Personality Wise----Are You THAT Much Different Since Leaving The "Truth"?

minimus

I believe that most people are what they are----whether they were JWs or are exes. For example, if you were a basically happy go lucky person in the Hall, you probably have that same nature now. Conversely, if you were accused of always complaining and being miserable then, you probably still bitch and moan now. That's not to say that knowing the facts of the Witness religion cannot take one off of meds or therapy and make one feel better, but I do think that people will revert to being who they really are.

OldSoul

I am more myself the more I find freedom for my expressions.

Markfromcali

I see your point, although I think the personality as a whole may be viewed as quite different as certain personality traits might have been suppressed to a large degree while others may have been emphasized - even though it was all there all along. As someone who was not raised as a JW (but still came into it in my early teens) I can tell you that is basically my experience, some of the more positive traits was basically suppressed during the JW years.

Besides that I think it is good to look at just what is going on during that time though, rather than just the before and after comparison. We all know about the religious conditioning, but it occurs to me that the whole mindset with something like the JW experience involves two things, which are seeking truth and seeking happiness. Something that happens is you put life on hold while looking for something better, whereas the truth of you as a person is you have those traits that makes you an individual and naturally, being able to express those innate tendancies naturally makes you happy as a person.

So it kind of depends on how good you are at trying to make yourself into a Jehovah's Witness or whatever, because unless you happen to be in a system (like belief and social) which is very similar to how you are as a person, then that would have come through in spite of the contrasting environment and mental indoctrination. Of course the thing is sincere people will work very hard at trying to change themselves, so it could just kind of peek out once in a while compared to the fringe Witness that was never really in.

luna2

I'm pretty much still the same person...just a lot less uptight and judgemental.

OldSoul

So it kind of depends on how good you are at trying to make yourself into a Jehovah's Witness or whatever, because unless you happen to be in a system (like belief and social) which is very similar to how you are as a person, then that would have come through in spite of the contrasting environment and mental indoctrination. Of course the thing is sincere people will work very hard at trying to change themselves, so it could just kind of peek out once in a while compared to the fringe Witness that was never really in.

Yep, that probably explains why I have been called a spiritual man but have never been accepted as such, when it comes right down to it. I suck as a JW.

frankiespeakin

Yes I have changed alot. Before becoming a JW I was more a happy go luck type, didn't spend much time judging people or caring about what they do in private matters.

As I became a more devout JW I started to be way more judgemental about things I really didn't give a rat ass about but forced myself to in order to be pleasing to Jehovah.

Now my attitude since leaving has slowly reverted back to my old self, I'm becomming less and less judgemental, I have way more feeling for people now that I know they ain't gonna be destroyed by an angry God.

minimus

Since people are what they are----I think the religion might inhibit a person from being who he/she really is. Once you get religion out of the way , you become known for who and what you really are.

HadEnuf

minimus...I am still the warm, wonderful, loving, gregarious, happy, lovely, beautiful, honest, caring, generous (oh, I could go on and on and on) person that I was whilst a JW...minus the JW crap.

Cathy "Humble" L.

Amazing1914

HI Min,

Essentially, I agree with your points. I do think that most do have some additional personality changes ... but these are in areas where they can now grow as never before. Has they never been JWs, they would have made such growth sooner. So, in some ways, leaving the JWs does cause some changes, but they seem to be mostly delayed growth that would make anyway. - Jim W.

JW83

I'm definitely different - less depressed, less judgmental, less of a perfectionist. It makes me sad to think what a great person I could have been if I wasn't raised as a Witness!

I've found not being a Witness so easy - it is like the world is full of love, or something, and the bad bits can be empathised with, instead of judged. People are a whole lot nicer than I gave them credit for. Sometimes I am too black & white about things, but that is changing, and I have learned to trust again.

Personality Wise----Are You THAT Much Different Since Leaving The "Truth"?

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