Are you ashamed to admit you were a JW? (page 3)

LB

That is a great bumper sticker. Maybe I need to do something along those lines?

I'm embarressed to say I was a witness. But I'll freely admit it. Most people can't figure out what was wrong in my life for me to become one.

Englishman

Elsewhere,

That is brilliant, really gets the message across.

There was a fella in WSM, who lost his farm due to an alleged vendetta from Barclays bank, who has posted the whole story onto the side of an enormous furniture lorry. He used to park the van in the centre of town every Saturday for all the shoppers to see.

Barclays suffered an amazing decline in local business as a result.

Not satisfied with that however, the brave fellow filled up a muck-spreader with ripe cow manure, and spattered the bank one hot Sunday morning with the offensive mixture. It set like concrete during the weekend and caused a sensation amongst the locals.

He was prosecuted but got away with probation.

Hmmm!

Englishman.

rebel

Why be ashamed?

I went into this religion thinking it was something good, that it had all the answers and that it would give hope to me and my family and friends. I didn't know then that it wasn't what it was cracked up to be and that it would cause so much pain and damage. I didn't knowingly become part of an organisation that lies, divides families, threatens people with shunning if they step out of line, treats women like 10th-class citizens etc. I didn't know any of that. When I found out, I started to make moves to come out. It isn't an easy organisation to come out of, but I am still quitting. Just think - if you are an ex-JW - how many other people can you help? You know first-hand about the organisation - you can even warn people before they become involved. You wouldn't know any of this if you hadn't been a JW. Why be ashamed of being part of something that you thought was good and, when you found out otherwise, you left. That is something to be proud of in my book. And for those of you who have many family members still in the organisation, you have my utmost admiration because you have guts and the courage to make a stand, even though it causes you extreme pain.

It's funny, but I look back fondly on my memories as a Catholic - probably because it reminds me of my childhood and was the religion I grew up with. All my children were baptised as RCs before we became JWs. But when I look back on the years as a JW, I can't remember many happy things. There were some good times, but most of the time, I was just a lapsed Catholic pretending to be a good JW and failing badly! Unless you were born into it and had at least 2 or 3 generations of JWs in your family, you were viewed differently - at least in the congregation I was in.

Sorry to ramble on so much.

xxR

ozziepost

I guess some people are embarrassed to tell, but, really, what a witness about the truth of 'The Troof' can be given!

The community at large are just amazed to hear of some of the Dub practices, especially with regard to shunning. Without you speaking up, they would never know. Why, they might even fall for the trap "at the door" of thinking "they're such nice people".

Speak up and speak out.

Cheers, Ozzie

Xena

ELSEWHERE I want a bumper sticker like that!!!!!

lol I agree with Englishman I enjoy the notarity I get from telling people I used to be a member of a cult, makes for some interesting dinner conversation.....people are curious about us, who we were, why we left and where we are going.

It also helps them understand why the heck I am so dysfunctional (or at least it is a handy excuse for me to use for being so socially inept).

WildHorses

Why would I be ashamed? I've had many good conversations with people because of telling them.

ballistic

I propose there is a co-relation between people like myself who felt duped and hood-winked into believing a load of crap and those who feel ashamed to admit they were part of such a religion. I do also agree I have found it most liberating those I can admit to I made such a life for myself. It is little consolation I was "brought up in it". I still feel GUILTY for believing what I now consider to be rubbish.

Marcos

(NOTE: This post turned out to be a lot longer than I anticipated.)

This thread brings up some memories!

I was too young to make any decision when my parents became JW. I did really want to please God. So if mom and dad thought that this was the way to go, I was all for it. I really trusted them (as a child should be able to do). BUT, I was SO embarrassed when I had to go door-to-door. It was even worse when I encountered friends from school at their homes.

I had a hard time in school, mostly with the teachers, all of my life except for the last 3 years of high school. Well, even then I had problems with some teachers but that was because of my intransigence on some issues such as military service, whether or not Jesus actually turned water into wine (teacher was a Seventh Day Invention), and over witchcraft. Teacher was a really good history teacher. He had even spent personal time with me to teach me the basics of Russian. So, he was really angry and disappointed when I told him that under no circumstances would I read or do a report on witchcraft. He failed me, gave me an "F" on the course. The idea of college had already been knocked out of my head.

I became very rebellious in my last 2 years of high school to the point of moving out of my parent's house at 16. The local cong. didn't like it but I'm still glad I did it in a way. I was very embarrassed about being a witness but by this time was really indoctrinated so my social life was confused at best. I did well on a sports team and gained a measure of popularity. I loved this part of school.

My friends were clued into the basics of the JWs and "protected" me from doing things they knew I would get in trouble for doing. The only exception was drinking. I did a lot of it. And it continued througout my 4 years at Bethel and beyond. I was even reproved for it in Bethel but, what could they do? "Everyone" (with few exceptions) did it. They just sort of ignored it.

When I stopped going to meetings after 1973, I was very embarrassed about having been a witness. I took a stand on being drafted and even told the Draft Board in Texas that they could do what they wanted but that there was no way I would serve in any capacity. I let them know where they could find me and prison would be fine. They didn't draft me and I never had any intention of going to Canada or Mexico. I was very sure of myself.

On a personal note, I never have regretted my decision not to do military service. I still wouldn't. BUT, I never looked down on those that did and was horrified by the treatment they received when they came home. I have never tried to talk anyone out of military service and still wouldn't. For me it has always been a matter of conscience. Funny side note: my profession is the martial arts.

For almost 30 years I have been ashamed of my past association with the WT. I would go to great lengths not to reveal it to anyone. It had to do with my own perception of the WT, as well as things I saw them do. Since I didn't associate with any ex-JWs, at least not on purpose, who were "healing"; I just kept to myself. I looked at them as whiners and complainers and couldn't see why they had to dwell on the WT. That is not how I feel now. I thought I was basically alone and was raised to depend on myself. I also thought my experiences were "unique". So, I supersticiously, did not want to "stumble" someone from the Truth. For a long time I allowed as how it could be the Truth.

The single best tool that has ever come into my life is the Internet. Seeing the things that have been done to you all and to many innocent people has helped me to "come out".

I still don't go out of my way to inform everyone of what I was. However, if it is germain to the conversation and might help in some way, I don't hesitate. In my case, it has a lot to do with maturing (something that also was retarded by my indoctrination as a young boy). Seems like when I hit 50, I just dont take any crap anymore. I'm a late bloomer. And I do find a lot of good after-effects from having been a witness.

I'm no longer ashamed. But I am embarrassed at how slowly I matured as a man.

It also helps them understand why the heck I am so dysfunctional (or at least it is a handy excuse for me to use for being so socially inept).

Xena, this is still a problem for me. I move in 3 separate cultures, Mexican, American and Japanese and still feel tremendously inept. I avoid social situations like the plague. Exception: functions in my martial arts school where I can direct the activity. There, I have no reservations and know exactly what to do (socially) at all times. Sometimes I think it is sad. However, I have my niche, I get to travel some, and I try to be helpful.

My life just keeps getting better.

Marcos

Aztec

Honestly no I don't at all feel ashamed to admit it. It may be because I was raised in it and had no choice but still I have gotten to know people so much better because of it. My best friend was raised a Catholic and is now a Pagan and he and I have related to each other through common f'd up childhood experiences. There is much light at the end of the tunnel...

Okay, I am also an optimist...LOL shoot me now...

~Aztec

There is always a benefit to sharing and comparing life stories even if you are only 12 years old....

Athanasius

Its not something I would boast about.

Are you ashamed to admit you were a JW?

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