by FrankWTower 16 Replies latest jw friends
I remember listening and thinking about other people and how spiritual they are. Some JW's eat, sleep and breathe Watchtower. And I used to think, "why can't I be like them?" And I thought I could never be good enough. But thanks to the internet that the Watchtower likes to condemn so much, I learned that the Watchtower's teachings are wrong and that I'm better off not being a spiritual JW.
I just wanted to share that with everyone.
I'm not, either. Life is much less stressful that way. Congratulations on your realization, no doubt it is quite liberating.
I distinctly recall being at Bethel, looking around at everyone enjoying Morning Worship and other assorted "theocratic" activities. I felt so out of place. I just wasn't one of them. I enjoyed NYC and my friends, but Bethel was a real drag.
When I was about 19 I went to an all girls gathering. Well, everyone started going on and on about Jehovah and how he had blessed them. I mean it went on for what felt like an hour. I just blurted out "I'm tired of talking about Jehovah, let's dance!" And they all got quiet and were like, "Oh my", "oh dear", "oh we need to encourage you"...
I said "It was a joke ladies.", but they didn't take it too well.
I knew I wasn't the kind of spiritual that the witnesses expect you to be.
Every "spiritual" person I ever met was a big, fat phoney!
When I was associated with the JWs I never really felt spiritual. The things they term spiritual are tasks, behavior, acts, doctrine... I've been reading eastern philosophy like Buddhism and Taoism. In these paths spiritual is defined by the transcendent & numinous - elements that surpass our mundane physical existence - compassion, love, empathy, connection to nature and the universe. The things JWs term 'spiritual' are part of our mundane existence, like turning in a frick'n time card, and underlining a frick'n magazine.
Like with so many other things, the WT has its own definition of what being spiritual is. Big surprise, it has nothing to do with how many hours you put in each month.
Interesting thread Frank. While I currently don't feel interested in spirituality, many times in the past I found myself wondering and asking myself why I couldn't be like those "strong" ones. I mean even certain "worldly" people had that same zeal. I didn't.
No matter what I seemed to try, I never, just as you expressed it, ate, slept, and breathed the "truth".
Perhaps it was never really in my heart.
And amazingly enough, I shared the same feelings as leavingwt while I served at Bethel.
Yet now I actually feel at peace.
CoC
Every "spiritual" person I ever met was a big, fat phoney!
Agreed! . . . "spiritual" in WT world was more like "egotism" . . . wanting to look good and be well spoken of . . . by "doing" this and that, earning status and the labels that go with it. A totally "Pharisaic" way of viewing spirituality in hindsight. In truth, there is absolutely nothing "spiritual" about it . . . nothing.
When I think of JW spirituality, the word "pious" came to mind... so I looked up the definition.
pi·ous
adjective /'pi?s/
Note #2 ,,, hmmm
It certainly fits!!!!
tal
