judgemental

megaflower

I was wondering if many of you have felt the same way. When I was a practicing JW I found myself either being judged or I found myself being overly critical of others. It seemd the more miserable I became the more critical I was and I found this disturbing. I did not like what I was turning into. I think the JW teach you to be overly critical of ones. For instance, do they measure up to you in:

1. meeting attendance

2.field service hours

3.comments at meetings

4.personal study

5.The way your family is viewed, children making fine progress in the truth

6. Reaching out for other responsabilities, quick builds, work where the need is great

I found that since I no longer attend I have lightened up a lot. Do any others feel this way or felt this way?

ferret

Yes now I believe live and let live

Gopher

Your comments are spot on, Megaflower.

JW's are a performance-based religion. In other words, "what have you done for us lately", and "what more can you do".

Unfortunately, friendships among loyal JW's were also based on the same criteria you listed. If someone was perceived as "spiritually weakening", they could be viewed as less desirable associates.

I'm glad to be out of this kind of tense environment, which is painted as 'loving' but in retrospect is hostile.

VoidEater

7. do you wear "dressy enough" clothes (just a tie? a tie and blazer? a suit?)

8. do you believe everything the Society teaches, exactly as it is taught, never expressing doubts

9. do you have only "spiritually strong" associates, and reject those that have been marked for shunning

R.Crusoe

In denial and judgemental is the Managing Directors Mission Statement for JWs!

They deny causing anyone suffering or harm!

They deny the fact that breaking family up is deliberate harm!

They deny cutting communication is deliberate harm!

They deny their psychological violence!

They deny driving some to suicide!

They claim they have unique permissions for all actions and so cannot be flawed!

They deny all responsibility for the jarm their doctrines do!

They refuse to change ones proven to cause future harm!

Pahpa

I think the overwhelming feeling of most JWs is that of guilt because of not doing enough. No matter how zealous a person became in the organization, one felt that one should be doing even more. This guilt trip was fostered by others especially the elders. I can remember an elder asking my wife who had our four young children at the time,a full time job in itself, if she was going to "vacatioin pioneer" that year. We even felt guilty when we took a rare weekend off to visit our elderly parents. We were suppose to attend the local Kingdom Hall so as to "not miss a meeting." It sapped the joy of serving right out of most of us. But what a sense of relief when we finally broke loose from this insidious organization!

TIMBOB

of everything. The dates, blood, UN, ect. issues. This is the thing that drove me away. The witnesses are the most Judgmental people I have EVER met. Where I have seen that they really judge peopel is meeting attendence. I swear you could be a murdering, molesting alcoholic, but as long as your are going to meetings, ur ok. Now if you miss meetings or just not going, your considered bad meat. Since I have stopped going, so many people and a few family members have got on to me, If you love Jehovah then you would go to meetings. I retort and say where does it say in the bible that Jehovah commands us to go to meetings.But, you cant blame em though. Meeting attendence is ingrained in their minds. Without em, one can not be "saved".

But, yes I agree they are VERy judgmental and let me not forget some HUGE gossipers. I think its funny that SLANDERING someone is right up there with murder, its in the same scripture, yet no one thinks twice about it. A person will degrade someone's charactor with no backing and NOTHING will happen. I can go on and on.