JW's are Egomaniacs and the Org is an Ego machine

by freemindfade 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  freemindfade

  I've been thinking a lot lately about Ego vs Self. I have also been trying to differentiate Freudian model of ego, super & id, but more of a Ego=False Self vs Soul=true self. While there are many ego institutions out there, the Witness reality buries its victims in a avalanche of ego. So much so that it insulates them from waking up. I almost feel unless you are predisposed to be searching and wanting to be your true self, you'll never break away.

  Everyone deals with trying to balance ego and self, but in JW land this ego imbalance is reinforced constantly. If you understand some of the ideas of Ego vs Self, you know people closer to their ego, are miserable, and when you have experienced genuine happiness you have been honest with who you really are. This idea makes me constantly need to DA to cut any ego strings still attached to me, because I have see happiness without that shit. The witnesses are such masters at this that they blatantly admit to the need for you to deny who you really are constantly. Think about the individuals created by such a system. Why would anyone want any part of it. I say this as not some mystical/spiritual dogmatic thing about getting in touch with yourself, but a fundamental truth is that when ego is shed, you become naturally happy. Thats is honesty, that is truth. Not 7 old fellows in suits telling you what you should be doing because of their ego. Think about it.

  FMF
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  dubstepped

  A New Earth by Tolle really opened my eyes to this. As I've made changes to be more in line with my true self I've watched it become a threat to the ego of others and the distance starts because my ego no longer needs to be fed by or to feed theirs. A big part of that book is to really understand how we're all so interconnected as human beings. It is hard to reconcile something like that when your whole live revolves around being different from the world around you (all ego). I used to be so shut off from everyone else, so alone, so miserable, depressed, judgemental, and ego driven. Breaking free from that has made me truly happy, but those that knew in my ego phase don't know me anymore.
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  rebelfighter

  How do you reverse accidentental dislike? Sorry, dubstepped.
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  Finkelstein

  The WTS are enforcedly creative to create a superficial personal identity as a dedicated devout JW and you are judged accordingly upon how close you are to that designed character. Your actual chances of survival and appeasement to god coincides upon your spiritual strength and devotion. Luckily WTS is there to show how a person is to do that through coercion, exploitation manipulation.
  

  Narcissism and ego takes center stage with this organization in that it prides itself of being the only true religion under god and all others are false under Satan. So the JWS take on this persona as expressed ego.
  
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  sparrowdown

  That vibe you get when walking into the KH isn't holy spirit - it's collective ego.

  Walk into any KH and the bump and grind of giant egos all jostling for attention is palpable.

  Even acts of "kindness" or "niceness" are ego driven pissing competitions, designed to feed the egos of the "righteous."

  Recognizing this was the beginning of waking up for me.
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  dubstepped

  No worries rebelfighter. It's not like my ego is caught up in the rating system. ;) And I'm sure my fat fingers have downvoted others while scrolling on my phone.
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  Oubliette

  FMF, your OP is very confusing, which is not too surprising considering the mental ordeal you have been through and the process you are now undertaking after waking up to TTATT and making a life outside of and after being in a highly authoritarian, manipulative and destructive mind-control cult.

  Do you know that, although we owe a great deal of debt to the pioneering work of Freud, no one in the mental health fields today practice his methods of psychoanalysis.

  Also, what he meant by the term "ego" is very different from its use in common parlance today.

  We use words to label and thereby (hopefully) understand things both concrete and abstract. You are using terms (ego, soul, etc.) that are not particularly clearly defined to try and understand concepts that are fuzzy at best. Don't let the jargon further confuse your thinking.
  

  Really, what we all need to do after realizing that we were in a manipulative cult and coming to understand what was done to us is this: figure out who we really are. Get to know, understand and love our real, authentic self.

  This is probably a lot harder for someone raised in this religion because that self was always supressed.

  Get to know who you are. This includes who you have been in the past, who you are at this moment in time and who you want to be in the future.

  Also, don't confuse WHO YOU ARE with WHAT YOU DO. That is a common mistake made by most people.
  

  You have your work cut out for you. We all do (or did). It takes time, thoughtful introspection and an openness to confront a lot of things about ourselves that aren't always that pretty.

  Hang in there. It get's better!

  Oubliette
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  done4good

  The entire system is based on superficiality. That is what happens when that same system is based on falsehood. The lies must be hidden from view, so what better way to that, than make everyone believe they are morally superior, more righteous, etc. It works. People's egos are merely an insidious by-product of a inherently corrupt system.

  d4g
  
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  Vidiot

  Well, since egos are actually quite fragile, this could be interpreted as a good thing...
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  GrreatTeacher

  JWs get narcissistic supply at 2 meetings a week, circuit assemblies, conventions, weekly field service, etc, etc.

  And, if you're not a narcissist to begin with, no worries, they'll turn you into one in record time.