by Worldlywife 14 Replies latest jw friends
Welcome worldlywife
As a "worldly" person, however, I wonder how "I" as well as "yourselves" will know that when you've gone beyond the life ot a JW and become an, as you call it, "worldly" person?
When you become not a "worldly person" but just are who you are and the definition no longer exists, or more accurately, when you no longer care for such definitions.
I detest the 'worldly' term so much because I see it as an ultimate divide created by leaders to instill fear, derision and prejudice in their followers. An us against them mentality. I'm a 'worldly' person so I've felt that prejudice up close and personal and to me, a JW has gone past that life when they can stop judging people and events based on the Watchtower beliefs and prejudices. sammieswife.
I too, detest the term worldly. I consider it a form of 'religious racism'. My family knows better than to use that term around me. I simply ask them if they are willing to walk up to a
non-jw and call them a worldly person to their face. The inevitible answer is no, they wouldn't do that. And I respond by saying, "if you're not willing to use that term in the presence of
a non-jw, then it's just as inappropriate to use it in this conversation"
My family knows better than to use that term around me
Thats my feeling as well - but I do have to say that the charade of politeness and friendliness they put on is just as bad as if they use the word itself. I know what they think so any act of concern or attempt at friendliness is nothing but a lie and a pile of hypocrasy on their part. Even worse when you are sitting in the KH and listening to that puke being spewed out at the congregation and watch as they nod their heads and soak up the vomit like sponges, all believing that somehow they are better because their derriere is stuck to a chair inside that building, reading a magazine. sammieswife
Great answer, Twitch...
"When you become not a "worldly person" but just are who you are and the definition no longer exists, or more accurately, when you no longer care for such definitions."
I have never, EVER, (whether in the org or not) thought of myself as a worldly person.
I hope that I never consider myself worldly, but I lost the JW identification pretty fast. Some of the ideas stuck around (and still do) regarding attitudes about people living very in very selfish, self serving ways that show no regard for anything but their own interest. When I see some things that people do in escaping their lives as JWs it makes me sad-cause I think they are doing a lot just to rub it in the noses (collective) of JWs-more as a rebellion than anything(I have done a bit of that myself). Online, of course, I see things that *I* think of as worldly, but any person who has any grounding in morality and healthy living would reject much of it also. It doesn't take being a JW. Maybe it takes belief in God or the Bible or societal rules. But I am kind of a prude even now(tattoo notwithstanding)compared to many. My JW mom thinks I am a wildly free spirit sometimes, so that gives you an idea of the continuum I am on. I think I do my best to not judge people harshly, cause I know exactly where I have been my whole life, and at some times, no one could tell me to do differently, and I had to learn through my own harsh life lessons. I am not a worldly person in any sense but the JW sense( I am not a JW!). I took a while to get over the 'what if they are right' thoughts, but they only niggled when I was just confused in general. Reason usually came racing back before I even finished the thought! I don't think holidays, flag saluting, voting are worldly. I think that lying, cheating (in any way), hurting others, abuse, mean-ness, etc are worldly things. I think NOT caring for ones neighbor is the epitome in worldliness-in whatever form it takes. Therefore I am not-or at least strive to not be worldly according to my own thinking and what I understand of the Bible.
