Did people make fun of you when you were a JW?

by JH 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  undercover

  Am I the only one who thinks this topic should be qualified based on if you were actually a JW or if you were a double lifer that was pretty much normal?

  Good point.

  I remember getting teased unmercilessly in grade school for not celebrating Halloween or Xmas. But later, as I learned to lay low and not bring attention to myself, the ridicule lessened.

  Also, in high school, I led somewhat of a double life. I was still a good kid, no drugs, little alcohol, no sex(darn it) but I made friends with "worldly" kids and hung around a few close friends of them. Except around the holidays and blood drives and voting for class offices, I would disappear so as to not have to face the questions or possible ridicule, not realizing that if they were true friends, they wouldn't have cared, but peer pressure is tough on kids.

  What it really boils down to is, that I never believed it nor wanted to be a part of it. I was forced into it by my parents and was living a life I didn't like. If I had believed it, then I would have stood up more for it, but whenever there was a chance that my being a JW could bring any kind of attention, I ran away from it.
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  Good Girl or Bad Girl?

  What really worked to my personal benefit was that the JW girls my age all rejected me (I just wasn't good enough to be in their popular clique, nice Christian attitude, girls) and the kids at school saw this, thought they were weird, and thus respected me more for not being like them.

  Weird, huh.

  What was hard for me was that I never belonged anywhere. I was an enigma as I never participated in anything. If people were distant it was because they didn't know me...because they spent their high school years participating in things and so they all had this camaraderie (spelled right...??) that I didn't have...

  P.S. For the most part I tried very hard to be a good JW and do things right. I went through a few "rebellious phases" but always felt guilty for the "double life" I was leading and so straightened my course.
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  serendipity

  I got picked on a little for being a JW, but I also got picked on for wearing glasses and for being an "intellectual" (what a joke). I liked being unique, so it didn't bother me. I was able to defend myself quite effectively.

  My daughter has never been picked on in school by other kids. One teacher made a negative comment about her and XMAS, and her classmates rushed to her defense. Kids seem to be more tolerant these days.
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  vomit

  A terrible time in my life, highschool. I got bullied for almost anything, even though I was over 6 foot tall. I have been spat on for being a JW. Was forced to go out on the ministery where I knew where my teachers lived and I had to call on them. Similar to other experiences, when there was a adult with you, in my mind I was pleading with them and Jehovah to help me out of the situation. But no it was my turn. JWs will just say that you cant make anybody happy, but in that shitty religion you cant make anybody happy.
  I swear that I will never go back to that religion, I will raise my children to do what ever they want. If they feel its it nesseserary to lie/conform/whatever just to get a bit of peace growing up in school then I will encourage them to do it, and only ever show respect to people who actualy deserve it.
  The thing is I know that it was my religion, because my sister went to the same school, except she lead the double life, she smoked, had sex, she did turn out bad in later life, but in my head I am far more messed up than her.
  My school uniform had a patch with the school crest. With a tiny cross embroidered into it. My mother made a huge issue over it, first getting me to wear another uniform jumper, but eventualy she gave in by removing all the stitching of the cross, then sowing a star in its place. Talk about the dambed purple triangle, this stood out a lot more. There was no excaping this crap.
  When I went to college, I never told a soul that I was a JW, I lived in something like a dorm. I had moved congragation but I never attended, then one day my room mate comes to me in my room and says there are 2 police detectives at the door. I had a serious porn collection at the time(where I lived any porn is actualy illegal) and plenty of music etc. But it turns out to be a PO and a MS. In some ways I wished it was the police. As I wouldnt have to explain to my room mates that I was a JW. I ended up being forced to go to the meetings for about another year. The hall I went to was actualy had some scandle, it was an aftermat of some famous apostate hall that was broken up and the faithful ones went to mine.
  One redeeming factor is that I never answered up, never preached.
  
  My next act of rebellion is that I am going to get a tattoo soon, I am actualy doing it for cosmetic reasons to cover up a scar. But I just cant think of what to get. Funnily enough is a wanted to get flames on one leg and water on the other leg like the picture of jesus in the revelation book. Since I think it was the only thing that looked bad ass in my JW life.
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  free2beme

  When I was a kid they did, not so much as an adult. At least not to my face.
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  Wordly Andre

  VOMIT

  You grew up a JW and you live in a place where porn was illegal??? MAN talk about a double whammy!!!!!!!

  side note: on the way home today I saw 2 Jdubs walking down the street. I wish I had a water gun full of piss.