Appreciative of the positive side of having been a JW

exwitless

Lately I've come to the conclusion that I cannot change my past 14 wasted years with the borg; I can only learn from my experiences and resolve to improve on my life from here on out. I no longer have to "wait for Jehovah" or the "New System" to make my life better; I can apply my own intellect, power of reasoning, and free will to accomplish what I want to do.

One thing I've come to appreciate is that had I not been a JW, and in turn an ex-JW, I may have never actually questioned the deep philosophical issues that are discussed on this board. I may be stuck as a "nominal" Christian (forgive the WT-speak), being content to half-heartedly believe what I was raised to believe. (I was raised a Methodist.)

Since leaving the borg, I feel like my mind is open for the first time to actually consider different viewpoints. Never before did I dream I would ever question whether or not "god" even exists; or whether evolution is plausible, or whether it is OK to NOT hold a particular religious belief at all.

You guys/gals on JWD are some of the most intelligent and insightful people I've "conversed" with, especially when it comes to religious/philosophical discussions. Thanks for your tireless input on this discussion board. It's helped me quite a bit in the past several months since DA'ing.

PaulJ

i think doing things like the door to door work give you balls (for want of a better word!) and thats defintely helped me to be a bit more outgoing, and I I now work in marketing its helped.

I know exactly what you mean though. If nothing the whole thing has been a learning experience. Even if it was a bit 'intensive'!

ninja

I would never have met my wife of almost 17 years....I love her as much as when we got married....she is a JW still and has had a lot to come to terms with me leaving....and although she doesn't agree with me at all...she respects my decision...I just hope one day she sees through the mind control and deceit also......cheers peeps.... ninja

mrsjones5

I learned to appreciate being alone...a lot! See my parents were spiritually weak, mother had (and still does have) frequent bouts of depression and missed many a meeting and my father having no desire to progress and be a MS or an Elder only went to the memorial and the circurt and district conventions. Therefore I didn't have many jw friends (which was fine with me) and was rarely invited to anything that was going on in the congregation. I learned to grow a thick skin especially when hearing about all the fun the other dubkids were having without me.

Oops, this was supposed to be positive, huh?

Oh well,

Josie

compound complex

Dear Exwitless,

Hello again! I appreciate the tone of your thread and your subsequent comments. As merely inactive but no longer attending meetings [tetoxified, at last!], I still access any and all JW links available to me. The fact that 40 plus years of basic JWism is locked into me doesn't throw me for a loop [I walked to the local Methodist church when a little guy - of my own volition]. When with JW kith and kin, I look like a duck, walk like a duck, therefore I .... I speak positively of Jehovah, Jesus Christ and the kingdom as talking - focal - points.
I get MANY a listening ear as I set out on my 007 mission. Thanx again!

Coco

truthsetsonefree

Amen. There is no question that at least for me, all of my experiences have done something good for me. This attitude also helps one shed depression and negativity, even to embrace one's past solely for the purpose of what it has made us. That doesn't eliminate the pain however....

tsof

undercover

...I cannot change my past ... wasted years with the borg; I can only learn from my experiences and resolve to improve on my life from here on out. I no longer have to "wait for Jehovah" or the "New System" to make my life better; I can apply my own intellect, power of reasoning, and free will to accomplish what I want to do.
...had I not been a JW, and in turn an ex-JW, I may have never actually questioned the deep philosophical issues that are discussed on this board. I may be stuck as a "nominal" Christian (forgive the WT-speak), being content to half-heartedly believe what I was raised to believe.
...I feel like my mind is open for the first time to actually consider different viewpoints. Never before did I dream I would ever question whether or not "god" even exists; or whether evolution is plausible

Excellent points! Things we sometimes lose sight of because of all the negative things we tend to focus on. Thanks for the reminder to accentuate the positive and to look foward instead of backwards.

parakeet

exwitless wrote: "Since leaving the borg, I feel like my mind is open for the first time to actually consider different viewpoints."

One of the very few benefits of having been indoctrinated by a cult (and then escaping from it) is appreciation for personal and intellectual freedom. But that sense of freedom is bought at an extremely high price, and many here are still paying dearly for it. I'm glad you've found some consolation after experiencing the catastrophe known as "being a Jehovah's witness."

greendawn

Nothing worthwhile came out of being with the dubs, even not acquiring the smoking habit because I was always a non smoker. It was rather a case of having to spend time to get rid of the wrong ideas they had instilled in me.

fullofdoubtnow

I am much more confident when addressing a group of people than I probably would have been had I never been a jw. That's the only positive thing I can think of about the experience though.

Appreciative of the positive side of having been a JW

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