by RayoFlight2014 74 Replies latest jw experiences
Hi Fink, i agree that the the cognitive dissonance affects most who encounter watchtower/Jehovah's witness indoctrination.
Their reaction is to be dismissive and defensive or they firmly plant their heads in the sand and ignore what can plainly be seen and verified.
We come from a low socio-economic background. With a dysfunctional family tree branch
One thing that many forget while wallowing in their grief of being brought up a JW is that there is a high chance you have a much better than average reading ability or certainly one higher than you might have had if you hadn't been in a religion that put such an emphasis on reading literature.
It's a fundamental skill that can benefit many occupations and future life skills.
Everyone focuses on the negatives and sure, they exist, but very few people can genuinely blame the WTS for the failures in their life. Most of our failures are of our own making, but it's human nature to want to point elsewhere, it's very difficult to perform real introspection.
98 percent with you Simon, and Thank you for your input.
As I expressed in my original post I categorically will Not blame watchtower for every negative aspect. As can be seen I came from disadvantage and the encouragement by watchtower to read fed into my appetite for wonder that was already there thus increasing my vocabulary and leading to my eventual exit.
By contrast the rest of my siblings were not so inclined and perhaps don't have the capacity or patience to read beyond the approved material.
I certainly don't want us to wallow in self pity, but to see what has impacted us, what we can change, and to be proud of how far we have come despite forces to the contrary.
However I don't think that everyone focuses on the negative, perhaps the greater majority do because that is what impacts us to a greater extent.
To be fair we talk more about tornadoes and hurricanes that impacted us negatively than the sunny days that follow.
Thanks again Simon for providing an alternative thought to challenge our perspectives. Cheers.
Stopped being a yes man.
And I learnt the power of.... no!
That will for sure get you into deep shit in WT Land.
Hi Rayo
@Finkelstein. Would you mind stopping to put us all in the poor and unhappy and frustrated corner please?
RoF- OMG! YOur experience and those of your family so closely look like mine and our children. Even the 1963 time frame...
Its sad, very sad, that the consequences of that faith?? brought so much pain when the premise is hope and love.
It is so profound that only those who have had their minds "cleaned" of the night terrors of Armageddon, the standing outside a classroom, not having close relationships with the kids in the community, no real joy of giving other than the good news? - not being involved in communal/sports affairs to learn to give and take.. its just so remarkable you and others have, at least, found some way to adapt- others do not and wear their pain on the inside for their lifetime as one of my kids is doing. It makes them sick, I see it as a PTSD syndrome- reliving every little thing that destroys them from the inside.
He too, was never baptized and I really appreciate that now, as I can talk with him and listen to the pain and have him near me rather than living apart and knowing he is so hurt.
Good for you, you have attained only what I wish for him... give love to the rest of your family and know that it was done because we believed it was the best thing that could happen... even when people at the door told us we were brainwashed, we never believed it - and now years later, know that what was said, was true.
HUGS TO YOU ALL
Finkelstein. Would you mind stopping to put us all in the poor and unhappy and frustrated corner please?
Well just trying to be openly honest to the causative effects this religion can have onto people.
I've seen the damage this religion can cause people first hand.
Just trying to give a heads up warning.
Sure there are people who thought ahead a bit bought and paid for homes to live in , had businesses which accumulated wealth and they saved for retirement, but on the other hand there were a lot of JWS who didn't look ahead for themselves and some of that can be contributed to the WTS propagating " this system of things is about to come to an end ".
Thanks to all so far for your responses.
I'm at work at the moment, but I will return with some measured replies after work.
best wishes, welcome aboard.
