Do You Hide The Fact That You Were/Are A Jehovah's Witness? (page 2)

mtbatoon

I did for many years whilst I was finding my new non JW self but now I have been able to merge that side of my personality back into my overall self I have become a fuller person and to deny that would mean denying myself.

greendawn

This doesn't come up often but if it does I just say I tested the dubs over a fair period of time found them to be grossly substandard and left. More detailed explanations if they ask.

damselfly

No way do I tell people. currently the only ones in my life that know are my boyfriend and his family. I'm getting braver though so maybe I will start.

hopelesslystained

I am unkown by local jw where I live now, hmmm, unless my family have turned in my name and/or address to them. In 12 yrs no one has come to my door that I know of. Sometimes though, I have felt it necessary to tell others, due to the fact they were asking, so where is your family? How come your parents weren't at your wedding? Don't you have brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins...Why don't they come visit you? Why are you so alone???? It is sooo embarrassing to admit where I came from being a jw and then to try and graciously accept the offers of condolence I receive. So, no, I don't hide it but I do not advertise it either. Although this past weekend a couple of friends were talking about workmates being jw and how they were unable to understand some of the jw workmate behaviour. Well, thanks to the updates and info from mostly lurking on this board I gave them an education about the cult! They were very happy to get explanations and again, I got sympathy. Sympathy is not desired, just want to feel a part of life and enjoy it. I especially resent my past when triggers are set off and my poor, sweet, (attempting) to understand husband has to take the brunt of my reactions to my past goddamm programming!

the_classicist

No, I don't. I was bullied all the way through elementary school (until Gr. 6 when I got taller and stopped telling anyone I was a 'dub) for being one. It's a knee-jerk reaction to deny that I was; psychologically ingrained, y'know.

melmoth

Took me a long time to be willing to mention to people that I was raised in a JW family. Don't know if it was just part of putting it behind me, or to avoid that startled look you'd get (as if you'd announced you were a Moonie, or Scientologist).
I'm fine with it now though, but I think because it's WAY in my past.

AK - Jeff

I absolutely tell them if it comes up. I tell them that I left after discovering it was a cult, and guilty of gross lies to the membership.

I hope that they remember what I said, and maybe help family members or others that are being recruited to stay out. One never knows where the seeds of truth may fall.

I would like to get a t-shirt that says " I am soooooo happy to be out of the cult of Jehovah's witnesses"!!!!

I guess that would prob speed the process of being expelled wouldn't it? Funny how attitudes change with freedom of thought? A year ago I would have been terrified if anyone knew I had left due to 'apostate reasoning'. Now I know that the apostates are the good guys!

Jeff

hopelesslystained

It's all waaaay in my past as well. But It is still embarrassing that my family was so gullible, and me too. I find that speaking up and confessing my past has made me feel alittle better, even though it seems to have a distancing affect on those I confess to. But I must say, life is excellent on the outside!!

RichieRich

I do tell some people.

Not like I'm proud of it, but I have to explain why I was sitting in a McDonald's in a suit at 11:00 am on saturday...

People are usually cool, if you don't make a big deal out of it.

blondie

If it comes up I do; I don't force the topic into a conversation. Most people are curious for awhile and then it doesn't matter. You are what you are now.

I have had people ask me how to get JWs to stop coming and I tell them about the flexible DNC policy KHs have.

Mostly people don't care what you are; at least around here. Three things people don't ask, what religion you are, what political party you support, and what your sexual orientation is.

I have to say the perspective of what non-JWs think JWs believe is amusing considering how much time JWs say they spend advertising their beliefs.

Blondie

Do You Hide The Fact That You Were/Are A Jehovah's Witness?

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