Have you a POSITIVE JW experience??

by ScoobySnax 59 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  scotsman

  Made friends with some utterly wonderful people that i wouldn't have met had we not been Witnesses. Sadly, them remaining Witnesses has made them unable to be friends with me. I'm still glad to have had them in my life, albeit temporarily. I've also got some fantastic exWitness friends and we wouldn't have met had it not for being Witnesses.
  

  I'd also say that being forced to be "friends" with people that I shared nothing in common with apart from the JW tag has possibly made me more tolerant.

  Scoob, you always start these type of threads in the wee, small hours - is it to sh*t stir or out of a sense of loss/loneliness?
• 

  ozziepost

  Have you a POSITIVE JW experience??

  Of course there are many positives, happy memories and so on. The point is though, is it what it claims to be, you know "the Troof". It wouldn't matter what jolly times we had, if it was a lie, then it'd be a sheer waste of time.

  And it is, isn't it? y'know, a lie.............well, isn't it?
• 

  scotsman

  Ozzie

  The point is though, is it what it claims to be, you know "the Troof". It wouldn't matter what jolly times we had, if it was a lie, then it'd be a sheer waste of time.

  Is that the point? Some believe that most religions are a lie, and that they are all a sheer waste of time. (I'm not trying to debate with you!) I basically don't care what JWs believe, but I do care that they shun former members. People are entitled to all sorts of cookie beliefs but the JW policies on how they treat former members is, in my opinion, their most harmful.

  Congratulations on your 10000th post!
• 

  LittleToe

  I can list a few, though I could probably have acquired them elsewhere. Nonetheless, that was where I got them:

  • Being encouraged to read at an early age.
  • Developing oratory skills at an early age, publically and one-to-one.
  • Being exposed to a wide variety of people and cultures.
  • Being forced to get along with people that I otherwise might have had no time for.
  • Learning to give and take "counsel" in an acceptable manner.
  • Learning to keep my trap shut at appropriate times.

  Ozzie:I'm not sure if I should congratulate you or castigate you

  Scotsman:Scoob works shifts for the NHS.
• 

  Mary

  I answered all the biblical questions on Jeapordy before Ken Jennings did..........
• 

  Balsam

  Let me see....................hummmmmmmm.................well...........know there has got to be something..............................

  My experience was not at as bad as some. But my acceptance of the JW perspective caused me to make choices that were not benefital to me as an adult now. Like not going to college, staying in a marriage to a man who was a bad match for me. I don't feel my friends in the witnesses were a great deal better than those I've had on the outside. Well I give up, sorry can't think of anything that would have made the 30 years as a JW worth the time and effort. On top of that a JW boy drove a car dangerously and caused an accident that lead to the death of my son. Of course that could have happen somewhere else too in the world like it does to others. But then his father refused blood because of us being JW's, and our son died. So sorry can't really recall anything worth while while I was a witness.

  The really big thing is that life is much better out of it than it was in it.

  Balsam
• 

  LittleToe

  Mary:I forgot that one.
  Yes, there was that aloof feeling that you got when folks on TV quizzes didn't know basic bible questions like "What is the first book of the bible?".

  Of course, you have to wonder how useful that is in a multi-faith, secular society...

  • "What's the first chapter of the Koran?"
  • "What is the first rule in a hostile takeover situation?"
  • "How long do you softboil an egg?"
• 

  diamondblue1974

  Joking apart whilst I claim leaving was the positive experience there have been enormous benefits derived from my upbringing and as Little Toe has already said, learning to speak publicly from an early age, learning to read from an early age and also to be able to take a step back from confrontation when the need arises but understand when confrontation is the only option available.

  These things are positive whether it be truth or lie (not that there is a question about that) but you have to look at life with no regrets, yes there are bad times but you must treasure the good and the positive if you are ever to move on.

  DB74
• 

  PaulJ

  I had lots of friends, and enjoyed giving talks and answering up- i guess this gave me a lot of confidence. It was a good feeling taking in spiritual food at times- especially when I was doing it for myself. I was encouraged to read at an earlier age as well.
• 

  LouBelle

  I guess giving talks (preparing & delevering them) has made me a confident speaker, I'm not afraid to stand up in front of people and give a speech. I've met some really cool people there & we had a good rew laughs albeit we were the naughty ones.