What did you take with you when you left the organization?

coffee_black

Leaving the organization, it is like packing for a journey… You can choose what you take with you, and what you leave behind… (other than people)

There are things I chose to take with me. For example, I have used the sales “training” to my advantage over the years. The job I have now involves public speaking. I call on architects, promote our company and teach continuing education seminars for which they receive credit. When I was interviewing for this job, I was asked if I was “intimidated by architects.” (They tend to ask a lot of technical questions) I answered without even thinking. Citing my jw background I said.... no…I made my first cold call at 4 years old, selling religion from door to door. After that…what are a couple of architects? They were dumbfounded by the answer. It worked. I got the job.

Is there anything you have taken with you on your journey?

Coffee

AK - Jeff

Faith.

Although the organization's form of worship is wrong, and misdirected, I learned since my childhood to trust and accept that higher powers were are work. I retain that, though the complexion of that faith is altering from that of a group faith to one of individual faith. No matter where the journey takes me over the years, I think I will never be able to deny that powers higher than I are and will always be at work in the universe.

Jeff

greendawn

Only the certainty that the WTS is one more daughter of babylon that uses religion to enslave people's minds and profit through it. Couldn't see the brotherly love and the spiritual attitude one expects to see in those that claim to hold the absolute truth.

Crumpet

A nasty case of herpes.

(okay I'm joking!)

Lady Lee

I took

my sign language skills with me. That got me a few jobs either teaching sign language or interpreting at conferences or with college students.
my two daughters who chose to stay with their father but gave up on that idea after 1 year
a truckload of guilt that took me years to deal with
low self-esteem (some of which came from my pre-JW years) and certainly added to by the WTS)

mkr32208

my wife and most of my friends!

hahahahahahaha

jojochan

Let's see...

I took my public speaking skills whith me which were most helpful for me at work when talking to groups of paitents at one time. Also because I was in the collective I was able to (thanks to my dad) use decernment in what ever it was that I read, and use decernment in listening to people. Basically I was able to sniff out B.S when I saw it, I guess that was why I always felt that something was not right regarding the organization as a whole and how it was structured. Also I'm more cautious now than when I was inside. But It's funny, the most people that ever screwed me and my family over were the ones in the collective. Oh yeah, I still have my dignity still intact as well.

jojochan.

jojochan

Sorry, just to add I took my heart and soul, and my mind!

jojochan.

atypical

A hell of a lot of baggage.

Lady Lee

I find it interesting that so many of you say public speaking

I was a nervous wreak every time I gave a talk. People always said I didn't look nervous but it was anxiety attack time for me on the inside.

In college I took a public speaking course. What an eye opener. I learned more in 13 weeks than I leared in 22 years of being a JW. I went from 30 seconds at the beginning of the course to 20 minutes.

I took those skills with me into my work. Now I can stand up in front of any number of people (I think the most was a around 100 strangers) and lecture for 3 hours and have the audience wanting more and coming to ask me more at the end.

Maybe it's more real than the phoney presentations the sisters had to give. Maybe facing the audience helps. But then again that first 30 second talk was really nerve wracking.

Oh and now I talk about things I have a passion for - recovery from various forms of abuse.

What did you take with you when you left the organization?

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