Do you tell people? (page 3)

donny

I didn't at first, but in time I started telling folks about my days as a Witness. Many folks seem fascinated to hear about the inner workings of a religion they know little to nothing about. Most just seem to know about the blood issue and the not celbrating holidays. They are quite shocked to know what a controling group the Society is and I am sure I have innoculated several people from even considering to look into this religion.

JRK

Only when appropriate. I sure don't put it on my resume.

JK

life is to short

I do when it seems like the right time for it. I used to be embarrassed when I was a JW to tell people, now it is funny but most people are truly nice to the religion and think it is just a quirky religion that is harmless. Most are really curious and not hateful about the JW's like I was taught. Most people are shocked that they send pedophiles door to door and when I tell what I have been through in my fight to have pedophile not call door to door they start to get upset, wondering why JW's would put themselves in a place to be sued like that.

Also when I tell people that truly know me (I do not tell just everyone)that I took a vow of poverty when I was at Bethel because I believed the religion so strongly but gave it up when I found out that they hide child molesters, they have even more respect for me. I have not lost one friendship over it like I thought I would.

LITS

life is to short

One other thing I wanted to add is when people hear that JW's send child molesters door to door even if it is with an elder which I know that in my case did not happen, people are so shocked. With all the laws out there on pedophiles, the Catholic church and all of its legal problems. People just cannot understand why the religion would do this. But for those who know me I have the police and court records of two of the pedophiles and the internet profile of the third one. It just truly blows people away.

I truly think this is a way to get people to wake up to the dangers of this religion.
LITS

truthseekeriam

I have no problem talking about how horrible we were treated my our so called brothers and sisters.

cantleave

I have spoken about it quite openly. You can't warn people about cults unless you speak out!

MrFreeze

Good comments everyone. One of my coworkers and I talk constantly. We sit next to eachother so theres not much else to do. I've brought it up a couple times when applicable. I told her enough about the rules and shunning that she said "The stuff you tell me about JW's doesn't make me think very highly of them." I just replied, "Good."

Reality79

I do, but only if opportunity arises. I don't do out the blue informal anti-witnessing!

Sometimes you need to be careful especially work because 1)you never know who is a JW apologist/sympathiser who might even take offence at criticism of the borg and 2)you don't want to come across as someone who is obsessively hateful to the point where you look more of a lunatic than the organisation itself!

Whenever the opportunity arises then yes by all means I give a very good anti witness and 9 times out of 10 people aren't very surprised and even have their own not so good stories to tell about the JWs.

The dubs never cared about my name and reputation when I was in so I don't give a fukk about theirs.

88JM

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I wanted to know if this question had been covered before and this thread I found is exactly what I was going to ask.

I had an experience at the weekend related to this and it's been playing on my mind all week.

I was away down in Manchester meeting some people about some work I was doing for them. JW stuff was the last thing on my mind - one of the reasons I enjoy travelling away is because I still live near where I grew up as a JW, so there's a lot of memories around.

I was in conversation with the people I met down in Manchester, and totally out of the blue they mentioned they had someone in the previous day who "used to be a JW" who was brought up in Australia. They then went on to explain the conversation they had with him all about what JW's can't do, while I stayed quiet. Incidentally they were correct about JW's views with everything they said - blood transfusions, homosexuality etc.

It wasn't a long conversation, but I did feel that I had the opportunity to speak up and I didn't. I'm not the sort of person to volunteer personal information to people I've just met, especially JW stuff. I didn't think it bothered me at first, but over the past few days it's really played on my mind almost to the point where I'm physically hurting about it inside. In a way I'm not sure what it is that bothers me - is it because I didn't speak up so I feel like a coward, or was it the weird coincidence of the JW subject coming up when I least expeceted it?

I don't have much experience speaking to non-JW's about being an ex-JW, so I'm not sure how people react to that kind of thing, so it was interesting to read this thread.

Incidentally, I would really like to meet the ex-JW guy who was visiting Manchester the previous day, last Friday. Apparently he lives in London, but originally from Australia where he grew up as a JW. Please do get in touch if you are on here. I was really amazed that a person would be so open like he was with a bunch of strangers.

dazed but not confused

I openly discuss being born, raised and brainwashed by a cult. I like to warn others to stay away. I tell people that they seem harmless and kind but how deceptive it all is.

Do you tell people?

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