Were you happy as a witness?

by JH 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  JH

  The few years that I was an active witness, I can't say that I was very happy. I really didn't mind missing a meeting. I always felt that a meeting every 2 days for the rest of my life was a little exaggerated. Going out door to door every 2 or 3 days was also something I didn't like very much. I never was the type to bother someone with something they DIDN'T want, like magazines and bible stuff.

  My entire time as a witness was like a sacrifice for God. In other words pleasing God by doing what the Watchtower asked. I never liked being dressed in a suit, or spending hours preparing and going to meetings.

  So why did I do it? Because I really believed that we were living the end times and that they had the truth.

  So, were you a happy witness?
• 

  chachasmum

  In one word, no the whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth
• 

  Elsewhere

  No

  
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  JH

  I was watching a TV program a few months ago talking about Jehovah Witnesses, and it was during an assembly where over 1000 people were gathered, and the speaker (brother) asked the audience if they were happy to be a JW? And they ALL clapped with big smiles... When I saw that, I almost threw up!
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  wednesday

  yes at one time, later no. I was very unhappy.
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  crinklestein

  I was truely happy when I first started but the more I was in the more I had to base an opinion on. And the more contradictions I saw the less happy I was. When guilt started to seap its way into my brain over things that don't even matter I lost all happiness in being a dub. I kept thinking that God disapproves of me and hates me simply because I wasn't going to meetings and going out in service. But after some time I realized that God is not like this and once I made up my mind and realized the things that I was doing wrong and the things that the dubs are doing wrong then the guilt started to wash away. I am happier now being away from them than I ever was being in them, even during the best of times.
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  Heatmiser

  NO
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  NoBorg

  YES, but then I can be happy just about anywhere < obviously.

  I think this is very responsible for me taking so long to 'come around'.
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  NoBorg

  AND AND AND , I was unaffected by the guilt.

  REALLY, I always had a fair estimation of what I could and couldn't do. I was however aware of the effects of guilt on others and how debilitating it was.
• 

  alias

  Sometimes. It depended on my age and current mindset. When I really thought I was doing the right thing and experiencing the 'love of the brotherhood' I was happy.

  But when I started reading xjw sites, that changed everything.

  Hmmmm.....