In my own case, after more than 20 years as a JW I had no interest in anything Christendom had to offer, having been pretty thoroughly convinced by my JW indoctrination that Christendom could not possibly have it right.
I was in my teens (and a good Dub kid) during the 60's, so there was plenty of stuff I knew of but had not allowed myself to explore when I was younger.
Following my own interests and inclinations, I investigated Buddhism, Taoism and a variety of "new age-y" belief systems. I familiarized myself with what the followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh believed (another cult - big time), spoke with Scientologists (yikes!), and I read what Da Free John and bunches of others had to say. I "sat" in a couple of all-night formal Zen meditations (farewell, my legs!).
If Buddha is found dead at the side of the road, the cops might want to speak with me as a "person of interest," but I will have nothing to say.
Eventually I realized that I was a spiritual Ronin, a Taoist Druid Ninja hybrid, a follower of the unnamable path, the path I can only walk alone. I'm fairly comfortable though dissatisfied with myself and I am not afraid of things that go "bump" in the night or shadows cast by a campfire. Wolves, crows and kitty-cats speak with me. Looked for I cannot be seen, listened for I cannot be heard, touched I cannot be felt.
I'm not a "joiner," and I seek no followers. I am sentient star-stuff, the universe seeking to understand itself, and THAT'S "the truth"(tm).
