by minimus 33 Replies latest jw friends
When I was a witness, I claimed I was a Presbyterian
When I wasn't a witness, just last week, in fact, I claimed I was all sorts of Protestant denominations! LOL
Minimus,
Really depends on the setting: To other preachers or religious types, HELL, YES, I'm embarassed!!! To others who knew I was a witness for years, I make it a point to let them know I am not any longer. And if they ask why, I get as detailed as they'll let me!
I was far more embarassed to tell people I was a witness, when I WAS a witness. Now that I am not, I find it a humorous little party story...
When I first escaped the Watchtower, I didn't like to talk about having been a witness. Now I delight in telling people to see their reactions. It did me good when a co-worker told me that she could not imagine me ever having been the timid, scared little mouse I once was. Nowadays I am into just telling it like it is, the truth without any shellac.
Sure I tell people I used to be a Witness. It explains what's wrong about me. Last week when my daughter went to her first birthday party, I mentioned to a couple of people that fact. When they gave me a funny look, all I had to do was say we used to be JWs and they all nodded in sympathy.
I look for opportunity's to bring it up. 95% of the time the reactions are negative tward the Witnesses. Once in a while you'll get someone who is unfamiliar with them...or... people try and be nice about it. I like to take the chance to "inform" people somewhat.
When I was a Witness....I ALWAYS told people I was one. Sometimes embarrased.
nope.
Yes, I am embarassed to admit it. But I do. Like many here, I feel that I must in order to help others avoid it and it does open the entire subject up for discussion. Then I get a better chance to try and protect people from the lies put forth by the "Society."
Anytime I get into such a discussion, I always point out the Witness beliefs in regard to shunning of children and parents, the belief that the New Testament was not really written to any but the 144,000, the belief that Jesus Christ is not their mediator and the belief that all of those I am speaking to are doomed unless they convert. I like to point out that Witnesses at their doors are counting time and that if they have nice homes some Witnesses coming to their doors may discuss and might consider taking them in the "New Order." Mentioning that they think the children will be judged by the parent's refusal of the "Truth" and that they used to think extra buzzards would be born to get rid of all the dead bodies drives that point home pretty well. After a good discussion I usually feel I have Witness Proofed the person I am talking to. I hope I am right. Prevention really is so much easier than a cure.
Maybe our being in really does prepare us to help a lot of innocents avoid the pain we endured. Maybe we can keep a lot of families from being shattered.
Grunt
What embarrasses me most is working with a JW who is a liar and a lazy worker (no matter how negative you might feel about JWs, most I have worked with have been good workers) and goes around advertising they are a JW with their nose up in the air about the bad "worldly" people.
As far as people misconceptions about JWs, it has always proved to me how ineffective the preaching work is.
Blondie
Lately, I am telling more and more negative things about JW's. For instance, when people ask me why JW's don't celebrate birthdays, I simply say "because the Bible has 2 accounts of birthday parties where 2 people got killed." Or if someone says that JW's are restrictive, then I go into DETAIL about EVERYTHING a JW must do to earn points in the organization.It really helps one to understand the dumbness of it all.
Edited by - minimus on 2 November 2002 8:27:23
As a child growing up as a JW I was embarrassed. I remember Saturday mornings being the absolute worst times. I would sit there cringing at the door, scared to death one of my classmates from school would answer. Usually it wasn't. But now and again, it really would be a classmates home. Ugh. I still sweat over that memory of stammering and stuttering the crap about reading the Watchtower. At any other door I was poised and ready to respond with the most graceful answer I was trained with, but it was only easy because I didn't know the householder personally.
Now that I'm out, I'm actually a little proud discussing my background with others. When I get into religious discussions, it's always a great "topic for conversation" what my journey has unfolded for me. I do everything I can now to warn people of the danger of cults...that JWs aren't just a quirky little right wing religion. I try to warn of the dangers with how they change your thinking to letting them control you. I've even told my pastor at church that if anyone comes to the church trying to heal from a cultish background, that I'm happy to assist them. I truly feel it is one of my "missions" in life to help others heal from this type of damage.
