Happily gone forever!

Steve Josef

I was raised as a JW. I do believe that what they call a religion is in fact, child abuse and mere brainwashing. I have since left, but rements of this cult still haunt me today. I can't celebrate holidays, birthdays because I find no joy in these things at all. in fact, I think of Christmas and birthdays, I have terrible memories. To utter the phrase "Merry Christmas" is so foreign to me that years later, I find it hard to say. Is there anyone else who may have the same ghosts haunting them?

Gopher

Steve,

I too was raised from birth as a JW. I remember being excluded from all special occasions as a child, and the embarrassment that went with it. I've been out a little over a year now, living on my own. I have no emotional connection to birthdays and holidays, and like you find holiday greetings very foreign.

Now as for my younger sister, she managed to leave the organization 17 years ago. She is married with children, and seems to have no problem with holidays and birthdays.

Rather than special occasions, I find enjoyment in getting together with my sister and her family, and with new friends I've made in the past year. That's how I've been able to cope.

GopherAlways do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)

jayhawk1

Hi Steve,
Almost 1 year ago, is when I finally quit going to the Kingdom Hall for good. Yes it is hard to find joy in holidays. It might happen in time. Do you have a signifigant (spelling?) other that was not a Jehovah's Witness? If you do, that might help. If you don't, when you do explain what happened to you, and ask them to be patient with you. I did, and my former girlfriend was very helpful. I agree the Society does cause mental abuse. Also, if you have any relatives, demand to be included in the various holidays they participate in. It may take some time, as I am finding out. But, independence day sure was fun a few days ago!
Jeremy
A recovering Jehovah's Witness. Yes it is like alcohol, just ask Judge Rutherford.

Steve Josef

Well, I do have someone, but the whole distance from holidays and such has created some friction. I just want people to know that if they are JWs right now and they are reading this, that the religion they belong to is nothing more than a money making scheme. I am very happy to find this site.!!!! I think I may make many posts! :)

peterstride

I'm with you on that one SteveJosef,

After years of brainwashing in the WTS, for some of us it's really hard to adjust and become a normal human being.

Peter Stride
Toronto, Canada

larc

Steve,

The subject of holidays was discussed at length just before Christmas. Some shared your outlook. Many of us recommended that people take the plunge and make an attempt to enjoy birhtdays and holidays. If you have friends and/or family you can do this with, it is really fun, and it will come to mean more to you each time you celebrate.

spinner

Dear Steve Josef,
What I am hearing is that you have a conscience, the knowledge of right and wrong and are acting on that conscience. Romans 2:12-15, says," for not the HEARERS OF THE LAW are just before God, but the DOERS OF THE LAW wll be justified. Whenever the nations, who do not have law (us) keep the laws by nature,.......who demonstrate the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience co-attesting... accusing or defending .. that will be the day that
God judges the secret things of mankind through Jesus.

Basically, this means that you believe Christmas is wrong, and you
act accordingly. You have a clean conscience. Anything you do, check
the original Hebrew and Greek,and make a decision on facts you see.
After doing research,I don't see anything wrong with birthdays,but,
you are the only one who can do the research and decide for yourself.
When you were in the WTO you could never decide for yourself. You have been released from slavery, now you have the freedom to act as a confident, informed individual. Spin

Billygoat

It does take a long time to live a normal life without feelings of guilt. But it DOES happen. Find friends that love you unconditionally and they'll be the ones to help you realize that celebration (holidays or any other occasion) isn't necessarily about the holiday itself. It is about sharing the human spirit! Be patient and pray alot! It will come in time.

God bless,

Billygoat

TresHappy

I celebrated Christmas for the first few years of my life and enjoyed them, although when my family started studying JW's, I brainwashed myself into thinking I didn't have a good time. My parents started studying in 1974. I became a JW in 1986 and lasted until 1997. Then I got fed up and left. I married the next year, and celebrating Christmas was so enjoyable. I hadn't celebrated since 1974 and I started crying putting up the tree. Birthdays are very important to me, I am making up for lost time.

think41self

Hi Steve,

I too was raised a witness, and stayed one for 36 years. When I left, interestingly, it was related to a child abuse case that I knew was handled wrongly....terribly wrongly. (see Safe4kids story in this same forum to get the details).

As for holidays, when I first left, I just knew I would never want to celebrate them, it was too foreign to me. The longer I was out, the more I began to see that ALL of my previous thinking was corrupted, so I had to re-examine everything. Now I find that holidays are simple, innocent fun for our family, and we greatly look forward to them.

I look forward to hearing more from you, and welcome you to this board.

Tracy

Happily gone forever!

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