great thread . . . l8ter
Happiness is a Study
by AllTimeJeff 16 Replies latest jw friends
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poppers
Great post, Jeff. People generally think that happiness must be acquired, and therefore go in search of it in some fashion. What they don't realize is that happiness is an inherent quality of what they truly are, and since they have no knowledge of what they truly are they are influenced by outside sources. Those sources will send them on endless quests to fulfill their desire for happiness and peace, and no matter how successful they are in achieving some particular goal to meet that purpose they will shortly feel a need to set another goal. In the meantime, they completely overlook what's already present within themselves.
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finally awake
I love your point about the "happiness" witnesses talk about feeling is really just the cessation of guilt. For me, when I finally admitted that I just plain didn't want to be a witness anymore, it was like the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders.
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AllTimeJeff
Two things:
wallsofjericho NAILED it about the "feeling" of happiness in JW land. It was really the relief that you don't have to feel guilty for not doing something the group told you that you should be doing. Great point. Thanks!
Poppers, I loved what you said here, and I have seen this true in my own case and many other people as well. It is why I am so focused on this. I get it now...
People generally think that happiness must be acquired, and therefore go in search of it in some fashion. What they don't realize is that happiness is an inherent quality of what they truly are, and since they have no knowledge of what they truly are they are influenced by outside sources. Those sources will send them on endless quests to fulfill their desire for happiness and peace, and no matter how successful they are in achieving some particular goal to meet that purpose they will shortly feel a need to set another goal. In the meantime, they completely overlook what's already present within themselves.
If I may opine, what it is within you can grow and make you even happier, but you have to know and love yourself first. It is well worth the time and effort to get to know yourself for the first time. :)
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euripides
Really needed this today, than you so much. Like your analogy of the bus broke down in the middle of nowhere--you get out of this cult and you begin to wonder about the point of anything, or where it's going to come from--an amotivational person's worst nightmare! Then you have to summon the courage to look inside, and not be afraid of yourself, because they teach that too, man's broken, sinful, evil, fallen nature, etc. Yes, we must DARE to be happy, in spite of their perverse indoctrination.
I remember like yesterday, when my mother said to me, disparaging and pessimistic, it would be a steady downhill decline for me once I left the organization, and that was 23 years ago! (since then I went on to FIND a career, an education, etc, one or two families, LIFE, in short). They teach and reinforce FEAR, fear of everything and everyone OUTSIDE in the WORLD, where SATAN rules and is destroying everyone, because God "hands over" to wickedness those who leave the WT. Cause/effect question? How much UNhappiness does WT Cause, or even once you leave, still feel the residual Effects of them, persistent Sadness at all those still there, self-deluded, abused, etc. In a different post someone alluded to "12 year-old Johnny mumbling through his Awake presentation at the door"--that made me really sad! I was there, I had to go through that, the systematic destruction of weekend mornings by knocking on doors for an hour or two, to peddle this preposterous literature! To this day I WILL NOT go up to stranger's doors withoutt a DAMN good reason, I DON'T canvass for anyone or anything--that was the worst feeling ever.
Well this turned into my own vent session, I apologize, but thank you again for a really nice post, it helps.
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wallsofjericho
I remember like yesterday, when my mother said to me, disparaging and pessimistic, it would be a steady downhill decline for me once I left the organization
yes, but if you are successful that is only because Satan is distracting you from the Truth with all your success. Typical JW fashion - EVERYTHING is double standard and applies both ways.
If you are in the truth and happy - its cause of Jehovah, if you are in the truth and sad it's because of Satan's pressures.
BUT - if you are out of Truth and happy its satan, and if you are out of the truth and sad, its because you've left Jehovah and need him to be happy.
THAT my friends is 100% fact. It is precisely how JW's rationalize this...