what are the rewards for not being a witness any longer (page 3)

Free of the guilt that it will never be enough. Free to let others decide for themselves without this urge to spell out their options. Not having to betray others to the elders, but supporting the victims of those traitors and policemen-elders. Free to consider non-JW as normal people, and not as soon deemed to be destructed soon. Finally I am not looking down on worldlings who do not accept the 'truth'. Able to plan my life ahead without this Big A looming over my head. Finally able to give a normal reply to work colleagues who wish me a nice birth day. Not wasting my time on trying to save newbies whereas the regulars leave the congregations in droves. Free of false beliefs. Free to decide on medical treatment. It is really too much to mention, it just feels great, and I am even not really out yet.

BluesBrother

Well, I am off of the :

And I am out of the :

mamamo

Where should I start? Greek festival at a Greek Orthodox Church this month. I'm talking killer greek food. Able to talk to anyone I like, go with them to the movie I want to see without worrying about the rating. Christmas, New Year's, Halloween, Easter, Groundhog Day! I find ways to celebrate them all. Yeah, I'll be 46 this year but will only be celebrating for the 21st time. I'm a junior in college. I hope to make more money once I get my degree. Not so much for the materialistic things. But things like having money in the bank, not living paycheck to paycheck. Sunday mornings were made for amusement parks!

jamiebowers

a sense of self, critical thinking

chickpea

embracing the here and now and making the most of it

a few highlights of leading my own life:

-- about 12 weeks from a degree
-- 12 time kiva.org lender (secular)
-- monthly donations to build wells in sub-saharan african villages (religiously affiliated)
-- board member of local chapter of national advocacy organization
-- participant in policy training leading to lobbying on capital hill
-- habitual voter
-- able to lovingly parent all my grown children, including the ones who live with their SOs
-- able to develop peaceful resolution of marital disparities without interference from know-nothing "leaders"
-- able to selectively choose friendships without being treated like an incompetent
-- able to stop judging every other human or question their intention, morals or level of devotion (to anything!)

geezus, there is so much more peace, passion and pleasure in everyday living that comes from
not being a benighted, frightened dr0ne in lock-step with a cult! WE get to decide what is meaningful
and fulfilling, and not worry about what anyone else thinks about it...

it is called getting a life and staying busy living it!

mamalove

Self respect

Being my authentic self

No more fear

I have more satisfying relationships

Gobs more fun

Happiness!

NewChapter

I don't lose anymore dear friends due to DF'ing. I get to be okay with myself every now and then. I get to vote for Obama. I get to care about the environment. I get to try to do something constructive about our energy crisis, cuz this earth depends on us. I get to throw my efforts into college. I get to rest when I need to--without guilt. I get to be astounded by science, even though I don't know nearly as much about it as the WT led me to believe I did. I get lot's and lot's and lot's of PEACE. I get to step off the rollercoaster. I never did like rollercoasters.

wobble

FREEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Free to *uck up my life my way !

Free to donate blood, take it as a transfusion or any other way if I need to, loads of stuff, free to THINK.

More important to me is to see the good effect leaving has had on my dear wife (dear in the sense of expensive !) she always felt guilty because she hated door knocking, and had a job to drag herself to meetings , she always compared herself unfavourably with my Uber-Dub Bloody Annoying oldest sister, all that guilt has gone for her ! Great !

Curtains

spoken from the heart all of you - I find your comments & pics very moving. Thank you so much. I feel like making a list and pasting it on my bulletin board, decorating it with celebratory colours.

Loud and clear I feel themes of liberation come through, to trust one's own ideas, the freedom to exercise choice, to decide what challenges you want to set yourselves and commit to, mental honesty, independence ...

WTS literature couches all these in derogatory terms and unconsciouly we are aware tht we are being taught to nulify our contributions to this world and the rewards that could accrue. We lose the leaders gain. Stop losing I tell myself

what are the rewards for not being a witness any longer

Twitch

Hoffnung