Are you now ashamed of how gullible you were as a JW? (page 4)

cedars

wasblind

Out of curiosity, were you going through any stress or emotional anxiety when the Witnesses contacted you?

Cedars

LouBelle

It was all I knew from a very young child, so ashamed - no. Frustrated - yes, I wish that I had followed my gut a hellofa lot sooner when I first had misgivings about the org.

wasblind

Not really, I was trynna be nice and polite

give them the benefit of the doubt, But there was a change of circumstance

in my life at the time I'll send you a PM

00DAD

Cedars: Out of curiosity, were you going through any stress or emotional anxiety when the Witnesses contacted you?

That's a really good question. After I left, I asked myself why I ever believed. I realized that I was very cautious and skeptical about JW beliefs during my "study" ... that was until I had a personal tragedy happen in my life that made me very emotionally vulnerable. THAT was when I put my logical defenses down and began swallowing down whatever the WT & Awake! said with out questioning it any more.

Steven Hassan talks about cults taking advantage of individuals during emotionally weakened states during the recruitment process. If you think about it, how many times were we as JWs told to "keep calling back," you never know when someone's life circumstances may have changed (READ: "personal crisis").

The religion trains its members to strike when a person's defenses are down. Remember the "When Someone You Love Dies" brochure? It's a perfect example of just such a cruel, manipulative indoctrination tool.

00DAD

MsD

I never got baptized but am disappointed in myself for continuing my studies. When I slowly started to learn hard facts about the organization I felt like an idiot being sucked into all the hype! My husband was smart he ceased studying 3 yrs prior and told me he wanted nothing to do with the cult. Now that we are on the same page about it all its easier to talk to him about. He of course has moved on where my feelings are still pretty fresh. I know it's going to take time to come to terms with it all but still it doesn't make it easier.

cedars

Thanks for your PM wasblind. It's obvious to me from hearing your story that you were recruited into the cult during a vulnerable period. I maintain we have no reason to feel shame any more than an abuse victim or someone who falls seriously ill. It's something that happened to us or was inflicted on us - either when we were young and impressionable or older but vulnerable.

Cedars

Phizzy

I was ashamed that I had no critical thinking skills and no education to speak of, I was born in, and in for nearly six decades.

I set about educating myself, and gaining Critical Thinking skills.

At first I was very gullible still, I believed what I read Online, without "putting it to the test, I soon learned though, even what seemed scholarly well written papers, full of references to other academics and their studies, can turn out to be dodgy, for example. Even people on JWN were often not what they seemed or told untruths, not many I am glad to say, but care and good sense , and good bulls**t meter, are necessary.

I will go on learning till I die, I love it, but I am no longer gullible.

I am ashamed I was ever a Jehovah's Witness, as I would be ashamed if I had ever been a Nazi or similar, but I use as mitigation the fact that I was born in, and the Internet is relatively new.

00DAD

wasblind, you have a PM

Emery

I remember when i first felt embarassment about it all, I was studying "The Finished Mystery" the food at the proper time which game all authority to the GB. How silly is it that people get disfellowshipped by the authority of false prophecies and pyramid beliefs.

tim hooper

I can't believe they took the word gullible out of the dictionary.

Are you now ashamed of how gullible you were as a JW?

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