Do you feel you will always be "different" from the "world" ?

by LyinEyes 37 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  HappyDad

  Like Sassy said................

  and me.. well everytime I do something I didn't do before, it bothers me that I haven't done it before. I feel stupid

  I've been out for a few years but a little over 2 weeks ago I wrapped my first birthday presents to my daughter. And she is now 33 yrs. old. It felt strange but VERY liberating doing the gift wrap. Made me feel kind of "giddy" doing it even though my wrapping skills need to be developed!

  Now I can't wait until Xmas to buy and wrap a lot of presents for a lot of people. G*d Dammit...........why did we have to miss all of this as dubs? Makes me really pissed to think of all the birthdays and whatnot that was stolen from ones we loved.

  Over the years.......we(close jw family "inlaws") would privately give a present to the kids on their birthdays and let them know "that even though we don't celebrate birthdays" we want you to know that this is a special day that Jehovah brought you into our lives............. What sick idiots we all were!

  CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE, CELEBRATE........the person and his/her day. Damn........we celebrated the day of death better than a day of life in dubdumb.

  Always celebrated my wedding anniversary...........big time with big gifts........but that was OK. Where is the scriptural difference? AINT NONE!

  Haven't got into voting yet but am now registered.......both guys suck big time (IMHO) and I won't pick the lesser of 2 evils. But in all my years in industry and being a union man and a "dub", I always voted in the union elections. But I was told that was ok......YEP! WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE between a union rep and a council, town, burg, city or country rep?

  If you haven't noticed..........I LOVE MY NEW LIFE AS AN XJW.

  HappyDad
  
  
  
• 

  HappyDad

  P.S.

  BTW................for all of my over 30 some years as a dub............if we (as a family) were anywhere like a sporting event or some kind of show where the National Anthem was played..............we always made sure we were standing BEFORE they played it. That way.........we bastardized and salved our borg conscience that we didn't stand and take part in this "satanic" salute...........we were ALREADY STANDING when it started, so it was all ok. (Anyone else do this?) And believe me..............I saw a lot of other dubs do the same thing.

  HappyDad
• 

  roybatty

  Funny, I was thinking about the same thing as I watched my 13 year old son starting on the JW football team on Friday night. They did a little 9/11 tribute and I placed my hand over my heart. Each time I think about soemthing JW. Forever missed opportunities but also relived that my son won't be carrying the JW baggage.
• 

  onacruse

  ((Dede))

  You being one of the dearest and most honest friends that I've come to know via JWD, I must respond to you (in my own enigmatic way )

  The Greek phrase (as translated in the NWT), "No part of this world" has, for decades, been twisted to mean: "Separated from this world, and (thus) against this world." A false (or, at least, very biased) interpretation of scripture.

  This separatism is totally contrary to the social structure of Jesus' life, the Greek life, the Roman life. The apostle Paul himself unabashedly used his Roman citizenship to leverage certain advantages.

  imho, one of the biggest hurdles we face, as exJWs, is to realize (admit within ourselves) that we are simply one person in the great big "life of life"...and that we deserve to be where we are, in society, and must embrace the potential of that challenge.

  Very best regards to you,

  Craig
• 

  kes152

  Greetings,

  There are many who will always feel they are different from the world and it is not because of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. That which is physical came from that which is spiritual and when we all 'fall asleep,' we will return to that which is spiritual.

  Those to whom the Father has given to his Son will ALWAYS feel like they are different from the world, different from the WTBTS, different from the religions. Many of them will even feel "alone," but they are not alone. God knew that many of us would feel this way and that many, many would want "answers" to the reason why we feel the things we feel and want the things we want. Therefore his Son speaks into the heart of ANYONE who anywhere is "willing" to hear, who is "wanting" to know. He answers them even if they do not KNOW him. He speaks to anyone who wants to know what is true, however, anyone who does not wish to know; he does not force himself upon them to know. This is why many believe there is no God because their hearts do not wish to hear from God, and because God does not force himself upon anyone; he will conceal his face from them so they DO NOT sense even his presence... unless they want to.
• 

  lawrence

  Yes. Kes152 - yes!
• 

  onacruse

  In spite of my avowed efforts to abstain from such discussions, nevertheless (and with my pardons):

  kes:

  That which is physical came from that which is spiritual and when we all 'fall asleep,' we will return to that which is spiritual.

  A tautological loop, for which I would dearly love to see some proof from you.

  Those to whom the Father has given to his Son will ALWAYS feel like they are different from the world,

  Why?

  God knew that many of us would feel this way and that many, many would want "answers" to the reason why we feel the things we feel and want the things we want.

  God "knew"? You must realize, of course, that you are hereby embarking upon the milleniums-long debate about pre-determinism. Are you prepared to defend your position?

  Therefore his Son speaks into the heart of ANYONE who anywhere is "willing" to hear, who is "wanting" to know.

  His Son, as the WORD, theoretically speaks to every being; the cross-connection from a higher (or different) dimension to another dimension...unprovable--unless you desire to invoke quantum mechanics and string theory.

  He answers them even if they do not KNOW him.

  If I can't know that HE has spoken to me, in spite of my very best efforts to prove the positive of it, then how can I possibly assert that others should accept my testimony? Any such personal revelation is only and simply just that: a personal revelation.

  This is why many believe there is no God because their hearts do not wish to hear from God,

  I wish to hear from God; let IT speak, and I will listen. I await It's response.

  and because God does not force himself upon anyone; he will conceal his face from them so they DO NOT sense even his presence... unless they want to.

  And yet again we get back to that vague definition of "faith."

  kes, imvho, you have much to learn.

  Respects,

  Craig
• 

  LyinEyes

  Wow ,,,,,,,,,,Wow!!!!!!!! Ya'll really do understand exactly what I was trying to convey . Sometimes I type words wondering if anyone will grasp my feeble attempts at claryifying my emotions into words.......and Ya'll really do get exactly what I am saying!!!!!!!

  Each and everyone of you , feels as I do,,,,,,,there are so many emotions , so many different emotions at any given time,,,,,yet we all share them. It is like we are our own secret society of people . It is as if we can only truly feel , really feel, if we find others who are like we are,, such odd creatures. I am proud to be what I am , looking back on my life, making it thru the whole JW thing,,,,and coming out somewhat ( hehe) still intact. I guess in reading your responses I dont feel so odd, so alone, so strange ,, I feel I do belong to something. There really isnt any shame to what we are, that is ex jw's, even thou we were raised, or told to believe that if we seperated ourselves from Jah, and his people we would forever wander about lost.

  Like some of you said, it is sooooooo true, ex jw's or never been jw's , we as fellow humans on this path of life, all face things in our paths that make us feel different from the norm. I have found that in my life, even when I was a JW, I was attracted to the odd, the different, the ones who went agaisnt the grain so to speak. Now I find that I have settled for now into a group of people who have decided to walk a path that is not one that the vast majority takes. It is really a path for only a certain kind of people, only ones who have , if you will,,,,,,past a test of some sort. Those in this group of ex jw's have such bond, a common connection that we can think each other's thoughts and we can feel each others experiences as if they were our very own.

  Just talking about this has made me feel kind of proud ........that only a select few .....all of you.........are on the same path as I am. I guess we can be proud that we have a little something special about us, and we know what it is ,,,,,that most people do not even know . I am glad for most people that they never went thru this whole JW thing, but it is kind of like we are in a special elite group ,,,,,,,those of us who have made it thru.

  BTW......... ((((((((((((((((Craig)))))))))))))))))))) I love ya so much!!!!!!!! I think of you and Katie often..........hugs and hugs to all of you.........thanks for making me feel like I belong. Dede
• 

  Markfromcali

  I don't know what feeling like an ex-JW is, it seems there is only feeling like a JW to varying degrees, and to the ex-JW there is just some 'remnant' (snicker) of it.

  Seriously though, I don't anymore. It occurred to me the other day I probably need to find photographic proof that I was ever a JW, because judging by how I am now some people might not believe me.

  As for fitting in and being different, it seems clear we can be different AND fit in. The way I look at it is I wouldn't be around if I didn't 'fit in' somehow. Of course, usually this means something like social acceptance, and well.. I just can't take that too seriously. People may not feel I fit in, but to me it's like a funny joke that I am there in spite of their feelings, which doesn't necessarily mean rejection or anything, but I suppose things that appear out of place have a way of being funny - like going into an expensive restaurant in your grubbies or something I guess.

  Damn.. I wanted to post that one demotivator from despair.com but can't seem to get on the site - I think it's Individuality, and it reads something like "Remember you are unique - just like everybody else."
• 

  myauntfanny

  My JW upbringing was 30 years ago and I've never gotten over that feeling of being different. But I got a double whammy, because my dad was an unbeliever and so I was different within the congregation too. There was absolutely no place I could fit in. (still sorry for myself after all these years)