Were You Really That Much Harmed Because You Were A Witness? (page 2)

BrendaCloutier

Sorry, Chappy, but alcoholism, drug addiction are inherited predisposition to the disease.

What harm have I experienced:

5th - 8th grade I was beat up regularly because I was white and fat. I was in a gradeschool that became mostly black during my time there from K thru 8; during the 1960s and the black revolution.

Many times I wanted to change schools. My parents used the "turn the other cheek" toward persecution tactic. However, this persecution was not because I was a JW! They would never step in on my behalf. This was the bOrg's influence on my parents.

The only other major issue that hurt me is the insane shunning and separation of family and friends. This after my needing to leave for my own sanity because of the outright hypocrasy and lies of my "wonderful JW husband's" congregation, where I was shunned because of whom I married!

However, I watched it hurt others much more than I was ever hurt, and as an elder's daughter, I was unable to reach out as I wanted to.

BrendaCloutier

Oh, yeah, like AlmostAthiest, I missed out on finishing highschool because I was bribed to leave school and go into the ministry to either become a pioneer (I'm lousy at sales and never had a bible study) or find a husband. I had a 3.4 gpa and loved highschool!

zen nudist

I think being a JW was more positive for me than negative in many ways.... in a way I chose them as much as they wanted me

because I was thinking along their lines so they provided me with associations of like minded people until I changed my mind and

needed to find another group who fit my views of reality as they have evolved....I cannot blame anyone for being exactly what they are

and while I was a sheep, I thought of my shepherds as friends rather than predators and fortunately I got out before I was fleeced and lead

to any slaughter (^_^)*

Brummie

Well I certainly have an axe to grind, I sharpen it every now and then but overall, I'd put myself on the "totally recovered" list.

chappy

Sorry, Chappy, but alcoholism, drug addiction are inherited predisposition to the disease.

True Brenda addiction can be inherited. Children of alcoholics have a 50% chance of becoming alcoholics, in fact the actual gene has been identified. That being said, addiction does not have to be an inherited condition. Alcoholism and drug addiction also manifests itself when there is no history of it in the family. For me it was an escape mechanism; escape from, among other things, the WT lifestyle. I felt like I was drowning in it as all of even my extended family were witnesses. I hated the lifestyle. I hated the micro-control. I hated not being able to live a normal life. I hated being told I was to stupid to comprehend the Bible w/o the WT. I hated not being allowed to express myself when I found inconsistancies with doctrine. I knew it was a lie from the time I was 13, about the time I started drinking and drugging.

Been on the wagon now since 1998 which just so happens to be the last year that I entered a KH.

chappy

whyamihere

I don't think I was harmed completely to a state of despair.

However living a lie, having my family ripped apart, being shunned, important events boycotted, looked at as a disease, being punished for no reason. Treated like you were nothing, being told you were going to die as a teenager. All of this can harm you if it only happen in 1 year. All of this can put a huge weight on your shoulders and make you a very sad person.

I think I was harmed emotionally! I was treated as if I was nothing and did not matter. If your at the age of 16 and you give up on life and do whatever because you think Jehovah does not love you and you will die anyway. It really screws you up. I was told that and it has put a effect on me.

Brooke

hamsterbait

I was ripped apart.

I think the cult attracts unhealthy kinds, who can then continue their unhealthy behavior with the babble's blessing.

I just posted a legal definition of child abuse. WTS fits it perfectly.

HB

AlmostAtheist

I didn't know it until just recently, but my mom cried every Mother's Day when I didn't call her. :-(

You can start to sniff out the underlying reasoning for stopping virtually all holidays, but ignoring and even sanctioning clearly pagan-backed practices like the pinata. Mother's Day, a holiday nearly as innocuous as Sweetest Day, is forbidden, but a pinata is not. Why? A pinata isn't likely to bring you into contact with your "worldly" family, strengthening your bonds with them. Mother's Day certainly would. Anything they can do to drive a wedge between you and everyone non-JW they do.

So my being a JW hurt other people, too. (Granted, not a life-threatening thing. But an unneccessary hurt.)

Dave

minimus

When our own flesh and blood despise us because of this cult---it is harmful!

whyamihere

When you are a small child thinking you will die and praying and hoping you won't ...that's harmful

Brooke

Were You Really That Much Harmed Because You Were A Witness?

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