What do you have now?

by osmosis 25 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  osmosis

  I was talking to my aunt the other day. She knows I talk to you apostate folks and I don't think she's very comfortable with it, but that's her problem.

  She did, however, ask a question that seems particularly important, not only in and of itself, but even more so when you apply it more generally.

  The question was: What do you people have now that you're out? What has leaving given you?

  One may assume that she is indirectly asking, what might SHE look forward to if she leaves. What's out there for HER.

  Note: if you are "born again" you need not reply, she thinks you're flaky and I'm inclined to agree LOLOL
• 

  JH

  What do you people have now that you're out?

  I have freedom. I have a conscience that tells me when I'm doing right or wrong, or borderline. I certainly didn't lose God's approval, like the JW's would like us to believe.

  What has leaving given you?

  Lets reverse the question and ask, what did the Watchtower give me?
• 

  AuldSoul

  1) A personal relationship with God that does not answer to men as either intercessors or confessors.

  2) A relationship with God free from dread of reprisals for ignoring human traditions in favor of God's word.

  3) The freedom to explore, discover, and change without answering to the policies of guidebooks from an organization that is obviously NOT God's Channel of communication but which claims to be.

  4) A clear conscience with regard to continuing to publicly support a destructive and controlling religion.

  And hey, if she doesn't want a relationship with God she's free to choose that too.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 

  damselfly

  What do you people have now that you're out? What has leaving given you?

  Freedom of thought, to think and disagree if I want without being tossed aside. Happiness, peace. Ability to have my dreams and set goals for myself that I will attain.

  Dams
• 

  Elsewhere

  I'm happy, I feel free and I don't feel confined.
• 

  fullofdoubtnow

  I have freedom to make my own decisions and not have to worry if a few elders approve of them or not

  I have real friends now, not conditional ones

  I no longer worry about if I am doing enough to merit everlasting life, or if I am contributing enough money to the wts

  Life is so sweet now, far better than it ever was when I was a jw
• 

  lola28

  Freedom.

  lola
• 

  greendawn

  I don't support a deceitful and exploitative organisation, I am not burdened with numerous man-made laws, I have my freedom of expression and I am not ruled by a bunch of incorrigible morons.
• 

  SickofLies

  You have to look at what's behind the question, fear. The dubs have been trained with the thinking 'This is the TRUTH and if we leave we'll have no where else to go'. So they always ask the question when cornered with infomation about the orgination that they can't answer. You have to release that the question itself is not a reason for staying in the borg, even if there is no where else to go it is no reason to stay in an orgination that tells lies. Dubs want another place to jump into that has the same rigid rules for when they leave so they don't feel lost and confused with all their freedom. If they just left cold turkey they would have to face the fact that everything they have been doing for the past X number of years has been in vain and thats not an easy thing to admit. Its much easier to just look the other way and say well their imperfect but I'll stick with them because I have no where else to go.
• 

  osmosis

  SickOfLies: You are right, it's about fear. It's all about fear, the whole trip.

  Knowing that does nothing to change that. I have considered the likelihood that she will not be able to quit her religion habit cold turkey, and that I will have to help her find a substitute religion as a crutch, although hopefully one much less destructive than the JWs.

  Having carefully dissected the system of mind control in place, including, but not limited to, the emotional needs of the individual that are being satisfied by the cult, I am all too aware of the problems presented by exiting.