Has Your WT Experience Taught You to Be Wiser?

by cameo-d 8 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  cameo-d

  Do you think your WT experience has taught you not to be so gullable? Because of the injustices and bad experiences, have you become a more discerning person? Do you find now that you ask many more questions before you "jump" into things? Do you seek advice from unbiased sources when making various decisions on products and services now?

  I am just wondering if the deceptions have matured you in wisdom.

  After all, our experiences are fruit from the tree of life, and we are supposed to gain knowledge of good and bad from that fruit, and thus, mature in wisdom.

  Has the WT done their job in "parenting" you to wise up?
• 

  cantleave

  It has made me far more synical - but alas not wiser.
• 

  Ding

  Hopefully wiser!

  It's easy, though, to go beyond healthy skepticism to cynicism, where you don't trust anyone because you don't want to be deceived or hurt like that again.

  Then you get isolated.

  I think this board is a very good outlet for people to work through their experience with others who are going through many of the same things.
• 

  lovelylil2

  Great Question! And YES I am a lot wiser now then before.

  Before my experience I thought all people 'respresenting" God were to be trusted. I never thought a Christian could be evil but them I became a Jehovah's Witness and learned the lesson Jesus taught about "beware of wolves in sheeps clothing". Just because someone claims to be godly does not mean its true. This goes for people of varying faith beliefs too.

  Also, before getting involved in any organization my husband and I look up information about them and not just rely on what they tell us. We did this recently when considering joining the local Elks lodge in our area.

  And as far as Christianity goes, I look up every passage anyone quotes to me and read the surrounding context to see what it really says. My eyes are literally WIDE OPEN from now on.

  Peace, Lilly
• 

  man in black

  I look at it like falling throught the ice, you do it once and the next time you make double the effort in checking where you will be walking.

  Don't want to fall again .
• 

  VoidEater

  The process of recovering has made me stronger...
• 

  looloo

  its hard to trust people now especially when they put on a fake smile and act really interested in you !!!!!
• 

  cameo-d

  looloo: "its hard to trust people now especially when they put on a fake smile and act really interested in you !!!!!"

  But don't you think that's a good thing? Maybe in times passed you were not able to discern when a smile was "fake" or that someone had an ulterior motive for pretending to be interested in you? Hell yeah, it hurts to realize that someone is using you or wants something from you. I think the problem is that we sometimes project our own trusting nature onto others, only to find out later that they are not living by the same honorable standards that we try to uphold.

  It would really be nice to live in a world where you could let down your guard and take everyone at face value. But it isn't in this world.
• 

  artemis.design

  Yes, it made me wiser, and bolder too. I never believed in JW teaching, even as a kid. I just went along with it to keep eveyone happy.

  Now I always voice my opinions, and don't care if they go against the grain, or even if hey are socially unacceptable. If this is wise or no - mm not sure!