Remnants of JWism

berylblue

For me, I don't have "remnants". I am still, I realize, about 90 percent JW.

However, I'm curious as to what other still have "left" from the org...for example, I am still politically neutral for the most part, and would not support any war and would rather die than take up arms. This may be mostly my own pre-JW personality, but at this point in time, its so difficult to know what I am, even who I am....

Do any of you still have (or maybe cling to, which may be true in my case) JW beliefs or tendencies, or have you gotten rid of them all? If so, was it for the beat, and how did you do it?

Oh, gosh, starting to sound like Minimus.... (whom I like a lot, btw)

Rosemarie

blondie

I find it hard to get rid of the JW vocabulary. Having grown up with the NWT, certain terms peg you as a JW. I am trying to correct that by reading a variety of Bible translations.

For example, the NWT does not use the term "grace" but instead "undeserved kindness."

Blondie

Francois

Blondie, that's one I despised when I was a JW, and now that I'm out it never passes my lips.

This odious phrase was designed to keep the r&f in its place. "Undeserved" by fanny. I'm child of god, therefore I deserve every kindness, just like my physical children can expect it from me. After all, God is supposed to be higher than me, not lower.

Every little chance they get, the GB attempts to instill in it's followers how unworthy they are and how guilt ridden they should be.

I say to them "kiss my ass."

francois

outnfree

Blondie,

I had that same "vocabulary" problem when I joined a Women's Bible Study group. Felt it 'marked' me! - LOL Now I don't go to any group, so it's not a problem.

Beryl,

Reading Crisis of Conscience, by Ray Franz, pretty much helped me leave the JW beliefs behind. If you haven't yet read it, you might want to. (I also read his In Search of Christian Freedom which was valuable to me at the time.)

outnfree

oh, and reading AlanF's post about the Creation book at www.geocities.com/osarsif/ce01.htm as well as the wealth of other material there were real eye openers as to what I would have to term the utterly purposeful deceit practiced by the WTBTS.

minimus

Being a JW for over 45 years tends to make you who you are. What I try to be conscious of is not judging people because they aren't JW's. Now, I constantly say things positive about "the world,worldly things and worldly people". ............I like you too, Beryl!

larc

Beryl,

You ask, "how did you get over it." I did not attempt to get over anything. I just lived life, learned new things, and let the chips fall where they may. When I first left, I carried many residual beliefs with me. I have been out for very many years, and today my ideas are very different than they were way back then.

I think we all change and we may change in very different ways, one of us from another.

I know that my wife and I came from a common heritage. We left together, but we came to very different beliefs and perceptions, while living in the same house and having many common experiences.

garybuss

Hi Rosemarie

The Watchtower, Feb 1, 1951 p. 67-73

Why Jehovah’s Witnesses Are Not Pacifists

p. 70

They are not against war between the nations, and they do not interfere with the war efforts of the nations nor with anyone who can conscientiously join in such efforts. They fight only when God commands them to do so, because then it is theocratic warfare.

Jehovah himself is no pacifist. Neither are his witnesses such, although they are conscientious objectors.

Jehovah's Witnesses are not against fighting or war according to corporation produced literature.

See Watch Tower Publishing Corporation produced CD.

Have you even noticed how the Watch Tower Publishing Corporation writes that they do NOT engage in politics? HOWEVER, they do not say they do not participate in government because they know this is easily seen as a lie. The Watch Tower Publishing Corporation has participated in the Judicial branch of the USA government more than any other religion in the history of the nation.

Proclaimers 1993 p. 698 ‘Defending and Legally Establishing the Good News’

"The activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses has, in some lands, been a major factor in shaping the law."

"Their court cases make up a significant portion of American law relating to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press."

Court cases and shaping of the law is a function of participation in government and never comes from non-participation in government.

What do you think about this? Have you thought about this? gary

Phil

A lot of the JW beliefs are sensible and are not necessarily invented by theWT.

Blood: If I am going to have an operation I will definitely so something to have some blood (mine or some comparable match) so that I am less apt to get some desease from a transfusion should it be required. In emergency cases, the most available, compatible donor is acceptable to save a life. Red Cross blood is acceptable.

Beliefs: All belief systems on this planet were invented by man. As man is not infallible the written word that is accepted by all the religious groups, including JW, are not completely reliable. Without a doubt, there are indeed many words of wisdom in the Bibles, Koran etc which can and should be applied living in a society. JWs and many other religions follow the Theocratic War Doctrine of accepting lieing under certain circumsstances is unacceptable.

God's Word: Having a group of people to determine what is the intent of God's word as it is written in the Holy Book has a double whammy. First, I doubt if God came down at election time to determine who should speak for him and how do we know that this book has anything to do with God? This practice of shunning in the JW Cult would not be acceptable to the God I speak of.

War: Most people on this planet are not in favor of war. There is no doubt that there has been wars started by a misunderstanding by fallible human beings. The Iraq war was borderline. I for one agreed with stopping Saddam because there was enough evidence to justify stopping him before he became unstoppable. If these tyrants were let go to do as they wished this world would be ruled by tyrants. Would that be better? The first people to be affected would be JWs and the like. Notice that htere are more JWs in the "free" countries of the world than in the others. Can you emagine JWs in Saudi Arabia?

Makena1

As JW's , we were always supposed to be gracious, think that the other person was superior to you, show agape, season your speech with salt, i.e. do your utmost to not cause offense - basically everything that would make "da truth" appealing to non-JW's.

I have also been in some form of sales most of my adult life - and many times have had to bite my tongue when a client said something crude, rude or unprofessional. That is where the above, JWism's have come in handy - causing me to show some restraint and retain a client - regardless of how much I dislike their speech or personality.

On the otherhand - in non-business situations, I tend to let people get away with some outrageous speech and behavior and not speak my mind. Makes no sense - I am certainly not trying to recruit new cult members anymore.

Best to all,

Makena

logansrun

Getting rid of Watchtower indoctrination takes work, period. Personally, I sometimes wonder if people try hard enough to do that. I'm NOT saying that this is the case with the writer of this thread, but I have the suspicion it is with some people I've talked to in the past. When people say things like they are terrified of Armageddon after twenty or more years outside the organization, I know they are either suffering from massive depression (not their fault) or just are waiting for someone else to waive their magic wand and rid them of their phobias without spending the necessary intellectual and emotional resources themselves (which is their fault). I'm sometimes amazed at how thoroughly I disentangled any remnants of Watchtowerism. But, then I realize that for over two years it was a daily, burning quest to find out the truth and cope. I'm thankful I did.

Just like alcoholism or any other addiction, breaking free from fundamentalist mind-indoctrination takes work, work, work. You can't heal in any other way. Sometimes, you just need to toughen your mind.

Bradley

Remnants of JWism

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