Did you enjoy being a JW?

by JH 32 Replies latest jw friends

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  JH

  Every time I went to a meeting, book study, or whatever, the great majority of people looked as if they were truly happy to be a JW. Their smiles looked genuine. They seemed to love talking to each other.

  I, on the other hand, wasn't really happy to be at the meetings. I found that there were too many meetings and they were too long and there was too much work that had to be done preparing all these meetings. I guess that it showed on my face, that I was making a great sacrifice being there.

  So, now you know how I felt about meetings and field service.

  How about you, did you enjoy being a JW?
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  daystar

  I liked the friends I had, but not specifically being JW. In retrospect, I think it because I was so oppressed.
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  caligirl

  No. I'm not saying that life was miserable in every way- there were fun times, but not related to witness stuff. There were expectations that made it very difficult, in my opinion. You go to meetings, even if you got home late from work and choked down something to eat while you got dressed, and there you are required to smile, chit-chat and play nice no matter what you feel underneath, no matter what kind of day you have, etc.
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  Confession

  Because I thought I believed it was "The Truth," I felt grateful to be a JW. Because I thought there was no other option, I did what optimists usually try to do: make the best of it. And I had lots of friends with whom I enjoyed many, many good times. I accepted the Society's position that we need lots of meetings to refresh us because of the way "the world" keeps tearing us down. But, even as a congregation elder, it often felt like it was the meetings and my elder responsibilities that were tearing me down. I did however enjoy association after the meetings, eating out with the friends, cargroups in field service, etc. There are times when I used to "feel" that it was a difficult life--and (very privately) almost wished I hadn't been born into a family of JWs, but I never would have admitted that to anyone.
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  Mary

  Well, years ago when I believed this was The Truth, I have to admit I enjoyed being a Witness......the meetings I found too long, but Service never bothered me----go figure. I liked the idea that the earth would become a Paradise and where I would see my siblings (who had all died far before their time) alive again...........thank you so much Brooklyn for dashing my hopes and screwing me over completely.
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  jayhawk1

  I miss people telling me lies about how wonderful the Convention was. That's about the only enjoyment I got. Because no matter how they spin it, they was just as bored as I was.
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  Purza

  I think I did for the social environment. I absolutely hated service and I averaged about an hour a month for the last five years I was active. I never minded the meetings as I was on autopilot all those years. I even went to a meeting one night when I had a plumbing mis-hap in my garage. Boy, was I commended for that.

  Purza
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  kazar

  When I first converted to JW's, I found it very exciting. Didn't take long for the novelty to wear off. I liked being a Witness because I liked being part of a religion that was different. I didn't like field service (felt like a hypocrite,) WT study was too long and lord, how I hated the MS meeting. The weekly book study was all I really liked It was the paradise earth that kept me there so long.
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  GetBusyLiving

  I never ever really bought into the Witness teachings, I was always doubting.. I couldnt make it stop. The more I attended meetings and did personal study, the more doubts I had and the more I wanted to give it all up. That went on for years and years of my life. There were happy times with my ex-friends who are dubs.. but it was never Jehovah's Witness belief related happiness.

  GBL
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  AlmostAtheist

  This brings me back to a question I've pondered ever since I left. Is it possible to only THINK you're happy? If happiness is just a state of mind anyway, then if you think you're happy, you are. Right? (Maybe?)

  I often did NOT enjoy the meetings, but there were some I genuinely enjoyed. I enjoyed some aspects of the conventions, but I was bored for most of them. Service was enjoyable if you had the right car group. It was misery if you didn't!

  I thought I was happy. It had elements of what others have said; gratitude, hope, elitism. A friend of mine from high school told me recently that I sure SEEMED happy as a Witness. There was a happiness that came from knowing I'd come to realize something that so very few others had come to know. ("The Truth") Now I'm happy because I know something that even fewer know, the truth about "the troof".

  I wonder what I'll be happy about 20 years from now?

  Dave