Do your acquaintances know you?re a JW (or former witness)?

by senselessly sane 18 Replies latest jw friends

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  senselessly sane

  I guess I didn?t really explain myself well, but I did so partly on purpose cause I wanted to hear some general answers.

  What I meant was, when I meet new people now and religion for some reason comes up, I have no problem telling people about my past. The thing is, in the past I have discussed religion in some depth with friends and even some of my professors, while not disclosing the fact that my parents raised me as a witness. Now, I just don?t know how to gracefully provide the information.

  In retrospect, I think it was cause of some kind of shame left over from childhood that I initially hid it.
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  blobby

  Interesting question......

  I'm in business and have usually waited for the right time to tell people, usually waiting till I know how they would take it. And if I'm honest, I've never had a bad reaction. But now I'm on the way out , its the last thing I will admit to !

  Generally I think people react OK but if and when the truth comes out about the organisation as a whole, which it will, there's no way I want to be associated with it !
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  RR

  A few people at work know I use to be a JW. But they cold care less. Half of them don't even know what a JW believes or does, except knock on doors.

  One of my supervisors is a former Mormon, His father is an elder. And not even of thee LDS sect. From the original Chuch of Jesus Christ that Smith Started. It was Young who took some followers to Utah and called them Mormons.

  RR
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  Balsam

  I never hesitate to tell people I spent 30 years in a fundamentalist religion called Jehovah's Witnesses if it comes up. I am not ashamed of having been one, and my openess has allowed people to feel free to ask more about what it is all about. I encourage people to talk to JW if they call on them and questions they can ask them to get them thinking. I have also appeared in a class on religious studies that wanted to know what the Jehovah's Witnesses were all about. I try to give a balanced view point, and understanding that some people are just going to be happiest being in such a religion.

  Balsam
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  Carmel

  Since I am regularly in discussions about religion, the subject is often dealt with. I am very candid about it. Being born into it, it is like my skin color, not something I chose. However, like a language, I've chosen a different tongue to express myself with. No longer issue forth the profanities of exclusivism.

  carmel
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  Purza

  Sometimes. I guess it depends on my mood and my comfort level.. I recently told my hairdresser that I used to be part of a "very strict" religion and it turns out her husband was a JW has been DF'd for 20 years now and still has issues with it. I was glad I was able to talk about my past life with someone who had "a clue".

  Purza
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  Fe2O3Girl

  When I was a JW, it wouldn't have been the first thing I would say about myself, because that would have looked very odd. Who says: "Hi, I am Mike. I am a Methodist/Catholic/Anglican"? I would mention it in passing when a reason to do so came up.

  Now,

  Only my oldest friends who knew me through the process of leaving are aware of it. It is simply not relevant to who I am now.

  There seems to be two reactions to finding out you used to be a JW. Firstly, total lack of recognition of what "used to be" means, e.g. My MiL: Your lot were around yesterday - they left a Watchtower; me: GRRRRRR. Secondly, an insatiable curiosity to find out what JWs believe, because they can ask you without getting sucked in. These days I don't feel like getting either reaction.
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  Lehaa

  Never told any one when I was a kid, never wanted to be teased.

  As an adult I told people if it was relevent.

  Now those who are helping me with this phase of my life know, but I don't tell any one now. I'm sure if i met someone who was involved some was with the Borg I would let them know.
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  Woman know your place

  As a JW growing up, I told most people as and when it came up (for instance, a schoolmate/colleague wanting me to sign a birthday card etc)

  As an ex-JW, it usually comes when I'm getting to know someone. Sooner or later they ask about my family, and whilst I can tell them that I have two brothers etc, if they probe furtherI have to admit that I havent seen them in two years... which leads to all the whys and wherefores.

  People always seem amazed by my 'story', and once they've found out they often bring up the subject again when they think of more questions.

  I'm not at all ashamed or embarrassed- it was a big part of who I was and my backgrond has a direct impact on who I am today. I think my close friends would be hurt of I didn't tell them and they found out I was keeping such a significant portion of my life a secret to them.