Attention and re-making yourself

by Markfromcali 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Markfromcali

  Someone recently told me that there's a t-shirt with the message: "Some say I have Attention Deficit Disorder, but -- oh look, a chicken!"

  Sometimes we talk about getting busy with life as a way of getting over the JW experience, but in reading the Reconditiong thread it occurred to me to REALLY get over it you need to put a decent amount of energy and work into it. Obviously to do that you have to really focus on it and pay attention to what's going on, which wouldn't be as simple as just going about your merry way and living life. In fact, we see that some are forced to do this at times because of the suffering it causes them. For others it may not be so bad, so maybe the question is just how far you want to go with it. Of course sometimes we all need to take a rest, and it's probably helpful to kind of re-integrate in that process, but it does make sense that the degree of concentration with which you bring to this issue will determine how much work actually gets done, doesn't it?
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  EvilForce

  I think too it depends on what stage people are at when the walk out that KH door for the last time.
  
  I felt worthless and hated because of being gay all thru my childhood and teen years. So it was a long process but one where I finally walked away not caring one whit about what the Dub's did. I re-engaged my hatred of them, when I finally told my parents I was gay. Also, my brother who no longer goes is now being shunned because he lived with his g/f for a while. He is not DF'd or DA'd. He quit going to meetings 4 years ago. And the last 2 years before he quit only went about 1/2 the time anyway.
  
  So I get pissed at age 37 I still have to deal with these stupid f**ks. If the family would take a live and let live approach I wouldn't care what they did. Just don't preach to me about how I'm going to die soon because of the abomination of my sins. I will also not tolerate them abusing my husband. You don't have to agree with my lifestyle, but this person is the #1 most important person in my life....show me a little respect. I have tolerated and shown respect to their beliefs....I DESERVE the same.
  
  This is what pisses me off about Dubs'. When a TV reporter does an expose on the Dub's they all cry and rant...."Why don't they just leave us alone, we have the freedom of religion in this country". Yet as soon as the cameras are gone start discussing how every other religion and believe structure is going to be destroyed and that only 6 million JW's "might" make it thru Armegeddon. The other 6 billion people are bird food.
  
  I digress.... I spent years and years slowly fading and discovering the Dub's are not true. For others who get DF'd and tossed out on their hinny they have a lot more work to do rather abruptly. So each person is different from another's experience.
  
  Sorry...I'm rambling here.... I'm done now :)
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  Markfromcali

  Good point, I guess you can say the work may be done without actually focusing on this (JW) or any particular issue, if we just look at it in terms of re-making yourself. It's basically a matter of whether it's done consciously or not, because of course either way life goes on.
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  PaulJ

  Personnaly I dont think Im ready to launch into a world of research. Ive done so much of that being a JW. Ive been out for 2 years or so, and have only recently decided to look up ex-JW's on the internet... for now im just soaking up the vibe and seeing peoples opinions. Its very interesting, and Im sure at some point in the future I will do some serious research, but for now Im in no rush.
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  Markfromcali

  Hi Paul, I really do not mean research at all - although for some they may want to do that. Personally I've never been the academic type, but like I said I think sometimes that same work is being done if you just examine life closely. Although you may not directly address the subject it ultimately will play a part in that transformation. In other words it's more a matter of 'working on' yourself than what you think about the JW's beliefs and so on. In my case I never did look at the doctrinal stuff directly, but eventually I could see those things in a larger context..
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  frankiespeakin

  I think any benificial remaking has to enclude the subconscious. We can be aware consciously of the JW mind control but still be trapped by years of indoctrination. Maybe a couple of well planed trips on psychoactives might loosen up some of the programming and allow one to think much more out of the box.
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  PaulJ

  Well I read on here how much 'Big Brother' George Orwell's book '1984' has so many likenesses with the JW organisation. Strangly I read this a few months ago and it never clicked (musta had good 'programming'!!) So now Im reading it again, more thoroughly, to draw comparisons.

  I agree with the comments about sub-conscious. At times tho Im so confused as to where to start! But as I say Im in no rush so im just going to soak up whatever I can and see if I change.
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  frankiespeakin

  Paul,

  I think it is good to allways be in a state of flux. To understand that thought can not understand the immeasurable,,makes the mind quiet the more profoundly it is known.

  IMO,,If you can do that you will remake yourself into something the imagination can not even conjure up. Something profoundly different, without fear of pain, something that moves without the stiffness of trying to be in control, something that sees much more because it is no longer guided by the narrow focus of consciousness we called "me" and how me looks out mainly for me and a few others depending on closeness of intereaction with "me".

  When memory of the past is not a plague to us but as a tool, to help us with the present, the mind and its thoughts are not predominated with worry, and fear. The conscious mind becomes more useful and is not neurotic. Our subconscious mind (if we can really call it that, it really may just be that our conscious mind is only aware of its own thoughts or thoughts that "it" somehow claims as its own)), and what the conscious mind with the "me" conciders "not conscious" really is, it is just that the "me" dosen't have that good of a connection since "me" has worked hard to maintain the delussion of a separate existence outside of the rest of the universe or universes,, it is this seperation while merely an illusion that causes pain and confussion. These are all my opinions they could be totally wrong.
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  Sassy

  I agree with the above comments..

  but what I am wondering is.. where does one get that tshirt! lol.. I laughed when I read it..
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  LouBelle

  I'm thinking that 6 billion dead pple is going to make a hellofa lot of bird food. Ah and the poor Witties will be cleaning up as well. Ag shame still working so hard with no rest.

  Being DA'ed or DF'ed kinda puts a final stamp on it - it means you are no longer attached, your past is history, nothing to do now than move forward! Esp if you were quite willing to be DA'ed or DF'ed - like me - I say disfellowship me, hurry up and get it over and done with so that I can move ahead without this baggage.