by LouBelle 49 Replies latest jw friends
I am not bitter about the years I spent as a JW--just amazed that I am free now.
I look back at it all and am grateful that I finally saw the subversion at work before I died. The way that our spirits were drained away and we were embalmed. I barely had enough spirit left to stand up and walk out.
That elder may not be able to look at the misery so many deal with because of their long service to a false god-- the Corporation that styles itself as the Ark of the Truth.
This is a def-of BITTER:
Bitter does not denote an inappropriate feeling like they have you feel by asking that question. So yes I am rightfully DISSAPOINTED IN THE LIES THIS CORRUPT ORG has dished out. They took our lives for personal gain! F-them.
Sw
Good thread Loubelle, I was for a while, I could feel it, eating me up...it turned into anger, and then grief, and gradually an acceptance. I don't want any bitterness in my heart, it only destroys the person, it makes one ugly, so I fought the tendency towards it. I willingly forgive all those in the WTBS who personally brought me pain, understanding that they were simply instruments of a cult. As for the cult - I will leave them to my Heavenly Father since its not up to me.
Loz x
Bitter?? thats what they say we are too,but its not true,its more anger at injustice and terrible disappointment and the awful realisation that it was all a lie! Try telling the abused that their just "bitter"!
Most of us who were converts already had issues. I am more bitter about those issues than about my JW experience. I was very lucky in some respects, especially that I got to spend my formative years with my grandparents, who were wonderful, caring people. In the sixth grade, I had to go live with my egg donor and sperm donor, about 250 miles away from my grandparents. The adjustment was traumatic, to put it mildly.
My parents were both mentally ill, on a lot of medications, and did not like having kids around, as we cramped their "style." They chose to be uneducated, ignorant, following the path of least resistance for the most part because life was supposed to be about partying and "fun." My mother was an only child, and her parents wanted her to be educated and would have sacrificed anything to make that happen. My dad was eligible for the GI bill, which he used to take some classes in agriculture, but they lived in the city.
The JW's gave me an outlet. I would have been fine with them until I married an elder and got to see the way they operate from the top. I also wanted an education and job skills, which I was more than discouraged from obtaining. A married JW woman practically has to ask permission to buy feminine hygiene products. It's just a degree off from being a Muslim woman in the Middle East.
I find that some people who leave are still a little sensitive to criticism of the organisation and are not ready to empathise with those who have had a bad experience.
I appreciate that elders are conditioned to behave in a certain way and members are controled so I do not feel bitter towards individuals. I am less forgiving of those who control the congregations and publish the hate and contempt of others in the magazines. It would be hard to have a neutral point of view when you see the harm they do.
No, not bitter. What's the point? You move on, develop a life, live in the present. Bitterness, anger, disappointment -- it's a stage you go through. It's natural, but you get through it and move on. Life is much nicer now, I have control of my life and make my own decisions.
I guess I am bitter to a certain extent, who wouldn't be bitter that they were deceived into joining a cult? But it doesn't define my life, I have moved on and have a very happy life. The thing is that we all come here to vent about our Jehovah's Witness experience, share experiences, and help each other heal. This is just a small part of my life, sometimes I don't come here for years at a time.
I think the person who said we are all bitter is just still under cult mind control. Is is all just part of the lie, that all who leave are bitter, vile people, under the control of Satan. Sure there are some truly bitter people here, as there is in any group of people, including the Jehovah's Witnesses. I have known a few JWs who never had any thing nice to say about anyone, while still claiming to be one of "Jehovah's Happy People".
This should be encouraging for many...Like can go on, or continue a new....Thanks
SW
Ofcourse u know I meant life can and does go on...so many here have gone on and lead great lives.
SW
