by slimboyfat 40 Replies latest jw friends
I'm with upside/down ... SBF ... either you're for us or against us. If you're for them, more power to you. There are over 6 million people being duped by the WTS, what's one more mean to me?
(sweet tee of the gleeful apostate who never really left the truth because she was never actually in the truth)
Slim-- get used to it YOU'RE an "apostate".
Well said.
Slim i think its natural that anyone who has been through life will look back and reminisce (hope its spelled right); i dont think its anything to do with idealism in the slightest its more a look back at how things were; and sometimes looking back demonstrates to us that the WTS's fall from any semblence of grace is continuing irrespective.
As a general rule, people tend to idealize their past good memories and demonize their past bad memories. "McDonalds burgers used to taste SO much better..." Yeah, right.
It could be that some ex-Witnesses tend to make the Society look worse today than it was in the past, which would validate a conception of the organization "falling apart" (which is exactly opposite of what Witnesses believe...curious). This makes "hard core" apostates feel good, of course.
Honestly, some things might be better today in the organization. There certainly is less condemnation of going to college, even if it is for an associates degree in drafting. This is a HUGE improvement on the past when the very thought of taking a couple credit hours at a community college was the Devil whispering in your ear.
ANY generalization from subjective experience to the greater population of Witnesses or any other group is very suspect. " I hade a bad day in St. Louis, therefore it is a bad city " -- that sort of thing.
"Humans are out of their fucking minds" said psychologist Albert Ellis. Yep.
Bradley
So, Abaddon, when is it proper to use a "label" to describe someone or their behavior? Or is it ever? (This, in reference to your comment on the use of the word "bitter").
B.
People can go to prison and look back at some experiences as being useful to them - even if they were later proved innocent of the crime they were convicted of. That doesn't mean it was right they were in prison, that they got there fairly, that they were treated humanely.
I can relate to this. I was briefly incarcerated for a crime I didn't commit. Overall, it was a negative experience, but I was able to learn some useful lessons there. My experience as a JW was predominantly negative, but I learned some useful things there too.
Looking back, I can now see that there are less costly ways of learning the same lessons.
Walter
sbf,
Let's use the analogy of a marriage gone wrong to explain one way to look at this.
If you continue to look back in bitterness, and say it was all bad from day one, you are labelling yourself stupid for making the wrong choice. It helps to look back at how you felt in the beginning, to remind yourself that it wasn't stupid, that (s)he had good qualities that first attracted you.
Everyone and everything has shades of grey.
So, as a JW, there were things that were not all bad at the beginning (or whenever) for some individuals. There is nothing wrong with looking back, and trying to glean at least some usefulness or purpose from the experience.
Personally, I was born and raised, and faded at 18-20. They stole my childhood, my innocence, took my educational opportunities, and did a lot of damage.
BUT, like abaddon, I choose to look back and say, YES there was at least one good thing that I took away from it --- I learned how to speak publicly, etc.
This does not in any way negate my experiences of abuse by the Tower.
tal
Hi there SlimB, Good question, yet it brought to mind the many comments I heard from JW's who HAVEN'T left that 'things used to be better'. Food at assemblies, social get togethers etc. Even meetings and talks. I didn't know what they were talking about as I hadn't been in that long. My guess is, either they were right, or thay were trying to find reasons for not wanting to be at meetings/out in field service etc.It HAD to be someone's fault, didn't it?
Meatiness.
In my day, over 30 years ago......
I did have many good times. In the KH with friends, usually gathering on the front porch like smokers (but no smoking ;) and hanging until the meeting started. Picnics at local parts playing football, etc. One picnic I caugh and ran the football gaining yardage and my dad was totally amazed that I was able to do that!
Some KM meetings in the early 70's allowed for that hall to have 15 - 30 minutes of their own schedule. We usually sang. Bother O would lead us in a theme based sing-song, out of key, waving his arms, and we'd sing out! It was really really fun! When I moved to another cong. no one sangout. It was really boring by comparasin.
Scrubbing potatos at the assemblies. Serving zombies to other teens, hot dogs and hamburgers. Learning the "underground" at various highschools where the local assemblies were held.
However, I am every so grateful that I left early and young - 20. At that point it had cost me a HS education, as I was pulled out after sophomore year to pioneer for 2 years, because armageddon came in 1975.
I guess I would be considered an apoztate because I no longer believe that a Publishing Company and it's GB and FDS is the mouthpeice of Jehovah, nor are they the moderators for Christ.
::::::::::: does the JIGGLE DANCE ::::::::: oh yeah, I'm an apoztate! yeah yeah yeah.
BC ... if I were drinking milk when I read this ... you know the rest ROTFLMAO
::::::::::: does the JIGGLE DANCE ::::::::: oh yeah, I'm an apoztate! yeah yeah yeah.
