Happiness versus unhappiness

jacethespace

For those of you who have left the watchtower have you experienced greater happiness since leaving than when you were in.Especially a feeling of all that pressure lifting of conforming to the tower that you didnt realize originally made you misrable and was blamed on Satan.Thats how ive feel these days since leaving.I feel more natural and mentally stable than when i was a conforming jw.

On the other hand have you noticed these days when i bump into my ex congregation associates they look quite unhappy and depressed.Then again it could be because some of them dont know how to deal with me knowing that ive left watchtower land.

tfjw

I was and am much happier since I left several years ago. We enjoy more family time, family events, life is much better outside of such a controlling organization. We study the Bible together as a family and have a much deeper respect for it than we actually did in the organization.

Now that you are out you are seeing the unhappiness of your former JW friends in which they are blind to.

JK666

jace,

The freedom from worrying about dying at Armageddon was the biggest relief for me.

JK

flipper

I am much happier since being out almost 5 years. I have freedom of thought, and a much more open mind to life's challenges than I did as a witness. And it is really a happy experience enjoying my time off on the weekends not having to pound on people's doors for stupid reasons. Freedom to go hiking in the mountains, fishing, golfing, or relaxing - without feeling guilty about any of it ! It is truly liberating ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper

RavenManiac

I am much happier. It has been nearly 15 years since I have left. Immediately my family life got much better. I became a more productive person. Nothing weighted me down. I still get a big kick out of the JWs that see me in a store and look at me like I'm a monster. I smile at them because I feel sorry for them.

shamus100

You can really see it once you leave - it is amazing.

They're belief system is on hatred and negativity - so your percieved happiness, according to the WTBTS, is because Satan no longer persecutes you and everything is so much easier now. Worldly people have it sooo good when Satan isn't bugging them, LOL. They're screwed up right from the core, and the only thing they're lives are good for is being busy-bodies and dwelling on the misfortune of others. Pathetic.

mind my own

I am MUCH happier since I left, I wasn't happy at all when I was in.

It's so great not to have every evening of the week taken up by meetings, service or personal study. I can do whatever I want to do, my life isn't controlled by fear, I have true friends, I am allowed to have secular goals, I have freedom of speech, I am not the subject of cruel gossip or being stabbed in the back, I am allowed to use the internet, go to school, marry and be friends with whoever I want...I really could go on and on.

Leaving is one of the best things I have ever done. It was definately the smartest!!

MMO

Deidra

WOW. Life has been so wonderful since leaving the organization. Growing up as an elder's child I:

never played sports, therefore never developed social skills

never interacted with wordly kids or weak ones in the hall (so I had very little friends)

never belonged to any school clubs, attended events or functions

never slept in on Saturdays

never watched cartoons on Saturday (had smurfs and cabbage patch dolls taken away - demonized - traumatizing)

always had to come in from playing outside (riding bikes, etc. in summer) to go to weekday meetings or constantly study for them

knocked on the doors of my classmates and was embarassed

thought that life all hinged on the impending armageddon

felt that at any day my parents wouldn't love me if I didn't do as they said - a puppet on a string

TODAY:

I'm involved in sports - I enjoy my gym membership and physical activities to the fullest

Make new friends often and enjoy them with no beer limits!

sleep in on Saturday mornings

enjoy time outside with my husband and daughter

my daughter goes to christian school

don't care if my parents don't love me anymore; god gave me more blessings to be thankful for

we go to church. I learn, worship and praise God, heal, cry and leave my worries there - God takes care of them for me

I laugh and smile constantly

I live, laugh, and love

It's wonderful. I never understood what it meant when people say "life is what you make it." It sure is. With God's help and blessings, life is good.

WTWizard

Being out is no guarantee of happiness, and some people are too lazy to do their own thinking. Some people need a washtowel or asleep to make the tiniest decisions for them, and they are going to be miserable outside of the cult. And, if they have unfulfilled needs, just being out of the cancer is not going to fulfill them automatically (and that is especially if the needs are not fulfilled due to reasons other than because of having been in the cancer).

However, in general, people are better off out. Having the ability to make a decision without the help of a washtowel or asleep is liberating. College often leads to better jobs and a measure of happiness. They waste a lot less time and money on boasting sessions and field circus. They can do something without having to worry about Brother Hounder. And they don't have to worry about what the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger is going to ban next.

Deidra

JWS- they all look like a bunch of depressed mindless morons when I see them. Unfortunately, my parents look like they could run off the side of the road any minute. Seriously, they have no idea how they look. No smiling, laughing or just that look of inner peace and happiness. It's so sad. It really does hurt my at times to see my family so oppressed by a man-made organization.

Happiness versus unhappiness

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