Don't tell your employer or boss. While they may personally like you for it, they are very afraid that your anti-JW attitude will be grounds for a JW to sue the company for discrimination by allowing a "hostile environment" becuase of your anti-JW views. Keep religion out of the workplace, and you'll be likely much better off.
Reluctant to tell others of JW past?
by happpyexjw 37 Replies latest jw friends
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SnakesInTheTower
when I finally move away from this area, I have no intention on revealing my JW past to new people. I do not want to be pidgeon-holed into that crazy corner.... Fresh start and all.
Snakes ()
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jamiebowers
I've found that most people think it's interesting.
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BabaYaga
Scarred for Life said: ...about living in denial for so long. I did the same thing. I've been out for 37 years and it's only been in the past year that I have faced it and become angry and recognized where the anger is originating... I had never even talked to my husband about it when he occasionally asked questions about it.
Oh, my heavens! Okay I am seriously taken aback here... I feel like I am reading something I wrote!
Let me tell you... my Honey has a very inquisitive mind. He would occasionally think of something he didn't understand about the Witnesses and ask me about it. When he asked any of these questions, I could feel my neck muscles involuntarily tensing, and I would experience nothing short of a mild panic attack! My answer to him was usually something like, "If you want to know the answer to that, ask (my family who is still in.) I spent too much of my life already explaining that belief system and I can't talk about it anymore!"
Obviously, that would end the "discussion" (such as it was) until the next question that popped into his head. I had no intention whatsoever of responding so rudely to him; I really felt out of control. I simply could not talk about it in a rational and healthy way. I guess what they say about us all having post traumatic stress syndrome is true!
After finding and posting on this forum for a while, my Honey definitely noticed a change in me. It was not him bringing up the subject for discussion, it was me. He patiently listened to my rants about various JW and Watchtower issues, heard some stories that hit very close to home, and was a wonderful sounding board. He thinks that all of here are incredible for being able to find our own minds and move on, by the way.
This would be an excellent time to thank Sir Simon, our host. Thank you for having this forum, and most importantly, thank you for keeping it going.
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keyser soze
I did try to hide it as best I could when I was growing up though. But now that I'm out and can view it in hindsight, it's easier to admit.
That's exactly how it is for me, too. I was ashamed of it when I was one, but now the fact that I used be one is something I can easily talk about. I feel that it's something about me that makes me unique. Besides that, I've found that people I talk about it with care far less about it than I do.
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BizzyBee
Yeah, after many years I realize that most people don't know enough about JWs to understand or give a rat's ass to connect the dots about what that means.
Where it gets tricky - my social and professional circle consists of very educated people and my work would lead people to assume that I have an advanced degree. The most difficult moments for me have been when I am asked 'where I went to school'? Suddenly the atmosphere is silent and devoid of oxygen. I have tried to explain that I was raised as a JW - most people don't know what that means in terms of education. It might as well be - "I was raised on planet Neptune - as you know, they don't believe in higher education on that particular planet."
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smiddy
When I was a witness I had notrouble identifying myself as jw .I have been out for16 yrs now and I don`t / wouldn`t advertise it unless the circumstances warranted it.eg.someone I know who`s freind/relation was getting involved with the witnesses then I would warn them of the consequences of their actions. And direct them to plenty of information so they would really know what they were getting into.
smiddy
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VIII
I used to have no problem telling people I was a JW; born and raised as one.
Now? No. I would only tell someone if they brought the subject up and I felt I could trust them.
Why? Because so many people look at religion negatively now. And, no matter that you were brought up in it and left while still young, the Dubs are looked at like Mormons-oddly. People know them as the people who come to the door on Saturday and bother them. Also as the ones who don't celebrate holidays.
Plus, if you say something negative about them, you are bound to find out that the person you are telling knows a JW and that JW is "Very nice. I am surprised by what you are saying."
I found that out the hard way. It was the person's sister who became a Dub.
Now, I bite my lip.
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WTWizard
When I tell them I was a witless, it is an admission of a mistake, on account of not having enough information.
To tell them that I am a witless is a threat that I will hound them to become witlesses as well.
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