Jehovah's Witnesses must have boundaries to be confined in. If they want to get out of "the box", they will find themselves out of the organization. Many JWs feel that they NEED such boundaries or else they would be either be in jail or dead. When you left the Witnesses, did you try to liberate yourself to a point that you might've gone a little overboard? Did that "spring", once it loosened, go wild???
Do You Still Have Boundaries or Are You Totally Liberated Now?
by minimus 38 Replies latest jw friends
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Mulan
did you try to liberate yourself to a point that you might've gone a little overboard? Did that "spring", once it loosened, go wild???
The tendency was there, but there are always "natural" boundaries don't you think. It wasn't like suddenly "anything goes". I'm married after all.
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Shutterbug
I'm married after all.
This year my wife and I will celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary and my goal is 50 years with the same woman. Liberated does not mean suddenly turning stupid.There are some boundaries which dubs and non dubs have that are worth respecting.
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Room 215
Your question addresses one of the silliest WT preconceptions/stereotypes; i.e., that people who take back control of their lives from the iron grip of the WTBTS usually run amok and scuttle all their morals, ethics, principles, etc. I does happen, of course, but FAR less frequently than JWs are led to believe.
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Elsewhere
I never understood why people think that they will go ape-sht wild if they do not have a system of control holding them back.
The simple fact that people believe this about themselves scares me. If the threats of a vengeful deity is all that is preventing people from raping and pillaging and murdering... then the human condition is in a very bad way.
I'm glad these people are in the extreme minority.
I've related this reasoning to many non-JWs and they were all shocked. None of them had ever even considered themselves capable of anything like that.
Ironically, it's the repressed psychopaths and sociopaths who are drawn to the WTS religion... the normal and inherently kind people avoid the WTS and live a life of freedom that does not harm others.
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Stefanie
IMO good people have boundaries. I still hold most of the same principles I just cut out all the bullsh*t.
Like lying and stealing and cheating and all that goes I still am an honest person. I just get to have the holidays and worldly retaltives, a hottie for a hubby. The only thing i have to set boundaries on is my drinking habits.
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freedom96
I think depending on ones personality, some would be prone to going outside their previous boundries.
Others, like myself, never would have done certain things anyways, regardless of religious background.
I live how I want, do unto others, and lead a good life. I will not allow the WTS or anyone else tell me right from wrong however.
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seeitallclearlynow
No, I didn't go wild at all. What I've always admired in decent people, whether JW's or not, is still decency to me. The only behavior I've changed is going to meetings, preparing for meetings, reading JW literature (except to see how wrong it was/is), going in service, associating with JW's.
Other than that, I still feel that immorality is unhealthy and unclean, gambling can be dangerous, smoking and drug use are dangerous, excessive alcohol use is dangerous, dirty jokes are not in any way funny, hurting other people is not funny, seeing others get hurt is not funny, boxing is something to be enjoyed only by vicious demons, astrology and any form of spiritism is dangerous, etc.
But I do continue to view whatever movies I care to, just like before, I read what I want to, just like before. And like many of JW's I still like to cuss at times. I just do it a lot more than they probably do. Never in conversation though. But I'm not particularly proud of that. The words just fit the emotions.
I have finally registered to vote and intend to be more involved in politics now, instead of just holding secret views as in the past as one of JW's.
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got my forty homey?
For me it did, I got invovled with heavy drugs, the worng crowd and was in jail just 3 years after leaving bethel. I went from one prison to another!
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Carmel
"True liberty is obedience to the laws of God" Ha, now the trick is, what are the laws? There really are liberating but then a libertarian would not want anyone to constrain them. That would be licence and loss...
carm