by Mysterious 12 Replies latest jw friends
It just struck me today how much JW behavior I have forgotten as opposed to the parts that are irritatingly hard to stamp out. I realized how often I toast, buy meat without checking the label, swear when I drop something, research anything I want on the internet, go to metal concerts, etc.
I think sometimes we don't think of how far we have come but only dwell on how far we have to go and we shouldn't.
It's funny, because I was thinking about that too earlier this week. When I left, I had to de-condition myself and teach myself how to be a regular person. I wish people luck all the time, I say "bless you" when people sneeze.....I celebrate every freakin' holiday I can think of! Peace, bee
You all amaze me, I wasn't even baptised yet it still took me a while (they tried indoctrinating me for about seven years) to get all that stuff out of my head. I had so much fun at easter this year - I bought chocolate eggs for everyone at work! hehehe. Don't be hard on yourselves, you got out and are living your life!! It's great!!!!
I think about it often. I haven't left it all yet, but much of the wts conditioning has faded away. I do so much now that would have been unthinkable as a jw, and I enjoy doing all of it.
Ain't freedom grand!!!
Greetings Mysterious,
I do the same. Whatever I want, and with no "pinprick" of any gulity conscience. Now, if only I could live life and not see any of those dubs. That'd be the "icing on the cake."
Dismembered
I think alot of it has to do with who you have around you in your life too. If you leave, yet nearly everyone you know is still a JW, the guilt could stay around longer. I became surrounded mostly by 'worldly' people and their normal views of holidays etc, and that helped tremendously to just carry on with all the things I wanted to do.
I am finally forgetting other peoples names that were in the congergations that I went to!! But, sadly if I think real hard I remember them. Now I wish I just didn't have to see them all around town in their little car groups.
Well, what helped me was moving away. I was lucky enough to escape the tiny town where I grew up. I don't know if I could handle still living in the same town as the dubs I grew up with. Also, it helped that I married an atheist. However, even though I have been out for almost 9 years, I still don't have the christmas thing down. I forget to send out christmas cards every year! ~B~
Every once in a while I will feel like a normal person, but most stuff is still feels a litle foreign to me like singing happy b-day or doing christmas, but mostly because I have never done it and dont know what to do. I am married to a "wordly" man and he helps me though........
I faded from the org almost 30 years ago and have long forgotten (or I should say buried deep) all the WTS crap. I started lurking on this board about 2 months ago, and I'm realizing it's also good to remember and be grateful that I got out when I did.
