Is there life after JW?

by chrisauld 3 Replies latest jw friends

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  chrisauld

  Hi everyone, I'm new to this whole internet thing, I always thought that the Internet was 'wrong', I guess. I was just wandering if anyone else was finding it hard to get on in life after deciding that JW's are not the 'truth'. Does anyone else feel the struggle to find a substitute? I was brought up in it since birth, I stopped going to meetings about 4 years ago, but decided it was the 'false' about 2 years ago. My dad is still firmly 'brainwashed' but my mum left ages ago. I feel bitter about the whole guilt thing and the social separation I endured as a child. I suppose this is common among ex-JW's. I think it is physcologically recognized as 'cognitive dissonance'- the battle between what u now believe to be 'right' as opposed to what you were TOLD was 'right'. Anyone feel the same??
  Let me know.
  Chris (glad to have freedom of thought)

  Mansword
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  jst2laws

  “Anyone feel the same??” A hardy yes!! And I haven’t left yet. Congratulate yourself for surviving without permanent scars, if that is the case. Welcome to the board.

  Jst2laws
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  Francois

  "Does anyone else feel the struggle to find a substitute?"

  Gawd yes! And this is precisely why so many people go from one cult to another - looking for THE truth. This is the same phenomena that leads many women to hop from one abusive, alcoholic man to another. The problem is inside each of US. It isn't "out there." That's a part of our unreasonable expectation of finding some "big daddy" in the sky, instead of actively and with dedication seeking to find that kingdom of heaven that Jesus said is "within us."

  As a cult deprogrammer, I had my clients read several translations of The Tao Te Ching, a classic in Chinese philosophy and a powerful foundation for building a stable and happy, spiritually directed life free of the evil influence of an organization of men.

  Enquire within, chrisauld, enquire within.

  Francoise
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  Gopher

  Hi Chris,

  The struggle you feel is common, I think. (It has been true for me.) I too was brought up in the organization from youth on up.

  Each person has to struggle with what is logical, what is real. By posting here and being open to new ideas, many have received new input into their thought process, so that by using the "freedom of thought" you alluded to, they arrive at their truth.

  Some abandon belief in God wholly or part-ways. Others choose to continue such a belief, in a modified form. Actually what we have out here represents a vocal cross-section of society as a whole.

  I don't need you believe a "whole substitute". If you choose to continue to believe in God, you may take the basic things from the Bible (Jesus, love, the hope of salvation) as your foundation, and then add to it ideas developed later from personal research or interaction with others.

  I have come to believe that any religious structure, once it reaches a certain size, becomes of necessity rigid, ruled by law rather than by love, as Christ would have wanted. Having left one religious structure, why seek another?

  Best wishes
  Gopher