What 'crutches' have you employed to break the mind control?

by AK - Jeff 14 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  AK - Jeff

  I'm still trying to remember to say "bless you" when someone sneezes.

  that will be a big mental break for me.

  I know, I know. That is tough little hurdle. Just shows how deep the mindset is. I do my best to wish everyone a 'merry Xmas'. That was a major breakdown of the propoganda for me. Personally I could give a rat's ass about Xmas..... oops there I go again with point #1 - cussing. Damn! Jeff
• 

  onesong

  This is an excellent thread Jeff

  • I love not being under the belief that I have all the answers. Embracing the unknown and abstract and being curious about anything and everything
  • not seeing the world thru eyes of black and white, right and wrongness
  • cussing , oh yes the cussing is *$#%@ing wonderful!!
  • every Sunday morning I'm sooo happy--especially during football season
  • hooking up with complete strangers to form a band and not worrying about them being "bad association"
  • not fearing people
  • not fearing God
  • not fearing life
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  Chimene

  I second Jeff, of course, I never quit smoking, that's why I couldn't ever get baptized, LOL

  My favorite? Went to a haunted house last October while taking my kids trick or treating, LOLOLOL. It was fun! Scared the crap out of me! What a head rush! LOL
• 

  undercover

  Good thread...I've added my own thoughts to your bullet points... though I've kinda screwed up the format a little...

  Cussing. I was a closet cusser as a JW. But I wasn't alone. I noticed that certain elders and pioneers would let slip the occassional bad word. Now that I'm out, I no longer worry about my language. I do censor myself depending on what kind of crowd I'm in or if I'm around children but if I'm hanging with the guys, I can be the 'most colorful' in the bunch.

• Refusal to judge others quickly. As a JW we thought that we were so objective and reasonable. But looking back I can see that most JWs were the most judgemental people you'll meet. Not only outside the congregation, where it was easy to lump all worldly people into some evil class, but inside the congregation. You were judged by how many hours you got in service, how much elder ass you kissed, how you dressed, what you drove, how big your house was. And then there were double standards. You get looked down on or congratulated for buying a new car depending on what clique you were in or not in. Since being out, I try really hard to let people's actions speak for them. It's hard to not form a first opinion on someone, but I try to not let it be the final opinion. I try to let opinions and feelings change as I get to know them or observe how they act. I've learned that worldly people are not the evil, satan worshippers that I was led to believe as a young person. I've come to make friends and acquaintances with these people and found them much easier to get along with than most JWs who always seemed to be upset by something somebody said or did. It's a breath of fresh air to be able to deal with people who are mature and don't hold grudges for the most minor of issues.
• Read, read, read! Talk and listen! I thought that I was fairly well read as a JW. Boy, was I wrong. Since leaving, I've read all kinds of stuff that I never would have even picked up as a JW. I am soaking up history like a sponge. I used to avoid any kind of 'debate' on anything religious or political. Now I jump right in and give opinions and thoughts, still while trying to respect the other persons right to believe as they want, which can be hard after coming out of a cult like group and being wary of anything religious in nature. But you can't understand the other viewpoint if yo don't allow the other side to voice and try to see where they are coming from. Even if you don't agree, by trying to understand it can either sway you to see that they may have a point or it can convince you that you're right in your assessment. Either way, you can be sure of what you believe and think because you gave the other side a chance to prove their case. As we know, its quite the opposite with JWs. Anything considered as negative or downgrading to "true worship" is to be completely avoided. How can you be sure that the other side doesn't have a case if you don't investigate it and try to disprove it?
• New experiences. Travel is something that most JWs don't get to experience (unless its at the behest of the WTS). My view of the world is constantly changing now, because I try to travel to different areas and that really opens my eyes to how other people live and act. I like to think that I am much more tolerant of different beliefs and cultures because of experiencing them and being willing to learn about them instead of lumping anything not JW related as "worldly" and doomed for destruction.