Biggest mistake of my life

by SixofNine 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  SixofNine

  That's how I titled my response to a thread (on a non-religious discussion board I frequent) asking: "In honor of the Lord's Baptism today, were you baptised? (Poll)"

  My reply:

  I was baptised at 18 as a Jehovah's Witness. When you've been raised as a Jehovah's Witness, at 18, you have all the worldly wisdom of an 8 year old.

  It's a bit like signing a death warrant, as every decision you make from that point forward is done with the realization that there is a cocked, safety off, gun pointed at your head.

  Of course, by the time you get to that point, as a JW kid, you've pretty much lived your life with a gun pointed in your general direction, poking you towards the baptismal pool.
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  Robdar

  I think that you have eloquently summed up the biggest mistake in my life too.

  Robyn
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  Low-Key Lysmith

  Holy crap 6 o' 9...I can't believe how much you just said in three sentences. When I was DF'd @ 18, my immaturity and lack of social skills made some people think I was retarded. No foolin'. ( I have grown ALOT since then). My stupid jokes and lame sense of humor were so sad. I was a DORK!!!.
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  Gretchen956

  omg yes. I have always considered myself socially retarded.

  Sherry
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  simplesally

  I was always against teen baptisms. They just had no idea what they were 'sacrificing' or giving up in order to be a jw. I mean, as a pre-teen they don't realize that its much easier to say you're not having sex before marriage than to really not do it. A teen ager may think it might be good to get baptized and pioneer but he has no idea that giving up college and becoming a window washer is not going to support him when he is married and aged 29.

  Even though I am no longer a JW, as an adult at age 28, I was fully aware of all the things I was going to give up .... I made an informed decision, stupid one, but still informed.
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  freedom96

  I couldn't agree more.

  That is one of the biggest complaints I have with the witnesses. Every decision you make after being baptized, is critical to your social and emotional well being. You do something wrong as far as the congregation is concerned, and your life as you know it, is over.
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  Gill

  Biggest mistake of my life too!

  I was baptised at 16 because my mother went on about 'what would the brothers say ' that I was still not baptised at 'my age'! She denys it completely now. Little liar!

  I then continued to have children just so that no one would nag me about pioneering, or lack of.

  I think back to what I could have been/had and get almightily angry. I had a grade A brain and vocation but it all went down the toilet.

  I have though a wonderful husband and great kids but a hungry, and starved brain. I'm tied to domesticity and always craved something else.

  Never will I let my children get involved in any form of religion!

  I am angry with the WTBTS, disappointed with myself that I believed the lies for so long but very happy to be out!
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  Freedom Fighter

  Being pressured to be baptised at 15 was one of the main reasons I had to jump ship. I couldn't bear the thought of no turning back after that, so in a way it was actually a blessing in disguise as I had to make a definite decision.
  
  Gill - have you had a browse through any of the Open University stuff? I don't know the location of the nearest college/university to you, but what I do know is that many of these institutions provide a much more flexible range of courses than was traditionally available.
  In my institution people can sign up for one or two modules to try themselves out and add more to count towards a qualification - would be worth checking out. It's never too late to start.
  
  FF
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  upside/down

  Agreed!
  
  
  
  
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  Gill

  FreedomFighter! Thanks, Yes I have been looking into the OU. I really have to get some form of employment as well though to be able to afford it and for the next year or two that is going to be difficult because of the age of my youngest. We were talking today about how we've always been piss poor because of our religious beliefs apart from my husband having a 'goodish job' it was only always a surviving income. I had fought to stay on at school til 18 but have only academic qualifications and no training in anything. Work that I did was always poverty pay and then it became impossible to go back to work for quite a few years because of major illness. Now I'm at the point where I really need to study and work before it really is too late.

  Bloody religion!