I met Joseph Rutherford today!!!! Really!!!!

by Awakened at Gilead 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Awakened at Gilead

  I was at a meeting today for my job. About 30-40 people were there, most (besides me) movers and shakers in the public health field in New York. As I looked on the list of attendees, one name struck my eye..... Joseph Rutherford... this led to an interesting experience for me (sorry to use such theocratic sounding terms, I'm such a newbie!!!)

  Well, so I walk up to the man, in his early 50's, and ask him. Any relation to the Judge of the WT? He didn't even know who the Judge was, and he said he steered clear of JW's. And I told him that I agreed with him, that not listening to their craziness is the best policy. What made this interesting to me is that this is the first time I am talking with someone outside of JWD, a worldly person, and telling him not to listen to JW's. A few months ago, I would have been witnessing to him.... Hey, that means I'm making progress, right?

  I also notice that exiting JW's is having an effect on my personality. In the past when I would go to such meetings, I woyuld kind of hang out in a corner, not conversing much with others, since they are all worldly. Why should I want to get to know a worldly person, so I thoughht.... Today was different. I felt comfortable talking to all these worldly people. It was great!!!

  I'm glad that being an xJW is having a good effect on my personality... Did anyone else feel this way when they left the WTS?
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  MissingLink

  That's funny. I'm surprised Joe never heard of the Judge.

  Once you're out - you do look at people differently. I mean, you realize that the ARE people.
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  jwfacts

  Welcome. You have an interesting story, so I would love to hear more. Is you wife still a believer?

  I was stunned at how wonderful worldly people could be. As a JW I felt like an alien everytime I attended work events, and was in fear when work forced me to do networking, as I did not feel I fit in or had anything to talk about. Now I love going to work functions and networking events and can talk for hours to anyone. It has been such a relief to know I can associate with normal people and appear interesting and almost normal.
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  Awakened at Gilead

  You have an interesting story, so I would love to hear more. Is you wife still a believer?

  Yes, JWF, she's a diehard JW. She frequently cites Lyman Swingle, who wanted to die with his boots on. We are discussing separation at the moment... but I'll post that story to the relationships forum soon...

  As a JW I felt like an alien everytime I attended work events, and was in fear when work forced me to do networking, as I did not feel I fit in or had anything to talk about.

  Yeah, that's exactly my point in my post. I have always felt weird when I had to network at these events, and always limited my conversation to the work at hand so I wouldn't be "associating" with these people. Everyone else seemed to have such great conversational skills, yet I felt like an outsider, but I was happy that way, so I wouldn't be tainted.

  Once you're out - you do look at people differently. I mean, you realize that they ARE people.

  You're right, ML, this is what I am telling my wife... these are normal people, we have nothing to fear. She's pretty freaked out though....

  AaG
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  Layla33

  I also notice that exiting JW's is having an effect on my personality. In the past when I would go to such meetings, I woyuld kind of hang out in a corner, not conversing much with others, since they are all worldly. Why should I want to get to know a worldly person, so I thoughht.... Today was different. I felt comfortable talking to all these worldly people. It was great!!!

  I'm glad that being an xJW is having a good effect on my personality... Did anyone else feel this way when they left the WTS?

  Yes, I can totally understand, and it only gets better. Imagine what it feels like when you stop separating people at all, and the entire JW verbiage goes way. No more "worldly" people, just people. Cheers!
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  Gopher

  Yes when I decided never to go back to JW's, I found that a lot of ordinary (we used to say "worldly") people out there are quite kind and decent. Not everyone is, but it's not as bad as the WTS paints it in their propaganda which demonizes non-members.

  It feels good to be able to try to relate to people without WT blinders on. It's only disappointing to me that I wasted so many years distrusting and sidestepping very normal and good people.
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  Awakened at Gilead

  Yes, interestingly someone from one of my online classes told me that when she met me in person she noticed that I would kind of keep to myself. But I'm glad now that I consider my fellow humans my fellow humans, not just objects to be preached to.

  AaG