normal for young jws to have "worldly" friends

pickle

since many folks here were raised as a jw, just curious, when u were younger(20's). did u have close worldly friends? by friends, i don't mean just someone to go hang out at the mall or something. but rather someone to look to for emotional support/comfort and advices in tough situations. if yes, was it something u'd share w/ ur family or kept it a secret? what eventually happend to that friendship? thanks ppl.

Stefanie

I dont have any advice or experience in this area, but wanted to say welcome!

Welcome

Black Sheep

Not really, we kept moving to go to where the need was greater or to get away from Elders that were plotting to get rid of my Dad in case he might end up usurping their positions.

There wasn't really any point in getting too close to my mates as they were all gonna die soon anyway, so I kind of kept relationships distant. Turned into a bit of a hermit really.

pickle

thank you stef

Country Girl

The whole time I was growing up I had worldly friends *and* JW friends. In high school it was easier to hang around them, though, because my mom was inactive for a little while. My friends were very supportive, but would have been more supportive if I'd told them more. One of them let me stay with her when I ran away, and the other let me move in with her when I left home early. They are still friends 30 years later!

Country Girl

Mysterious

No never. Not being able to hang out outside of school/work makes most people figure you dont like hanging around with them. They end up being lunch time/break friends only, not really people you can confide in. And the watchtower guilt is always there that you really shouldnt be getting close to them anyway because they're worldy. Unless of course you are preaching to them and that's a surefire way to ruin a relationship. It's only when you start breaking away that you get closer to your "wordly" friends and quite often they simply do not understand what you are going through at the hands of the watchtower and all their propoganda.

XQsThaiPoes

at least now jws do. The young jw culture is mostly a bunch of pot smoking alcholohilcs. Things are bad. Talk about sins of the father.

Wild_Thing

Nope, nope, and nope. I never had "worldly" friends as a kid. As a young adult in my 20's, the only association I had with "worldlies" were as study buddies for the college courses I was taking ... i would hardly consider then friends. When I started a career (God-forbid!) was when I really starting having worldly friends who helped me find the guts I needed to actually leave!

codeblue

Welcome

My answer is NO, when I was that age having any close "worldly" friend was highly discouraged........only people in the truth were suitable friends and if they found out you had any "worldly friends", you were instantly marked "unspiritual".............so NO....I had no close worldly friends....

Codeblue

pickle

see the person i'm referring seems highly devoted to me. she attends all five meetings a week, do her vacation/summer pioneering, uphold all the guidelines/lifestyle of a proper dub. yet she confides in me a lot of personal and what i'd consider quite serious issues. i mean i reallylike her and all, but she of course wouldn't go out w/ me. doh!!!

normal for young jws to have "worldly" friends

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