Jehovah's Happy People!

Nosferatu

This term has always troubled me, even when I was in. It's one thing for the FDS to tell the R&F how to live their lives, but they also tell them how to feel. Jehovah's happy people. Whenever I heard this term, I remember asking myself "Why am I not happy?" Sometimes reading the Watchtower was like reading a fairy tale about yourself.

acsot

Nos, I know what you mean. And I'd think to myself: "if all these "happy" people are the ones I have to spend eternity with, I'd rather not be there". I disconnected emotionally before I learned the truth about the doctrinal shifts and blatant lies. Happy was not what I felt a lot of the time.

RubaDub

I never quite understood that either.

It especially bothers me when we are told that we "should be happy" ... or "we are happy because of" this or that.

I personally see relatively few that I would consider happy. Certainly no more than people in general.

Happiness is not something that you should have to tell a person to do or be. It should come from within oneself, not simply a reaction to something written.

***** Rub a Dub

shamus

Exacly, Noferatsu!

I hated that when they would say that we were all "happy"... we were all MISERABLE!

blondie

A Vomit Moment from the Past: May the Butterfly Of Happiness Fly Up Your Nose

WT 4/1/81 p 20 True Happiness Is Up to You
Actually, what we have discussed about coming into a relationship with God and about giving should help us to see this: Happiness is not something that we should primarily pursue. It does not come by our making it an end in itself, but it is a by-product as we live before God, displaying his qualities and acting as he wants us to act. It is a fruit of love and of service. Happiness has been likened to a butterfly. If we enthusiastically run after it, trying to catch it, it will always elude us. When we put it out of mind and peacefully carry on according to God’s will, that "butterfly" will come and settle on our shoulder. —Rom. 12:9-21.

Consequently, it is true that to a large extent happiness is up to you. Do not eagerly pursue it as the major goal in life. Rather, recognize your spiritual need, your need to learn of and worship your Creator. Following his moral standards will protect you from many problems and will give your life needed stability. Work at having a close relationship with Jehovah God, for you will find contentment and joy in being like "the happy God." Make more time in your life for ‘hearing the word of God.’ Then experience the reward of giving, helping others to know of Jehovah and his purposes. You certainly will find, as have millions of others today, that you will thus have gained the blessing of much happiness.—Ps. 146:5.

(Blondie)

Dawn

When we put it out of mind and peacefully carry on according to God’s will, that "butterfly" will come and settle on our shoulder.

...and before we realize what we have done our subconscius mind, thinking that it could perhaps be a spider crawling on our shoulder, will send a message to our hand to smack the insect with enough force to flatten it. Yep......then we can go back to being sad again while we wait for another damn butterfly.

shamus

Happiness has been likened to a butterfly. If we enthusiastically run after it, trying to catch it, it will always elude us. When we put it out of mind and peacefully carry on according to God’s will, that "butterfly" will come and settle on our shoulder. —Rom. 12:9-21.

Have you ever heard so much crap in your life???

Red Witch

Following his moral standards will protect you from many problems and will give your life needed stability. Work at having a close relationship with Jehovah God, for you will find contentment and joy in being like "the happy God." Make more time in your life for ‘hearing the word of God.’

Funny thing, it never worked that way for me. The harder I worked at achieving the above, the less happy I was. This is the sort of crap that made me feel inadequate and most likely just one of those evil ones by nature. Ha! so I left and became happy........

How many of you actually sat through the meetings with tears running down your face while the talks were about the joy, happiness, and contentment of those within the great org? Tears which are only due to feeling of not measuring up and fitting in? I never in my 27yrs of association saw real happiness.

Brummie

Some Jehovahs Witnesses where happy people before they even joined, and a lot of JWs are happy not because of the religion but inspite of it.

Fact is, the thing that interupts that happiness is the very religion that claims to make them happy. I heard people being counselled for being too bubbly. When I was younger I was told that I was to "outgoing" to the point of me being hyperactive and that I needed to calm down. I had a great social life as a JW and many freinds so the outgowing nature drew freinds and made me happy, yet it became very surpressed. I look back and realise the happy parts are what the Watchtower wanted to stifle. Consequently I am more reserved these days when I first meet people.

Of course, the Watchtower likes to hide behind the disguise that it makes people happy, what else can it be given the credit for? Its scraping the barrel.

Winston Smith :>D

All good points.

It's forced happiness. rub-a-dubs are commanded to be happy, generous, and caring. These are qualities that come from the condition of one's heart. The actions are manifestations of that person's heart felt desire. One can only fake that crap for so long before a person is exhausted from carrying on contrary to how they really feel in their heart.

That's why so many JW's get burned out.

One thing my wife told me is that she is confused about is how I am now happier and more cheerful than she has ever known me. She thinks it's because I am taking the easy way out. There is nothing easy about trying to fade out and appease the eldernazi's all at once.

But being freed from the oppressive WTS yoke is liberating and is a real reason to be happy and joyful.

"Be happy, be happy. La, la; de-da, la de de de da...

"Be Joyful, be joyfullll..... As we sing this stoopid song."

Jehovah's Happy People!

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