i took freedom frogs personality test yesterday, three times.
my lowest introverted score was 67. i think that borders on recluse.
are you comfortable with that part of yourself?.
Definately introvert here.
This was always something that really annoyed me with the dubs, btw...It wasn't OK to be an introvert as a jw. I managed to fake it for too many years, and yes, it contributed to the "burn out" I experienced as a jw.
Jason
Of the Glad to "Just Be Me" class.
when you come here, are you comfortable to be who you really are?
can you express how you truly feel?
i know that not everyone may "understand" who we are, but being out of the organization and its myriads of rules, we should be able to be comfortable.
I believe I was already "becomming" that person before I left...
Leaving was just the next step in that process. When I realized that I could not be "who I was" while remaining a jw, the fading process started, until I finally left. Every day, I make progress in being that person.
Jason
ok guys and dolls, want your input here.
a friend of mine has a question...... .
"the brothers in bethel/headquarters seem very sincere and loving - what possible motive would they have in trying to deceive people, what do they get out of it?
Sincere, yes, for the most part...loving??? I'm not too convinced about that one.
Basically my take on this has always been that they are where all of the "delusion" that exists in the Borg comes from. They themselves "believe", so it's the nature of the beast for them to "protect" their beliefs to keep their followers. It's a self-perpetuating system, so it's hard to break the cycle.
-Power and control do play into it...they are just not the primary factors here.
Jason
well it looks like this site is a real melting pot, a broad spectrum of views and beliefs.
for sure there are many disaffected ex jws.
so in as few words as possible, preferably not more than one sentence, how would you describe yourself spiritually?
A Cristian Skeptic...
do you still look over your shoulder to see if some jw might "report" you to the elders for doing something inappropriate by witness standards??
?
Not in the least. A couple of days ago I met up with another ex-jw buddy of mine, and he invited me and my current wife, (never a jw), to his parents house for dinner. His parent's hall happens to be the hall I da'd out of last year. Goatee, toasting and all...
(Didn't bring the cigars, though...)
j
to me, the witness religion is either a hardcore group of watchtower dogma believing "kool-aid" drinkers or a group of non-believing, mentally and spiritually lazy zombies who value their friendships and family over principle.. there are those in the middle who i believe are too fragile to even want to think about reality..
Very few are of that "hardcore" number anymore. Few know doctrine even well enough to be that way these days. An ever increasing number are just going through the motions, never really giving things much thought until something rocks their world. This is sad, and probably my biggest issue with the dubs as a whole. The management has managed to dummy things down so much, that the present crop of dubs really can't care much about things like doctrine anymore.
Basically, it's a "Shut up and do what we tell you to do until Armegeddon comes" kind of mentality that comes out of Brooklyn these days. The r&f are too tired, and beat-up to even fake enjoyment.
j
i'm sure this has been discussed in length, but i'm a newbie :).
one item that really shocked me, back when i believed this was 'the truth' was the lack of response to the 9/11 attacks.
as all of us, we were really shocked and really were looking for comfort at the meeting (school/service meeting).
Do you think that perhaps you notice it more because it's pertinent to you? I mean, I know the WTS is concerned primarily with how many Witnesses died, but what makes you think that 9/11 is so terrible?
They didn't talk much about the 250,000 killed by the tsunami of 2004 either. It's not that they won't talk about the Trade Centre, they generally have little feeling for world events in general unless they seem to back up prophecy. Jesus didn't talk about suicide bombers or tidal waves in the Sermon on the Mount, so they're not fussed.
Sorry Faundy, but there is a difference here....
The 9/11 attacks were performed by people to deliberately hurt people. The 2004 tsunami was natural disater, just like any other, except for the fact that it was much larger. 9/11 also happened in the WTS backyard, (just over the bridge...).
The cold response received from the WTS has much to do with why I am no longer sitting in the KH.
Jason
this is my first christmas following the complete fade, but i have to maintain the fade.. hence, i have been uncomfortable with saying "merry christmas.
" the closest i have .
come this year is "same to you" and "enjoy your holiday.".
I'm on year number three...It gets easier with each passing year.
j
i don't feel comfortable living as an atheist.
i believe the world is far to complex and humans are too incredible to have just occurred.
therefore, if i was to attend a church, which one should i consider?
Although I personally do attend a church, (RC, to be exact), I don't believe it is necessary to have a relationship with God, or any "higher" power. Sprituality starts within onself. No building or organization has all of the answers. That was the big lie we fell for while in the Borg. Don't expect it elsewhere. If/when you decide you have a need for some "spiritually" oriented fellowship, a church isn't a bad place to have that, just keep in mind, it is not the only place. You can do other things too...get involved in a charity, yoga, whatever. Just continue to educate yourself, (don't rule out science either), and most importantly, BE PATIENT! Don't rush into any belief system, (you'll find you might rush out just as quickly...)
j
for me, it was a combination of things over a long period of time.
.
how about you?
Hi Min,
I lost my logon info a couple of months ago...I was known as Done4Good, then...Good to be back.
Anyway, for me it was just like many here, several things over time. About 10 years ago, I began to "draw the line" on certain things that I felt the WTS was just plain wrong about. I somehow mamaged to peacefully co-exist with Borg during that time, though. 2001 was a time of serious contemplation for me, partially due to marriage issues, and partially due to 9/11. I knew those events made me much more honest with myself about many things, and I was in on "borrowed time" from then on...
With the breakup of my marriage to my ex in 2005, these events only continued. This culminated into a JC that I simply could not ignore the effects of. No I did not get df'd...but I did see it was very much part of the elder's agenda NOT to df me. Even to the point of making me agree to terms that I knew were not right. After getting over the initial shock, (about one month), I realized I could no longer base my life decisions on the arbitrary and petty rules and regulations of the WTS. I felt I was in danger, if I kept that up...
I decided to make my own way in November of 2005, and never looked back. After realizing that I was much happier for it, I knew I had been lied to for 30 years. I eventually found Randy's site, then JWD shortly thereafter, and soon found out I wasn't alone. Thank you all!
Jason
