Question for ex-JW's

[djhwoodwerks]

I'd like to ask ex-jw's these questions, because I know an active jw won't answer truthfully.

When you were active, and going door-to-door, doing God's will, how did you feel about who you were and where you were?

When you weren't doing field service, just out at the grocery store or somewhere public, how did you feel about who you were and where you were?

Was there a difference, did you perceive things about your surroundings different?

 

[savagewind]

I'd like to ask ex-jw's these questions, because I know an active jw won't answer truthfully.

Good questions!

When you were active, and going door-to-door, doing God's will, how did you feel about who you were

I did not have a heartfelt knowledge that I was really doing God's will. I assumed it. I did not have personal feelings for myself. I was told that there was no accurate knowledge in any of the people I was going to. I tended to believe that about them because it was true about me.

and where you were?

I did not like the preaching work because I had a strong sense of it as a sad waste of time.

When you weren't doing field service, just out at the grocery store or somewhere public, how did you feel about who you were and where you were?

I believed that there I should also witness about Jehovah but I did not plan to speak until I sensed a need in someone. That sense never came. I was awed by one new recruit who spoke up many times while not in the actual field service. It was called, "informal witnessing". A lot of strength is needed all the time for not falling into hypocrisy. It was my off the job occupation. While I was off the job I didn't talk much about my faith and while I was on the job I only once spoke up about an opinion of mine and WOW! the reaction from one upstanding sister was a volcano eruption! I saw the other side of her. It was weird.
I remember most seeing another JW out of the JW setting and it was always uncomfortable.

Was there a difference, did you perceive things about your surroundings different?

No. I do not remember wondering about a difference.

 

[savagewind]

I wonder if there are any other ex-JWs here. I think they are few, if any.

 

[savagewind]

@djhwoodwerks I have more stories which I might post so your thread will appear on page one as I do post.

 

[djhwoodwerks]

Good questions!

I did not have a heartfelt knowledge that I was really doing God's will. I assumed it. I did not have personal feelings for myself. I was told that there was no accurate knowledge in any of the people I was going to. I tended to believe that about them because it was true about me.
I did not like the preaching work because I had a strong sense of it as a sad waste of time.

I believed that there I should also witness about Jehovah but I did not plan to speak until I sensed a need in someone. That sense never came. I was awed by one new recruit who spoke up many times while not in the actual field service. It was called, "informal witnessing". A lot of strength is needed all the time for not falling into hypocrisy. It was my off the job occupation. While I was off the job I didn't talk much about my faith and while I was on the job I only once spoke up about an opinion of mine and WOW! the reaction from one upstanding sister was a volcano eruption! I saw the other side of her. It was weird.
I remember most seeing another JW out of the JW setting and it was always uncomfortable.

No. I do not remember wondering about a difference.

Thanks for the testimony sw!

Did you feel like you were a pearl among coal?

 

[savagewind]

Thanks for the testimony sw!

Did you feel like you were a pearl among coal?

Never! That is a really good question. I imagined myself a clumsy dolt. There is only one pearl I think. But I shall think some more about that.*

I shall wait for your thread to slip off the page for the telling of some more stories

edit *A pearl is only good for banking or buying. I think coal is good for starting the next fire. Coal is better.

 

[savagewind]

I am here again to bump up the thread.

I went for a walk and did some thinking.
There lives another ex-JW in my neighborhood. While we were JWs we did not become personal friends so I do not expect that now we should be but once I had to speak to her about something in the neighborhood and it is then that I found out she was an X so I asked her to come visit me anytime. She works and I do not and she also does not accept people into her home so it would be her coming to see me and not me going to visit her.
Why the long story? It is because JWs take pride in the organization, that it is family. But it really isn't. It seems she could not care any less about me. JWs are told that they are brothers and sisters and they believe that. I think sisters will always be sisters (though not always friends), I realize that it is against JW rule to associate with anyone who leaves the organization but I have found it is true that most people who have left do not consider other people who have left their family still. I have found no one yet who still believes that I am his or her sister.

 

[PackJason]

I was never baptized, but I was a member of a Kingdom Hall until I was about 15.

Going door to door was humiliating. There is nothing worse to a pubescent boy than knocking on a door and having his middle school crush answer it. I swear it's the reason I'm still somewhat anti-social to this day.

 

[savagewind]

Another true story I have.

I was the only one in my family who was a JW. It was hard work for me to get dressed up, leave my family, drive to the meeting for field service and then preach door to door. The hardest part for me was the driving around.

One Saturday off I go to the meeting for field service. A few brothers and sisters were there waiting for the director of the field service to show. He didn't come. So instead of trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us to where we ought to go and what we ought to say, they all decided to go home. And they did!

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I, too, was never baptized but I attended a KH with a neighbor (no JW family). I became a sort of honorary pioneer because that's what my friend was and I wanted to please my little congregational family. But I don't think I ever actually believed Jehovah was real (though I tried to). And as I got further into sciences and my discovery conflicted with JW beliefs I began growing apart.
It also didn't help that there was some hero worship going on for the 'kid with non-believing parents working so hard for the Lord.' That was sort of my wake-up call that I wasn't being true to myself, and I left to pursue some more modern Christian and non-Christian churches up until I finally acknowledged that I don't have a belief in God(s).

 

[savagewind]

I saw a lot of what looked like hero worship at the Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall. We see it here on the forum too!

 

[savagewind]

I was suspicious of the JW organization almost from the start. It's been twenty-five years so my memory of most of it is foggy.
I sensed that their friendliness was faked and that their claim to be God's only way to salvation was weird.
I remember thinking that there were good people and surely God would not destroy them for the way they thought.
But the teaching of JWs goes that if a person is good he or she WILL accept God's will for them and they will be taken under
the direction of the Watchtower.

I have asked the JWs here what will they obey when the faithful and discreet slave is finally taken to heaven and the only answer I have got is,
"the brothers (who are other than the 144,000) are being taught to take the lead".

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

I saw a lot of what looked like hero worship at the Jehovah's Witness kingdom hall. We see it here on the forum too!

Please explain. Who were they worshipping?

 

[savagewind]

Please explain. Who were they worshipping?

I do not know. I said, "I saw a lot of what looked like". Here on the forum, we see people believing in the governing body of Jehovah's Witnesses without real proof that they are chosen or that they are capable. I never said, "they are worshipping". I say it looks like it.

 

[savagewind]

I saw some JWs (not all) in awe of anyone who came from the governing body. That would be the overseers. The higher they were it seemed the more respect they got. Anyone would be glad to take an overseer and his wife out to dinner or have them over their house. In twenty years no one thought that of me.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Please explain. Who were they worshipping?

When I mentioned hero worship earlier I more meant that there was a lot of emotional weight put on me as a kid because being a 'kid with non-believing parents' was considered a greatly burden to suffer under. So a lot of people looked up to me and I was kind of a mascot and didn't like that.

 

[djhwoodwerks]

I saw some JWs (not all) in awe of anyone who came from the governing body. That would be the overseers. The higher they were it seemed the more respect they got. Anyone would be glad to take an overseer and his wife out to dinner or have them over their house. In twenty years no one thought that of me.

I guess that was because an overseer can put a good word into God for them but you couldn't. Or something like that. Isn't it the higher position in the JW's the closer they are to God?

 

[savagewind]

I guess that was because an overseer can put a good word into God for them but you couldn't. Or something like that. Isn't it the higher position in the JW's the closer they are to God?

They really do teach that God does not save individual souls but that he saves God's organization. They say that the closer you conform to it the better off you wll be. They say the only thing left standing after the great day of God the Almighty is true worship which is them.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I was suspicious of the JW organization almost from the start. It's been twenty-five years so my memory of most of it is foggy.
I sensed that their friendliness was faked and that their claim to be God's only way to salvation was weird.
I remember thinking that there were good people and surely God would not destroy them for the way they thought.
But the teaching of JWs goes that if a person is good he or she WILL accept God's will for them and they will be taken under
the direction of the Watchtower.

I have asked the JWs here what will they obey when the faithful and discreet slave is finally taken to heaven and the only answer I have got is,
"the brothers (who are other than the 144,000) are being taught to take the lead".

I never really wanted to be part of the 144k (I don't think women can anyway.) Because their role was always nebulous. I wanted to be on Earth in an Eden-like state.

 

[savagewind]

I never really wanted to be part of the 144k (I don't think women can anyway.) Because their role was always nebulous. I wanted to be on Earth in an Eden-like state.

I think it is possible that women can be of the 144,000. I do not believe like the gb of JWs teach that only people who lived after Jesus Christ are of the 144,000 and I think the number is symbolic, not literal. I did not become a JW so that I might live forever in paradise Earth. I became one to learn about Jesus Christ.