KAIROS- Good thread, thanks for posting it . In answer to your question about how your friends will view you or wonder WHY you left the organization- I found out in my case that most of them just PRE-JUDGE you as to why you left the organization. In Steve Hassan's books he states that the common factor in many mind control cults is that the people are trained to feel that there is " no acceptable way to exit the cult where you will still be approved. ". In other words - if you leave the cult it's ALWAYS for a Satanic, negative reason in JW's eyes. A person will be looked at as " weak ", " lacking spirituality " , or looked at as " rebellious ". And that is how the WT leaders INDOCTRINATE JW's to look at any JW who leaves the organization. That's why active JW's are scared $hitless of us- their minds have been conditioned and trained to be in fear of us. It's all part of the WT mind control. If you get a chance, read Steve Hassan's books, you'll really learn a lot . The psychology of mind control is a fascinating study.
As regards how people ( JW's ) are coping with the fact that older JW's are dying. I know with my extended JW family it troubles my older siblings to see my JW parents in their late 80's - but they are like ostriches who stick their heads in the sand and don't want to address the obvious- that not only my parents will die- but so will they , me, you, everybody. They are delusional about it and once again it's due to the deceptive power of JW cult mind control. Never underestimate the power of mind control - it's wasted many a good life . I think most JW's just stick their heads in the sand and don't want to be confused with the facts