I actually also found some other interesting threads about that church. Doesn't look like the visitors had the same impressions we had... We thought the visitors saw us and admired our way of life immensely! Even envied us!
Orange County NY friends, you there?
by FMonroe 23 Replies latest jw experiences
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FMonroe
Ok - I really came on here just to find out about my old church, but I've read so many threads and I'm extremely intrigued! Is this forum for believers, ex believers or the harmonious coexistence of both? I'm surprised the last is possible!
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Apognophos
Doesn't look like the visitors had the same impressions we had... We thought the visitors saw us and admired our way of life immensely! Even envied us!
If it makes you feel any better, JWs imagine as they knock on people's doors on Saturday morning that people admire their work and envy their lifestyle, but in reality most people think they're kooks. It was humbling for us ex-members to realize that we didn't have the truth after all, and we were not a special people. Some of us used to feel we had license to be snooty because we were "God's people", and we had to eat our own words later on.
Is this forum for believers, ex believers or the harmonious coexistence of both? I'm surprised the last is possible!
In practice, it's pretty much all ex-Witnesses here now. In the beginning, there were more believers. There are other forums now for believers that are carefully monitored for any "apostate" talk, but here people are free to say what they want. Many had bad experiences as JWs, so what they have to say isn't pretty. That being said, we do get people signing up here who are "on the fence", and they are usually bombarded by attempts to help them out of the religion. Apologists for the religion are bombarded in a less friendly way :) So no, it's not exactly harmonious, but what's behind a lot of it is a genuine desire to help others see how they've been deceived like we were. Sadly the religion is still growing, even though there's a lot of churn as people get disfellowshipped and replaced with naive new members.
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FMonroe
That is fascinating. In some ways, I relate to all of what you say - the humbling, the realization, because there is a similar type of social support for people who leave Hasidism, but I suppose for us it's on a much smaller scale. I find it sad (if not, if I may say, a little moronic) that people should try to push their beliefs on others, but I guess I try to respect that everyone sees things differently...
Thanks for sharing!