New Apostate: Tempest in a Teacup (page 2)

paradisebeauty

If you stopped preaching, have you thought about finding the courage to not report anything?

I don't plan to leave the jws. Where I live, "religionlessness" is thoroughly non-existent. And I must say that jws represent a big part of my social life, and some kind of entertainment for me because I find them (us) to be a quite funny bunch. I have developped ways to navigate safely among them and take life one day at a time.

I find that statement the most interesting in your comment. I have a close (awakened) friend who is just like that and refers to it as "faking it". It gives him a good mix of social contacts and he has had no severe negative personal experiences from remaining with the "in" crowd. His wife needs to be the center of attention at social things. Where else could she get this?

I sometimes wish I could do this. It's not that the hypocrisy of it all is "beneath" me. I owe them nothing. I just can't fake it. I can't hardly stand to be around them anymore and listen to the BS.

Good luck to you! and Welcome!

Doc

Giordano

My wife and I left in the mid 1960's........ a lot of our friends (many pioneers) left as well. It was a cultural change not as much of a religious change.

Remaining a JW meant living with the banality of the WT construct as opposed to experiencing the freedoms of that era. We became better people joining the world.

As far as God goes there is an old saying:" The natural language of God is silence.....everything else is a bad translation." I believe that with every inch of my body.

I am thinking that you may be the modern prototype of a new JW. Educated, thoughtful, able to fake it, enjoying the social life. Taking the best and leaving the rest.

freemindfade

Welcome, I appreciate when you said

How this forum helped me: I moved from being a half-tormented half-believer to a totally guilt free less than half believer smile

Although I am totally non believing, I understand the first half of being half tormented half believer.

Vidiot

Wow.

Three-to-four years lurking here and still in.

steve2

Welcome Tempest. 'Bout time you posted, man! Your OP observations show active powers of observation and a capacity for tolerating bullsh*t in the service of the longer-term picture.

You were "doomed" not to spend your life in the organization because God gave you a brain that is far too active: Intelligence is anathema to the JW doctrine - it exposes the simple-minded "reasoning", special pleading and blatant hypocrisy within far too many congregations. If we are personally honest, we graciously see that these intractable problems within the organization plague most, if not all, other religious belief systems. Charitably, we realize the JWs biggest "sin" is they are just like the religions they condemn so harshly.

To survive in JW-land you need to have a 'shut-down' brain and/or a disinterest in anything beyond artificial black and white arguments and/or lack empathy for other points of view. You have nicely failed on all three counts. I look forward to your ongoing participation in this forum - you sound 'at home' already.

kairos

Welcome . Looking forward to more posts.

tidalblitz

Welcome Tempest! I'm also very intrigued by this:

I don't plan to leave the jws.

I've always thought that this might be the path for me.. at least the one of less resistance. I don't mind attending the meetings with my wife. I also don't mind turning in a time slip (5 hours every month event though I've been out in FS once in the past 2 years). The problem I foresee is when all of this comes to a head. I have honestly come to the point where I no longer mind the idea of losing my hard core mom/dad/sibling(s). But, we'll see. For now, I've found a happy equilibrium that I hope does not change.

sunny23

Acute Lurkitis...that made me laugh a little too loud in the library right now. Thanks for that. Welcome to the forums and look forward to your future comments.

Village Idiot

Tempest in a Teacup:

"I don't plan to leave the jws. Where I live, "religionlessness" is thoroughly non-existent. And I must say that jws represent a big part of my social life, and some kind of entertainment for me..."

"Why don't you establish friendships with 'worldly' people? I'm sure they can be pretty entertaining. More so than some of the Witnesses.

In any case, welcome to the forum.

New Apostate: Tempest in a Teacup