Hiding your past

JH

When you make new friends, do you tell them that you already belonged to the Jehovah Witnesses or do you rather keep that secret?

Are you afraid that they would treat you as a nut, if you admit that belonged to that religion?

REALNESS

Jesus, can you post anything other than a oneliner question?.

i don't feel there is anything to be ashamed of, and i don't try to hide. im usually quite upfront about things i have been through if im with someone with whom i want to be friendly. i don't feel it is a reflection on me, particularly since i was raised jw and did not choose it for myself.

perhaps it is different for those who converted to jw??

larc

Like nowisee, I was raised in it. On occassion I would try to explain the experience to new friends. They just didn't get it. Sometimes, I would run into a situation where someone else brought up the religion. Often, they would state something that wasn't true. I would end up clarifying something and then explaining their rationale. I felt like I was defending something, I didn't believe any more.

To me, and I think for many others, it is better to express our thoughts and experiences here, because we understand, and most other people simply don't.

Holey_Cheeses*King_of_the juice.

nowisee,

Having been a convert to the JWs, it is a part of my life that, when I look back now, is not something to be particularly proud. I do not try to hide or deny the fact, and will openly admit to such should the topic arise during conversation, but I don't go around proclaiming to one and all that I once succumbed to cultism.

cheeses - now proud to be of the enlightened class.

Nathan Natas

I was "raised in it," and also don't keep it a secret, even though I get incredulous reactions from some people, (WHAT!?! -- YOU?") who act as though I had just told them I was tied up with golden thread and kidnapped by dwarf alien gypsies who belonged to the Pleiades Liberation Army.

I think being an XJW now adds to my "weirdness" quotient, which is something I learned to accept and deal with as a DubYooth.

oldcrowwoman

JH I appreciate your one liners. Its a way of planting seeds for others to expound on the question. I see it as a way to pull threads from the past.

No I have'nt hidden my past as being a jw. For the most part when making the statement of being a exjw .to others. The response is surprised that I was involved. And its out of character for me. I pride on being different anyway. So it adds character

Its interesting over the years sharing my connection and my experiences with the org. They express their outrage and anger with the ill treatment of shunning. So I have planted seeds in the process. So they are equipped to respond when jw's come to their door!! Am I a apostate??

JH keep up the one liners!!!

OCW