After leaving did the feeling go away? (page 4)

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Hi CommitteeChairman,

With me that feeling stuck around for a few years. When I would see the people I loved that were witnesses I would get shy and act as if I had done something wrong. I would at times wonder if I was just a bad person who wasn't able to believe gods truths.

And then slowly but surely it all started to unravel. As the brain washing wore off, I began to see people for who they were and not for just what they believed. More and more each day it was clearer and clearer on how crazy these "dooms day cults" and other religions are, and that we were not that special in how we teach and believe. I stopped using the words like "The Truth" "us" "we" and began to see that so many around the world think they're special, that they right and you're wrong.

Finally I'm free of all the guilt and all the worry, because they're nothing special.

If a man came to you today and said he figured it all out, gave you dates and numbers, measured pyramids to prove it, all we would have to do is google it and he would be finished.

People will follow crazy people, but I am no longer one of them.

Good luck

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Phaedra

It's going away.

Quandry! You have a PM.

Phae :)

Xanthippe

Oh how I remember that feeling. Yes it does go away. The secret is to treat yourself as if you do feel worthy of good things. Give care and good things to yourself and it creates a feedback loop that your unconscious processes as, I am having a good time, I must deserve it. Sound odd I know but that's how the brain works. Be good to yourself - it works.

tornapart

CC, although I'm still in for my family's sake I have just about managed to shake off the guilt tripping and shame that goes with belonging to a fundamentalist religion. It's very freeing to be able to let go of it all, to get rid of that feeling that others have some kind of power over you. They don't anymore. The power that they have is only what you allow them to have. Take it back and you'll feel so much better!

Found Sheep

It took a while for me. After I KNEW TTATT it was instant relief. I no longer feel the guilt

Aunt Fancy

Once I read CoC and some other books it went away. I am still dealing with some anger but overall I don't have those feelings of being worthless. I could see where being a JW fed into those feelings. The best thing you can do for yourself is to read and research, find some good self help books after deprograming yourself. It has also helped me to participate on sites like this because reading other life stories really does help, you will find out you are not alone and most on here have been through the same thing.

jambon1

I've mentioned this before on here.

When I left, I was a loving dad to two great kids. I had a succesful small business which I worked hard to build up. I was popular and trustworthy. All things which should leave you feeling good about yourself. Fulfilled.

Yet, I felt like absolute shit due to the constant drip feeding of negativity at the hall.

Upon leaving, those feelings just evaporated & I had a lovely new feeling of self worth.

My JW wife has low confidence & suffers from depression. I put a lot of that down to her involvement with witnesses & the teachings.

Whenever I see jehovahs witnesses, they're all the same. Downbeat, depressed & miserable.

Get out. Get your life back.

nancy drew

I became a witness because i was looking for an answer and I guess I never really developed a strong sense of guilt and the good for nothing slave concept never really fit me that well. As the years went by i began feeling the organiztional spider web try to control my thoughts and it also didn't fit me real well. Eventually the control was too much and I had to burn that bridge behind me and it felt really good. Like those movie scenes where you see an explosion and the person is walking away with a smile on their face. I think a person who is raised as a Jw has a more difficult exit but let me assure you your mind will eventually heal and it belongs to you not some organization or tyrannical god looking for a reason to destroy you.

Fernando

Even before leaving the feeling went away for our family as we were learning more about the liberating and healing central message of scripture which religion had been hiding from us.

We'd be happy to send you a one page summary we compiled over the last 8 years. Just send us a PM.

This video is also a great summary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrLzYw6ULYw

Ucantnome

The feeling that you're never good enough. The feeling that you're wicked and evil.

by the end of the day i feel like a cretin.

After leaving did the feeling go away?

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