Were You Ever "Proud" To Be A Jehovah's Witness?

by minimus 52 Replies latest jw friends

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  Finally-Free

  Were You Ever "Proud" To Be A Jehovah's Witness?

  Sure, I thought I was great and the rest of the world sucked. But I didn't tell my workmates I was a JW. I didn't want them to feel inferior. </sarcasm>

  W
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  Ellie

  I'm ashamed to say it but yes, as a teenager I once or twice felt all fuzzy and self righteous while singing at the assembly, slap me if you like.
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  BrendaCloutier

  Elle, no need to slap you. That's what you were supposed to feel. Besides, no matter what it is, singing feels good.

  Besides, you know now.
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  Confession

  Yes, there were times that I was. For instance, it used to make me proud that JWs were the only Christian group who openly defied Hitler--of course until I discovered all the facts and found out that the organization was prepared to support Hitler's government, even calling Jews "the representatives of Satan the Devil." It was only after feeling put out by Hitler that Rutherford moved for the resistance he did.

  Granted, I still see the fortitude and actions of people such as the family represented in "Purple Triangles" as noble. I suppose courage on behalf of a principle can always be an admirable thing. I just don't know how much of it was purely such--and how much of it was adhering to the commands of centralized authority (WTS) that provided the primary motivation.

  I also used to be (and I think still am) thankful about the attitude toward race I was brought up with. I know others have had experiences quite to the contrary, and I can of course only comment on my personal perceptions. But, growing up in Detroit, my family and I were in constant association with people of all different races: black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, recent European immigrants... I was taught from a very young age that there were no differences between the races, and that we were all brothers and sisters despite the color of our skin or the way we talked. Again I know others may not have experienced what I did, but I can say (at least) that I was brought up without the burden of racial stereotyping. And that's one small thing I can be grateful for--knowing that I cannot change my past.

  The man who first began to help me cope with the terror of finding out The Truth wasn't really such helped me with his own perspective. He had grown up during the sixties, and while so many of his childhood friends had gone down the paths of drug use or crime, he'd been in association with the organization and was, in this way, protected from many dangerous outcomes. One might suggest the WTS has its own special dangerous outcomes, and I'd have to concede that.

  In trying to learn from life, gain useful perspectives--and in being honest about such, I can admit to these little points of appreciation. But was being a part of this organization worth the above? No. Ultimately it was all wrong. Fraudulent. Deceptive. Damaging. Just as "Mussolini made the trains run ontime," these minor positives do not make up for the hijacking of human lives.
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  Englishman

  Only once, for around 3 or 4 seconds, at Twickenham assembly, 1969. It was one of those resolutiuon talks where everyone shouts "Aye!" Then I realised that in the passion of the moment I was just confusing the roar of the crowd with that of the England supporters just a couple of years before, when we won the World Cup.

  Englishman.
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  BrendaCloutier

  Obey! erm, Aye!
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  delilah

  I think the question should be, "Were you ever EMBARRASSED, to be a JW?..... I was NEVER proud to be called a JW. Not with all the ridicule that went with it.

  Delilah
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  luna2

  In the beginning I was proud that I'd taken a stand and thought that if everybody could learn what I had, that they'd join the happy WTS too. Then we'd all skip merrily, hand in hand, into the New System together while the sun shone brightly and the animals and birds cavorted playfully around us. (I think I read too many fairytales as a child)

  The shine started wearing off pretty quickly, though. A few years in and I was having a harder and harder time feeling that warm, tingly, superior feeling. My attitude continued to slip as "new light" became not clarification of truth but completely new doctrine, and supposed spiritual leaders in the congregations were found to be as big a creeps as any you'd find in the terrible "world". Finally, I found myself so embarrassed to be identified with these people as we drove around the countryside farting around wasting time and gasoline, gossiping, choosing new homes for after Amegeddon, and passing out crummy little magazines, that I knew it was time for me to take an extended vacation from the "truth".
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  coffee_black

  Yep.... at 15, while in High School, I wrote a letter to the society that was published in 1968 under "Letters from Readers". I don't remember what issue... I don't have my bound volumes any more. I still have the text though....

  It started " Dear Brothers, I just wanted to write to tell you how happy I am to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I am so grateful to my parents for teaching me about the truth. I am 15 years old and I attend high school. Sometimes it doesn't seem easy to maintain integrity at my age, because it is natural to want to be accepted by others. But I am so satisfied when I see the contrast between this system of things and Jehovah's Witnesses. And it makes me feel glad that I have stayed away from the bad influences of this system of things."

  It went on and on...but I'll puke if I type more of it. I had written it without really intending to send it. I showed it to my parents though, and they were so proud that they called a friend at headquarters who suggested that I send it in... letters like that were rare, he said, and it would probably be published. He was right.

  Boy have I changed! I'd like to go back in time and slap myself! Wish I knew then what I know now.

  Coffee
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  Dustin

  I always had my ups and downs with it. Sometimes I would feel so proud thinking I was going to live forever and that God loved me. But most of the time I felt like GBL stated earlier, about feeling left out all the time as you watched everyone else around you.

  I'm just proud I saw it for what it was, and made a choice on my own to leave it behind.