Do you feel embarrassed, humiliated, anger that you were a Jw? (page 3)

FlyingHighNow

I don't like telling people I was suckered by the JW's. But you know, not all JW's in my history as a JW were despicable. Some were thoughtful, kind people. And the idea of utopia could snag anyone.

quietlyleaving

I guess I do sometimes feel embarrassed, humiliated and angry at having been a JW but then I very likely would have gotten involved with some other sort of revolutionary, dissident group

I wonder if we'll look back at our xjw activities and see similarities with being JWs. I think I probably will. But I guess we gain and lose no matter what we do. The most invaulable aspect I think is that we have experienced such a contrast in our way of life.

Country Girl

No, I really don't. There was some good stuff about being a JW. I read early. Going out in service took me out of my pod, and I was really outgoing. My congregation was really secure. I was with them for 25 years, and they weren't mean. The brothers wree mostly loving. I think they really were good people. There was some embarassment growing up... but no more thanif I was jewish,or muslim, or anything else. That kind of thing... Mo0stly... it made me what I am today... and I am an awesome person, so I don't really mind.

Nosferatu

I used to be embarrassed about it. Not anymore. If anything, I feel I was unfortunate to wind up in it, as it happened when I was a child. Other than that, there's not really any feelings attached to it. The only thing that makes me angry is all the lies I was told.

SPAZnik

Sometimes, yes. Other times I've felt pride, confidence, and a sense of humour over the course of my life and all that it's entailed, including the JW parts. It generally all comes out in the wash. I've observed that this is much the same for other humans being as well, whatever their personal past life drama/demons/challenges. Such emotions are like the weather. The "day" it's happening, it bears *some* informative relevance on matters; a day, week, month, or years later, much less so, as we are generally on to new material conditions calling for a suitably adaptive response. It seems practical to allow those emotions to run their course (and learn from them) while keeping an eye focused on accepting current conditions since that's where our potency truly acts.

sammielee24

More cheated than embarassed.

I was raised in so didn't have choices and as a result of their rules, I was cheated out of relationships that I would have had, adventures and challenges I could have tackled, education that I wanted...and cheated out of seeing the world as a good and beautiful place full of good and beautiful people instead of evil and sordid. I was cheated out of living for today, enjoying life and setting goals, stretching and reaching for something tangible instead of believing that tomorrow didn't matter because it wouldn't exist. Cheated out of being able to grow and learn, read books, listen to music and watch a movie - cheated out of being myself.

golf2

How about being USED? What about the wall street investor stealing 50 billion $$$$$$$$ of people's supposed investments!!!!!

R.F.

Well if anything I used to beat myself up over the fact that I was once so heavily involved in it. Now i'm fine, hardly even thinking about my time in it, even though that was very hard to do since I was a born-in.

Quirky1

I don't like telling people I was suckered by the JW's. But you know, not all JW's in my history as a JW were despicable. Some were thoughtful, kind people. And the idea of utopia could snag anyone.

Ditto...

Scarred for life

I was raised in so didn't have choices and as a result of their rules, I was cheated out of relationships that I would have had, adventures and challenges I could have tackled, education that I wanted...and cheated out of seeing the world as a good and beautiful place full of good and beautiful people instead of evil and sordid. I was cheated out of living for today, enjoying life and setting goals, stretching and reaching for something tangible instead of believing that tomorrow didn't matter because it wouldn't exist. Cheated out of being able to grow and learn, read books, listen to music and watch a movie - cheated out of being myself.

Sammielee24:

Wow, you summed it up very well. That's exactly the way I feel and I'm angry at my parents for cheating me and lying to me. But they were cheated and lied to also.

But now I watch whatever movie I want. I listen to whatever music I want. I read whatever book I want. I have grown and learned.

I now live for today. I enjoy life and have set goals. I plan for tomorrow.

I think the seeing the world as a good and beautiful place is the part I still struggle with the most. It's hard when you are taught from birth the the world and people are evil and sordid. I know that's not true but it's hard to escape those feelings from childhood.

Do you feel embarrassed, humiliated, anger that you were a Jw?

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