotions, to be sure. Sometimes you can't win no matter what you do.
So very true, Dear Parakeet... this will be the reaction of many. A dear friend of mine says that "everyone has a spark, but some hide theirs so completely that it will never be seen."
There are those who will live their lives in bitterness and envy. Even so, we never know when they might experience a "spark" that might give them a different perspective. Circumstances and attitudes change, and most of us on this board is proof of that. Regardless, if we are living well, we are enjoying our lives, and that's a fine way to bide the time!
Parakeet,
You are right about several things. First of all, when somebody gets into their forties it is horrible to have to do manual labor - whether washing windows or housecleaning. Secondly, I have noticed some are filled with bitterness and are resentful towards those who are better off financially. I am sorry for anybody who didn't get their education and career and pursued poverty following the dictates of the religion. This is a sad predicament that the religion doesn't seem to feel accountable for. To be perfectly honest, I am glad I no longer associate because I would not want to be targeted by needy people and I am sure this is what is happening to employed people who still associate with the religion.
Nobody could have forecast that the economy would collapse. While even an educated person could lose their job, it stands to reason that somebody who has no education would fare worse in an insanely competitive job market. I really hope that things start to look better.
Yep, I have numerous cousins in their 40s, 50s and 60s that are still doing manual work and/or hustling to get by. One cousin't husband is not that far away from 70. Still lives paycheck to paycheck. Borrows money from anyone that will give it to him.
I stay clear of them. I broke away. They could have too. It was their choice.
Living well is a blessing that some enjoy, My family is doing okay, we don't lack, but for sure there are those at the hall who view us with the jaundiced eye. And there are hints from the platform about helping your brother and sister etal. When the opportunity arrives, I have always mentioned that it would be great if the WTBTS would quit building things and donate some of that money they received through donation to help those in need in the congregations. I almost laughed when I did this as we all know they the WTBTS could care less about how anyone but themselves are doing.
