by minimus 31 Replies latest jw friends
I realize that some activist exjws really don’t seem to be happy in life. They finally got away from the Organization and yet seem still negatively connected to it. Some exjws are always upset because of what the “Truth “ did to their lives, which is understandable.
At this point in time, have you found happiness as a former Jehovah’s Witness??
Oh, god, yes. My life is so much more fulfilling not being in. And so happy not to be involved in all the time wasting, soul sucking practices of the JW religion.
Oh yes. I am off that treadmill of constant meetings, field service , prepare tbe next meeting etc.
Sometimes, even now I miss tbe sense of spirituality, the hope that I had... but it's no good if it is not true.
Overall I am happier in myself . I have not done a lot but I have kept my marriage and that has improved despite our differences of religion now. I am told I am a happier person .I certainly feel it.
I am happier because I’m not fed the lie. Once you realize it’s not the truth, it’s simply becomes a waste of time and that doesn’t make me happy at all
i broke all connection to the cult 40 years ago. But within 4 years my 3 kids had been poisoned against me and didnt want to see me any more. This caused many years of heartache. But 12 years ago i found out my older son had been d/f'd--and i set about tracing him through facebook. It took a while--but we soon got reconciled and now enjoy a good close relationship.
My daughter is 50 on sunday--but ive given up hope with her.
my younger son--he will be 43 next birthday--but we havent had any form of contact since 2001--and that was his written reply to me refusing any contact.
But ive come to terms with it. It is a heavy price to pay for freedom.
I don't have any children in the organization.
My heart goes out to those who do.
Minimus, ''Once you realize it’s not the truth, it’s simply becomes a waste of time''.
I agree.
When one leaves or ceases to believe they go through a grieving process. It takes time to get over the loss and heal from the years of mental manipulation. I’m happier knowing ttatt
Happiness is an interesting topic. I educated myself on it as I believe I was dealing with an existential vacuum in my life after leaving the Witnesses. Here are some hard lessons I learned -
I cannot see how it would be possible to experience happiness while being active as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that happiness is not possible in this "old system of things" and the only placeholder is complete immersion into the activities of the organization under the guise of "serving Jehovah."
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that you are imperfect and deserving of death. Witnesses teach that when you break a command or law of Jehovah you are guilty of sin. Every time you sin you are re-crucifying Jesus. This instills in a believer's heart an enormous amount of guilt. Sometimes this guilt is so great it pushes a person to suicide.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that a day will come when Jehovah will destroy the majority of humans. Only a select chosen few, the remnant of the 144,000 on Earth, are spared. Witnesses teach that if you join their organization and blindly obey it's leadership you might be spared, but it is no guarantee. However, if you are somehow spared, you will live forever in perfect health for eternity. This instills fear and anxiety of an enormous magnitude.
Jehovah's Witnesses teach that if your family or friends do not join you in being a Witness they are not to be associated with now. In addition, those family and friends will be destroyed, forever, at Armageddon. The only comfort you receive from Witnesses is that you will make new friends, which is not what you experience, and you will eventually forget your dead loved ones. This creates a deep sense of sorrow.
Fear, anxiety, sorrow, and regret - these are the pillars that support the Watchtower religion. Inside the building those pillars support is no happiness to be found.
Can you feel joy by loyally serving Jehovah? Yes and no. Joy is not happiness. It is a momentary euphoric feeling obtained from an experience. If you truly believe in the Watchtower teachings you might find some joy when you go out in field service or give a part on a meeting program. However, the Watchtower doesn't like that. So they crush that joy by saying, "While spending 90 hours in the ministry last month is fine, brother, we have to ask you - can you do more?"
Much. I could not live a lie any longer. I hated the cult, did not go in service much and did many things the cult does not approve of. E.G. Ride Motorcycle, Many in the cult would frown although some elders had them, Shoot and collect guns, Some elders had hunting rifles but few had hand guns or AR15s. Use my time for me and my family not wasting it going to conventions and service. Last Assembly I went to was in the mid 90s at the Silverdome now defunct. The stopped selling food, and we were told to bring a cooler and then I carried it in and was told I can not leave it at the top of the stairs and could not take it to my seat, I looked at the attendant and said fuck this I am going home.
