For Born-Ins - If You Were 18 Again, What 7 Things Would You do Differently?

by Sea Breeze 20 Replies latest jw friends

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    Breezy. Never found her. Too late now, at my age.

    I regret a life of Jobot righteousness. It got me nowhere.

  • Foolednomore
    Foolednomore

    Never be a Jw! Would of left and lived with non Jw relatives. But some of my family are out now, finally!

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    It's hard for me to say.

    I used to think I would have joined the military. I do not believe that now.

    I used to think I would have started my career about 4 years earlier. I am not sure I would be a police officer again.

    I certainly would have stopped being a Witness at 18.

  • Biahi
    Biahi

    Punky, I always read your comments. This last one touched me for you. I want you to know that I mention you in my prayers-even though we’ve never met. This is from a 60+ grandma from across the pond. 🙏😘 Hugs to you!

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    Oh, to be 18 years old and crucially to know what I know now…I would do everything different.. Who knows where or how I would have ended up.. but at least the mistakes and successes would be my own , and I would have had more fun along the way…

    Reminds me of that old song from The Faces “ Ooh La La

    I wish that I knew what I know now
    When I was younger
    I wish that I knew what I know now
    When I was stronger”
  • Sea Breeze
    Sea Breeze

    I would have bought that 1981 Z28 Camaro. I wanted it sooooo bad!

    1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 for Sale | ClassicCars.com | CC-1065890

  • Phizzy
    Phizzy

    The O.P is not clear as to how much you are supposed to suddenly know at 18 that you know now.

    Assuming that I suddenly knew what I know now at age 18.

    1) First, and most importantly, get out of the religion, doing so in a manner that gave the least pain to my family.

    2) begin to invest in Property.

    3) get a career that would earn me money, to invest in property and Shares.

    4) Become Political, and work for a better World.

    5) selectively have a number of love affairs.

    6) Have children. They have made me a better person.

    7) Work to expose Abuse in all its forms, and to change the Law to rectify this.

  • BereanThinker7
    BereanThinker7

    1. Dont necessarily leave the org but ask questions exposing the logical fallacies in every meeting study material for years. . . and years. . .and years, in other words stick around just to raise doubts and hope to help others exit

    2. buy a second property, I already bought one property when I was 18.

    3. open Roth Ira's and max them out,

    4. support biblical unitarian ministries financially since I'd stay "pimo" as long as possible

    5. start bands with my music friends

    6. have kids earlier

  • new boy
    new boy

    The problem is I was already baptized by the time I eighteen. However....

    1 instead of moving to Kansas and pioneering, I would have driven pass Kansas and on to Woodstock New York.

    2, At Woodstock I would have listened to some great music and dropped some acid. After opening up my conscience, I would have realized the whole Jehovah's Witnesses thing was bull shit.

    3 However because of this course of action I would have lost my 4-D military deferment....and because of that I would have been drafted and sent to Viet Nam were sadly I would have been killed.

    The point of all this is what?

    It's pointless to play the "what if game" because everything you have gone through in your life adds up to the some total of who you are and what you believe in! Take any of those experiences away and you are no longer you. Your are someone completely different.....a better person a worst person who knows. The road you choose is different, so dream all you want....but truly that is all it really is....isn't it.... a dream.

    PS If you are going to dream....dream big make yourself a Hollywood movie star with lots a money....enjoy!

  • LongHairGal
    LongHairGal

    NEW BOY:

    I couldn’t help but comment on your post.

    It is very wise what you say about this being a game of ‘what if’. We have all played this game, even people who were never in the Witness religion.

    While it is true that the JW religion has stifled many born-ins, it’s good to have a proper perspective of things. None of us can know what our lives would have really been like if we took a different road. You yourself made the point that if you had ended up being sent to Vietnam, there would have been a good chance you wouldn’t be here now writing your post.

    Some years back on the forum somebody made a comment that some JWs act like they would have been very successful if they were never in the religion, but in reality they might have a hard time at a minimum wage job. (Those weren’t the exact words but you get the gist.) ..Another person once commented that somebody could have had a tragic end if they led another life. Who can know?

    So, we can all speculate or romanticize and feel regret about the choices we made. But the fact is, none of us can know what would have happened if we took that different road. We are here now and can only look forward with a positive attitude!

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