The JOYS of being an EX-JW (page 3)

WTWizard

I get to spend my money as I see fit. If that means getting expensive gear for emergency lighting (and, if we get an energy crisis or the power grid goes down, that could make a life threatening situation into a mere nuisance), so be it. I get LED light bulbs, and Brother Hounder cannot say a peep about showing off my means of living (including Christmas lights). And, if I wish to protect my wealth, I can get all the silver I want instead of donating it to the Worldwide Damnation Fund.

I am free to explore the whole spectrum of religion. And I am free to bash whichever religions are bash-worthy. This means looking at and examining (and lambasting) all denominations of Christi-SCAM-ity, Judaism, and Islam. I am free to explore other religions from Eastern religions, agnosticism, atheism, Wicca, New Age, Spiritual Satanism, and whatever else I feel bloody like researching. No more bashing every religion because they don't follow jokehovian principles.

Giordano

Pretty much what everyone has said so far. Real independence, personal decision making......was what we valued beyond any price.

I was out in my mid 20's back in the 1960's.....my wonderful wife followed me out.

Our major joy was raising our son JW free....what a difference that has made! He's grown up using his full potential. He and there family live a mile away so the family continues on a daily basis.

Sundays mean family dinner, football in season, always great conversation.

We've had 50 years of unconditional love and mutual respect.......priceless.

The next thing that mattered a great deal to us was gaining 25 to 30 extra hours a week!!! Think about how much time that is over a life time.

We reeducated ourselves, traveled, started a few successful businesses.

I increased my personal reading, had hobbies. Played music (drums).

Then after a while of shameless self indulgence we we got involved in community service. We live in a unique community of 7,000 that depends greatly on quality unpaid volunteers....be it the Free Clinic, or the Food Pantry, Hospice or the public library volunteers help greatly. For the last 20 years we have been paying back some of everything we took advantage of.

We give our time freely to help improve the lives of thousands of people through foundations and advocacy organizations. We are passionate to help people in the here and now not some fantastical Paradise Earth in the remote future.

My wife uses some of that extra time we gained to conduct two to three classes a week of water aerobics for people coming off various types of surgery where safe exercise makes all the difference in regaining mobility and their life style.

Needless to say we made the right choice to leave the JW'S as it became apparent to us that to stay would have meant we'd spend a life time on a losing team.

Muddy Waters

Yes, it is good to taste the world -- life!! -- and see that it is good!

It is good to see and know that there are so many wonderful, good, kind people of the WORLD that is now all opened up and I don't have to avoid people or refuse their invitations. They can be my friends .

I can read all books that I want, see any movie I wish, involve myself in anything I choose. And funny enough, that actually makes me feel MORE RESPONSIBLE and accountable because I finally feel connected to everything again. We are all in this together, we are all on our journey through life, working & trying to get by, to be with our families and be good people... (Yes, there are idiots and psychos out there, but I feel they are in the minority of people as a whole, most people are hard working and honest.)

My time is more valuable to me, life is a commodity of great & precious value, not something to be set aside while I wait for a dream to come true (paradise! living forever!)

When you suddenly DON'T have all the answers, it makes you feel more humble, less judgmental. You feel like you have rejoined the human race, you feel compassionate toward people again. You don't look at people through the WT lens -- which makes all non-JW people evil, spiritually dangerous, misled by Satan, and out to shipwreck your faith...

Yes, you feel more loving and in tune with humanity. You also become less interested in people's personal lives and things which are none of your concern or business!! No need to (covertly) snoop through their books or videos to see if your "friends" are wholesome association! Because WT policies and dogma practically turn JWs into SPIES on each other! Now I would never presume to be so rude!! I shake my head at my JW self - what an arrogant self- righteous bitch I was! And never even knew it.

I respect my friends' privacy and their right to be whoever they want to be. So many things are none of my damn business, and this feels good. JWs are so intrusive!

Oh I'm sure there are many more things, but this will do for now! :)

Doltologist

Nicolaou

Oh and of course; tattoos, drugs and hookers! How could I forget?

If that's what you want, then so be it but that means having to go back to the jovies.

nicolaou

When you suddenly DON'T have all the answers, it makes you feel more humble, less judgmental. You feel like you have rejoined the human race, you feel compassionate toward people again. You don't look at people through the WT lens -- which makes all non-JW people evil, spiritually dangerous, misled by Satan, and out to shipwreck your faith...

Very well said Muddy Waters! And the quality of friendships that can grow outside of that suffocating and stultifying environment is a real joy. Genuine connections and proper fun.

Vidiot

The freedom to live and be a whole person without constantly feeling hamstrung by ideology.

The JOYS of being an EX-JW