Thank you all for the great comments so far, really appreciate it!
Good JW
JoinedPosts by Good JW
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48
Anyone struggle to find meaning in life?
by Good JW injust wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
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48
Anyone struggle to find meaning in life?
by Good JW injust wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
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Good JW
Yes, I am.
Besides losing the hope to live forever, my life has been shaken up again (fall out from leaving).
I don't even know who I am right now.
I have no motivation for anything.
If it wasn't for my Kids, I would have a hard time getting out of bed.ttdtt - so sorry for your hard times lately! Family fall outs are the hardest, especially if you were close-knit. I hope things settle down and you get some peace/motivation soon.
It's times like this you realise how much the ex JW movement needs to stick together. Heck even some form of "church" would be great where it's all about the community - no forcing of beliefs, just up building gatherings with speeches etc (reconnecting people who are vulnerable). All sorts welcome. Then people like yourself can bring value to the table just as before (some were elders, pioneers etc), except it's translated into non JW forms.
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48
Anyone struggle to find meaning in life?
by Good JW injust wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
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Good JW
Just wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls? When I left the JWs it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time I felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful. I find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly). There's all the banter/chatter about night outs, fitness, business etc but not much else that I found engaging. It often felt like this is all just a big huge distraction from the shallowness of life!
Is this because I was a JW? Or a pessimistic/over-thinking personality trait?
Even now I sometimes find myself pondering the "vanity of existence". I see people (myself included) seemingly living life as slaves/robots - going through the same old rut of work, rest, play (like a bunch of animals living out their instincts as if with some purpose)...rinse and repeat. When resting/reminiscing you talk about it as if it was meaningful and made sense.
Then there's the religious aspects. If you believe there's more to life than this, then the same "futile" process repeats then too. Work (improve your soul), rest/leisure, thank God, and repeat. No matter what stage you're at/belief you hold, there seems to be a "next level" to strive towards - and that's what keeps the person going. Now and then I look at it all and feel "what's the point???".
Sorry to sound depressing here! Just wanted to briefly touch on this subject...
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41
An Active JW Sister Modelling For Me
by pale.emperor insince leaving the borg i jumped both feet first into classes i've always wanted to do but was never "allowed" to.
two of which are life drawing and photography.
i've been studying for almost two years now and have seen more nude men and women in our classes than i care to remember.. today in the photography studio i was working in with three others (two women, one man) we were told we had a new person modelling for us.
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Good JW
Some prefer this...
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An Active JW Sister Modelling For Me
by pale.emperor insince leaving the borg i jumped both feet first into classes i've always wanted to do but was never "allowed" to.
two of which are life drawing and photography.
i've been studying for almost two years now and have seen more nude men and women in our classes than i care to remember.. today in the photography studio i was working in with three others (two women, one man) we were told we had a new person modelling for us.
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Good JW
clearly need to see some pics
Here you go...
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41
An Active JW Sister Modelling For Me
by pale.emperor insince leaving the borg i jumped both feet first into classes i've always wanted to do but was never "allowed" to.
two of which are life drawing and photography.
i've been studying for almost two years now and have seen more nude men and women in our classes than i care to remember.. today in the photography studio i was working in with three others (two women, one man) we were told we had a new person modelling for us.
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Good JW
One thing I've noticed is that some JWs just don't have the same perceptions/guilt trips that most do. Not saying that's a bad thing, just quite an anomaly. A sister in my congregation went into normal modelling (or at least tried), which many in the hall would have seen as "Satanic/worldly/unspiritual".
It just gives the congregation more gossip to distract from their sad lives :)
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33
Manmade rules
by Jrjw ini was talking to someone a few years ago and he said in his congregation they have a rail of white shirts prepared in the cloakroom for if a speaker doesn't have a white shirt on.
it was a rule in their hall that all brothers in the platform must wear white shirts when going talks and if the speaker won't comply when asked to change into the shirt they provide an elder in the congregation will do the talk instead.
i have never known any other halls do it so it must be a rule the elders have made up without gb input.
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Good JW
At my hall the brothers couldn't have "privileges" if they didn't have a suit jacket on. So in boiling hot temperatures where the hall was not ventilated (mostly because the elderly still thought it was "cold" lol), you just had to put up with almost fainting.
Mind you, it came in handy because I hated microphone duties, so often "forgot" to bring my jacket :)
"Sorry sir, I left my PE kit at home"
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15
"Reaching out" in the org and personal confessions...
by Good JW ingoing to be completely honest here, no feelings spared for me.
when i was a jw, one of my biggest motivations for "reaching out" was to become a "somebody".
i loved the idea of being a leader, teaching/training others.
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Good JW
Xanthippe:
"Being famous or loved by this crazy world is all sham. Be real."
I agree with that generally, however most people don't think of just fame in extreme cases - they translate it to their current situation. It is more realistic/viable. For example, the desire to be respected by friends/family. When it comes to the organisation the net is wider, it extends to the congregation. Since there's not much else to do in the org other than what they "program" into the adherents, the next best thing to feel accomplished is congregational responsibilities. With that comes the ego puffing, more-so for young men.
Using myself as an example - I was taking field service groups, reading at the hall, saying public prayers etc by my 17th birthday. My brother was a MS by that age, and at Bethel by 20. At that age you are highly impressionable. To me it felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, I had to the the "hero" lol. My brother STILL is delusional (serving where the need is great, being the only elder in one congregation).
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15
"Reaching out" in the org and personal confessions...
by Good JW ingoing to be completely honest here, no feelings spared for me.
when i was a jw, one of my biggest motivations for "reaching out" was to become a "somebody".
i loved the idea of being a leader, teaching/training others.
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Good JW
@ scratchme1010
Glad you enjoyed some of the points! Now the big question, would you like to become one of my followers? Just kidding...
Yes I think it plays on ones ego whether you are humble/shy or very confident. For those without much self worth it gives them a needed boost to feel normal (e.g. like you mentioned about being "born again"). Although I wouldn't begrudge them this, except for when they elevate themselves above the rest of mankind.
"I was lost but Jesus saved ME....me me me me me me. It's not my fault he found me to be a special little snowflake."
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"Reaching out" in the org and personal confessions...
by Good JW ingoing to be completely honest here, no feelings spared for me.
when i was a jw, one of my biggest motivations for "reaching out" was to become a "somebody".
i loved the idea of being a leader, teaching/training others.
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Good JW
Phizzy:
I also found the ego massaged somewhat by giving Public Talks, which were enjoyed by many I was told, and I was a "requested" speaker for many other Congregations, even though I was simply a mere M.S
Exactly! Each time you excelled at something, it puffs you up even more, especially when you compared yourself to ones who weren't as "able". As mentioned, it's easy to start getting some Messiah complex, seeing yourself as a saviour to others. Maybe this is perfectly normal and natural human behaviour, and thus why greater things have been accomplished in the past. However, it's one of religion's greatest hindrances - stubborn refusal to take on board outside advise.
