I was that little girl, on stage and doing the same thing. I just wanted to make my parents proud but I was doing it all out of the fear of dying and never reaching paradise. That changes a child’s mental development negatively. Thank you for speaking.
I think we can all relate on a certain level. I'm a Fader, so I never experienced shunning by anyone. I moved. It must be very painful to be shunned and I feel for you on that. I do feel that we lost our self identity to a large extent. We had to to fit in. We were expected to look and act and dress a certain way. Say certain words or catch phrases that reflected just how spiritual we were. I remember one word that was used a lot when I was a teen by elders was the word "fine." It was so overused that I remember coming home from a meeting one night and I put on a little drama for my mother using the word fine. I made her laugh. It didn't occur to me that we were all sort of robotic back then. We were sort of programmed. We really couldn't let our real personalities shine through. We sort of became a carbon copy of one another, but is that really what the Bible meant when it said we are to "strip off the old personality and put on the new"? That we have to be all alike? I remember there were a few in the congregation who were true to themselves. They were themselves. Back then we'd think, "Here comes "rose" again. She was louder than most and would say some unexpected off the wall things. They saw her as a loose cannon, but I look back at it now and think, 'Good for her.' She was just being herself which we all should have been. Did we lose out by being raised a JW? I have given a lot of thought to this question and have come to the ultimate conclusion that no we didn't. Why do I say that? Let's start with what I gave up. I was offered both a professional modeling and acting contract. Of course, I refused both because JWs didn't do that sort of thing. Also, we were not encouraged to pursue higher education because "Armageddon was right around the corner." So do I feel cheated in a way? Sort of but here is how I weighed the pros and cons. Did I receive valuable Biblical knowledge? Yes, I did. Was I protected during my teens? Yes, I was. So when I weigh the pros and cons I have come to the conclusion that the Biblical knowledge outweighs the worldly pursuits. And who knows how it would have played out anyway, maybe a lifestyle like that would have made me miserable. So I'm rather content just being in the Arts. As a believer, I consider the Biblical knowledge worth it's weight in gold. If I had left the organization as an atheist then I would no doubt feel it was all a waste of my time, but because I'm still a believer, I don't. I consider the knowledge invaluable. Would my life have been better if my atheist father hadn't become a JW? I don't think so. So there you have my take for what it's worth....
Yes they still do it. As a PIMO I witnessed it just yesterday at an assembly I had to to go to because of my super PIMI wife I dearly love. All you say, I witnessed similar through my 62 years of my life. So many, as you said "golden children" or "super spiritual families" who here presented as outshining examples at the platform ended up splitting leaving the so called "TRUTH". Years ago already I considered everyone (even speakers or circuit overseers) on the platform as a potentially future apostate 😁🤭 ....that makes those assembly's bearable.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I knew alot of Golden members. I could never get there. I feel your pain and trauma. Keep pushing forward. Its good to share these past experiences,it helps lighten the guilt/trauma. Keep posting please.
Man we have so much in common! So proud of you for sharing you story. Just found the courage to share mine about a month ago. Would love to have you on the channel
