Are Ex-JW's Suffering From Burn Out?

by IWant2Leave 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Simon

  What I think most people miss is that it isn't a sprint ... and it isn't even a marathon ... it's a journey with no end in sight.

  Some people imagine they are going to "bring down the 'tower!" with their "activism", but the reality is they won't. They'll see it continue to grow like the rest of us. They really miss the point of what any activism is about.

  If people are driven by anger or rage or desire for revenge, they will burn out at some point OR, if they don't, they risk becoming a bitter caricature of what JWs picture an Apostate to be like (lots of gnashing teeth).

  The people who last are the ones who fundamentally do what they do to help others, are motivated to do it but don't let it completely take over their life. Bringing down the WTS can't be the reason you exist, your life goal, otherwise the WTS still totally controls you and pulls all your strings.

  There are also a small few who see it as a career opportunity - "I'm a professional apostate, send me your money!". It just seems like they are taking people's money on a false premise, promising them results but really making them victims again, taking advantage of their desire for some action but lacking the inclination to personally work at it but imagining that sending someone else money will accomplish something on their behalf.
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  LongHairGal

  SIMON:

  I also observed that there are a small few ex-JWs that see it as a career opportunity. It sure seemed that way.

  I noticed that in my early years of ‘fading’ when I went on different websites. I steered clear of them!.. This is probably why the JWs say that people who leave ‘start their own religion or ministry’. This is how it must appear to them.
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  Las Malvinas son Argentinas

  I’ve always thought that this culture of crowdfunding and “activism as a career” had similar qualities to a former junkie selling dope outside a rehab clinic. Part of the reason why people feel so victimised by WT is that they constantly put in hundreds of dollars at a time when it could and should have been kept. They are given the same reasons WT gave them - “not too long to go and we’ll see this tower crumble!” and “donate now to help me release this book/documentary that is going to help thousands of people!”. People already conditioned to give money for these one-time building projects are being led down the same trail on the way out and it’s shameful. Armageddon isn’t coming, WTS isn’t crumbling to dust, so we have people enriching themselves on promises they are destined not to keep. But hey, it sounds a lot better than the truth (i.e. “I don’t want to get a real job so I’ll stay here at home, make videos and interact with JWs and xJWs alike for a living”).
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  DesirousOfChange

  There is never going to be a reformed JW organization. That is what some were hopibg for. When they were wrong they were still right. Later they will blame us for thinking they were wrong, the rest will be disappointed again by new light ~ RoadToNowhere

  Yes, I originally thought I could work for change from the "inside" of the Borg. Not only is that not possible but it will make you feel defeated. If I could do it, I'd change my ID (DOC) to DOUBTFUL of Change because I now know it's never going to happen!
  
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  Vidiot

  From what I've seen, becoming an XJW probably saves you from burnout.