"They are so keen, they need to be locked up for the first 6 months!"

by stuckinarut2 14 Replies latest jw experiences

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  stuckinarut2

  Do we all remember that expression when we were JWs?

  Someone new would "come into the Truth", and be SO enthusiastic and keen, that we would all joke about "locking them up for the first 6 months because they would preach to everyone"

  JWs thought that the passion for "learning the Truth" was the issue. But really what they have just described could be true of any person who discovers something new and is bubbling with excitement.

  What about us here who have learned "The truth about The Truth"? No doubt we can fall into the same trap and be so keen to share the facts we have learned with EVERYONE JW we know. We may fall into the pattern of bubbling things to all we know.

  But, as most of us know, it can have the very opposite effect! Saying too much too quickly can actually do more harm than good. It can cause a rebound effect in those we speak to, and can make them fear us as "mentally diseased Apostates".

  So take your time. Drop small and well thought out points or topics, and leave the seeds to germinate with them.

  Try not to be so keen that they "want to lock us up"
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  DesirousOfChange

  
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  tiki

  Yes...that initial burst of zeal....some people would go haywire antagonizing everyone in their reach. An emotional response mainly....now I just think of it as blissful ignorance.....
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  blondie

  What happened? The bust of 1975 and later the end of the 80 years end of the generation in 1995 and the death knell was the overlapping generations. Most jws are just sprinters not marathon runners.
  
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  Pete Zahut

  Someone new would "come into the Truth", and be SO enthusiastic and keen, that we would all joke about "locking them up for the first 6 months because they would preach to everyone"

  The same can sometimes be said of someone who has just become a vegetarian for example and it can at times be said of those who become X-JW's. They sometimes drive otherwise interested or agreeable ones off, with all of their carrying on.
  
  
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  smiddy3

  What you say is true stuckinarut2 the emotions can sometimes get the better of us.

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  alanv

  Yes i made the mistake of pouring out all the things I had learnt as an ex JW. It did far more harm than good when I told my JWs son and also my best mate. Both of them have made it clear they never want the subject brought up again.
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  OnTheWayOut

  Oh, the same can be true not only when we discover "The truth about The Truth" but also when we discover truths about the Bible itself, the God of Christianity, the length of time man has been on earth, all religion, science.

  Most of us know these things, but good reminders.
  
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  ToesUp

  Our family pretty much came out and asked us if we still attended meetings. We came out and finally said no. Then the questions started to flow from family. We were honest with them. Then they tried to get us to the Memorial, which we said no to. Then they tried to get us to the KH for a special talk. We said no. At first, they tried to be understanding and one family member said that they thought "we would come to our senses." Now, they have slowly distanced themselves from us. We can feel it. The "you left us" thing.

  So much for being honest eh. I guess we need to be punished.

  Would we do it the same way over again? Yes. We just couldn't do it anymore. Faking it is just not part of who we are.
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  dubstepped

  Great point siar2! You see people wake up, get excited, lose all tact, and get shunned real fast. We have to give others time to see things for themselves too.