Ex-Jehovah Witness/ Your Values

[innersky23]

I may be going out on a limb here...but I'm in no way a Ex-Scientologist. However, I am a Ex-Jehovah Witness. All these cults and organizations share one thing in common- be a personal slave now and be happy later!

The whole message of religion (thought control) goes against my newly found values. If you want to create your own life of satisfaction, first find out what your true core values are, then reorganize them to what you really want.

For example, i found out that on the top of my core values was strength & freedom, so now I gravitate towards that. It's something that you do naturally (on an unconscious level) once you decide that you will live by your values rather than through fear like some kind of animal!

[Jump]

I may be going out on a limb here...but I'm in no way a Ex-Scientologist. However, I am a Ex-Jehovah Witness. All these cults and organizations share one thing in common- be a personal slave now and be happy later!

The whole message of religion (thought control) goes against my newly found values. If you want to create your own life of satisfaction, first find out what your true core values are, then reorganize them to what you really want.

For example, i found out that on the top of my core values was strength & freedom, so now I gravitate towards that. It's something that you do naturally (on an unconscious level) once you decide that you will live by your values rather than through fear like some kind of animal!

Well said.

A 'Church' or a family or a group of true friends - should be a place of nurturing and supportive love. A place to return to for solace, strength and comfort, then return into the world to live the best you can with reference to the group's precepts.

When this idea of 'church' is subsumed to be a mechanism to control its 'members', then its true purpose is lost and its true benefit is lost in a lie.

A cultic group has an unstated purpose to benefit primarily its leaders or leadership, and not benefit its members in any true sense. And if when the member chooses to leave or forsake the group - this is taken to be an offensive effort against the group, and punishing strategies are used in retribution; this is proof of its evil lying nature.

[PirateAndBum]

Well, Scientology isn't about be happy later. It's supposed to be about being happy now. No heaven in Scientology.

For example, some would tell you that you could get those fears that prevent you from living by your values handled in scientology counselling.

There are many paths.

What do you do when you find you aren't living by your values even though you decided you would?

[Royal Prince Xenu]

This topic has been hashed out before. I was an Ex-JW who thought Scn was the ideal escape. I have found enough evidence of sexual abuse and child abuse in any organized religion that is covered up, denied, and eventually, the victim blamed.

[ccec]

This topic has been hashed out before. I was an Ex-JW who thought Scn was the ideal escape. I have found enough evidence of sexual abuse and child abuse in any organized religion that is covered up, denied, and eventually, the victim blamed.

I am dating an ex-witness. It's what got me interested in the subject of cults, highly controlled groups, and charismatic groups. I have to say, I'm surprised you joined the Scientologists after leaving the JWs. Most ex-JWs I meet either maintain their fear of the outside world or develop a fear of highly controlled groups such as Scientologists. What convinced you to join the Scientologists? Were you actively seeking another "spiritual" pursuit?

[innersky23]

I am dating an ex-witness. It's what got me interested in the subject of cults, highly controlled groups, and charismatic groups. I have to say, I'm surprised you joined the Scientologists after leaving the JWs. Most ex-JWs I meet either maintain their fear of the outside world or develop a fear of highly controlled groups such as Scientologists. What convinced you to join the Scientologists? Were you actively seeking another "spiritual" pursuit?

Sounds horrible to me. Personally I think free thinking is the way out...escaping a cult into bashing a cult is like another cult in and of itself. Focusing on not being in a cult is giving your mind the instruction to focus on cults....doesn't understand the 'not' part. Just focus on something else entirely!

[Morgana LeFay]

Wow.... I'm glad there are other ex-Witnesses on here. My mom got into that when I was little, and I don't remember much except for reading a lot of Bible stories. I just always felt like the Witness' view of God didn't make sense with the stuff I read that Jesus said about God being loving towards people.

We eventually quit studying with the Witness groups because my mom didn't like that the kids didn't go to college and worked menial jobs during the day and knocked on doors in the evening. She said I was smart and she wanted better for me than that. What was really hard is that the other Witness kids in school quit talking to me after that, and I didn't understand why at the time. Actually, just last week one of the ones I was really close to until I was about 9 or 10 posted on our high school's FB page about this song she did for a talent show when she was in 6th grade. I remembered it - I even remembered she signed along with it and how impressed I was. She said she was surprised I remembered, but talked about me in the 3rd person. Never addressed me directly. Never even responded to my message that I sent to say hi. That still hurts.

I still sometimes find the JW thought processes creeping in. Like I felt this knot in my stomach saying the pledge or singing The Star Spangled Banner. Once I started reading on this board and recognizing it as mind control, I got pissed off and started trying to enjoy it. It's may way of saying f*** you to them, I guess.

I eventually did join another Church as an adult. That ended up being very difficult with my mom, because she didn't belong to the Witnesses for years but retained so much of the thought processes.

As for the Church I belong to - I won't name names (at least not yet). I've seen some posts on here about that Church that I don't entirely agree with, but everyone's entitled to their opinion. I've had a great time learning that God is a loving Father rather than a vengeful and wrathful overlord. Developing that relationship with God is a liberating experience - I don't feel at all like I'm going from one rigid thought system to another.