I've noticed that my social skills that were already hampered because of this damn Autistic spectrum disorder I have somewhat improved as soon as I left the JW's.
social skills and JW's
by Descender 14 Replies latest jw friends
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4mylove
Even his JW friends tell me that my hubby was unbearable before the inactivity. Of course they don't relate it to this, they say I made him more down to earth. I never set out to change him, just tried to open his eyes a bit.
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WTWizard
It's the way they are programmed. Children are told not to play with, or make friends with, worldly people because they are bad associations. They cannot participate in parties, holidays, or class trips and after-school activity. Plus their language is a barrier--when words don't mean the same thing within the cult as outside, that forms a barrier. Neither side knows what the other is talking about.
Then there is the issue of ambition. Most worldly people have some hope when they are growing up. Most are looking at college, and discussing what they are going to major in. They usually have some subject that they are interested in (and often pretty damn good at). Many are interested in sports. Quite a few have a good idea of what they would like to be when they get older (and it isn't always a doctor or lawyer). The Witlesses, however, have these choices pre-determined. Go straight into pioneering right out of high school. Go to Beth Hell (if they are still taking people in). Missionary work. Their after-school time is spent on field circus. No college hopes. All this sets up a barrier because most worldly people do not give a rat's axx about pioneering, and they are not allowed to pursue anything else.
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alias
Social skills, and the development of good "people skills" is an area of great deficiency for those whose lives have been solely guided and nurtured by the organization. They are taught that quoting Bible scriptures and converting others to their belief system (because everyone else is wrong) is the most important work in the world, all the while they are taught to fear others and not get too close to people they spend most of their waking hours with at school, at work, and even in their own families.
Those coming in as adults have an advantage with this if they've been able to take advantage of and participate in normal social situations at school, with extended families, and other healthy social outlets. But they also may come in from other kinds of closed-system environments, where they trade one belief system for another. Add to this that in recent generations we are more open and enlightened about issues and topics than our parents or grandparents were.
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oompa
HOWEVER....there are many exceptions to the sad truth first posted here. I'm not sure if is just personality, or what, but lots of dubs, especially those whose occupation involves lots of non-JW (as of right now i will NEVER use the world1y word again) contact are very normal in this respect. Including oompa thank (despite)GOD!
We should all be more balanced than many other faiths in this regard. We dont have our own schools!!!! That means that at least for 12 years (USA) we are spending the majority of our time in the...with non-JW's....no wonder I liked school so damn much!!! Hot chicks, parties, making out in the photography darkroom....Man I miss yearbook! I guess even before 5th grade I was a doublelifer. How can dubs not carry on decent dialog without spraying JWSHIT all over the place????.....OUTLAW PLEASE HELP US!!!...oompa