Was There Anything You Liked About Being A Jehovah's Witness??? (page 3)

There were definitely some good things over the years. I like to be objective about things: Yes, being in a cult is awful. Especially when you realize you are in a cult. But there were some enjoyable things:

(1) I became quite skilled at masonry, while working at KH building projects. Over 40 of them in fact.

(2) The brotherhood of the JW's is really quite impressive. Anywhere you go, there are people who will "be your friend". True, it's a shallow, conditional, cult friendship - but in some situations this often proved helpful. I broke down once, and discovered from a friend that a JW mechanic lived only 2 miles from where I was. He was able to help me. It was after business hours.

(3) I gave quite a few public talks over the years. I have enjoyed some fantastic food when people cooked for me in their homes.

(4) The cult training ruled out ANY possibility of me becoming a father while I was still a teenager, since I was a pretty hardcore follower of JW morals.

(5) I was friends with lots of people that were experts in many different fields of work. I often got tons of suggestions about things, and often it turned out to be valuable advice. Computer things, construction, etc..

No, I don't want to return to the cult. LOL But objectively speaking, there were things that helped and benefited me as a direct result of this cult. On the other side of the coin, if I were to list all the things I HATE about this cult, the list would be much much longer than 5 points.

-mentallyfree31-

not a captive

Refreshing to hear your recollections, mentallyfree. This is a complex subject for me too. But I was raised an Army brat around WWII and Korean War veterans. Vietnam picked up the pieces that some of these men had left over.

The dips and turns, the contradiction and confusion of esprit de corps among any organization where they march to one drum in carnal OR spiritual war can make it had to separate what was good and what was not.

There was great comeraderie--------------but death to the enemy.

Men's self-sacrificing loyalty staggers the imagination------------even if they were given bad orders by incompetent leaders.

Men risked and gave their lives for their brothers-in-arms ---------------but the the military itself practiced triage.

These guys were funny, strong, resourceful, smart, and in the prime of their lives--What an image in certain frames of the camera. But if ever they questioned what was up with the war they were fighting----The firing squad.

I won't stretch the analogy too far here. I'm not writing an anti-war treatise. It is just that some guys couldn't separate the good things that human beings just do from the bad purpose that they may be serving. One that in the end will not even grant them their own conscience.

So there were for me those moments, too. And now I am the enemy.

serenitynow!

Wow minimus you have that many suits? cool. I do miss seeing well dressed men regularly. Something about a man in a suit.

serenitynow!

I do miss that feeling of community. Like you could go anywhere in the world and have that common ground. They did teach me to not be afraid to stand out, and to stand up for what you believe in.

cult classic

............ still thinking.............

It's funny because I did it my whole life. Never enjoyed any part of it. What a robot I was........... sigh.

somebody

Yes! I got to see zev/harold 3 times a week!

And I can honestly say that is the ONLY thing I liked about being a JW.

I hated going to the meetings otherwise and I really hated having to wear nylons ( which made my legs and thighs itch to high hell) and those stupid wrap-around skirts!

peace,

gwen

Backspacer

I liked learning about the bible. However strange and twisted some of it was, I now know more about the bible than most people do.

I liked buying new dresses with matching shoes and bookbags.

I liked my first congregation. They made me feel special and loved... something I really needed. Then I moved and was just another publisher. That was sad.

...............That's about it.

metatron

Speaking ability. An ability to pursue an objective fanatically despite depression. I work with young people who lack strong will.

Well, that's about it. I wonder what it would have been like to grow up normal and ordinary?

if there is such a thing.......

metatron

cult classic

well ok I thought of something.

I liked growing up with lots of families in the congregation. We laughed a lot at the meetings. Kind of like school, I guess.

Backspacer reminded me of how fun it was to plan my wardrobe for the meetings (especially as a teenager).... I'd forgotten about that.

Was There Anything You Liked About Being A Jehovah's Witness???

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