I think this is a realistic question, as we were all so into the Witness religion, in every part of our lives. I can see where people would feel the need to replace that with something, as they would need to complete the missing pieces of their life. I admit, when I first left the religion, I started attending local churches and even went to a Bible study from other churches. It was a void that I had to fill with something, and when I read experiences on here like mine, I understand where they are coming from. As time went one, and within a few months of exit, I just stopped attending anything. Later I found other things to replace all the free time. I read more, started martial arts training, and then in time I just felt very little need to attend a church or to study the Bible. Soon I found an interest in Pagan thinking, and before I got into it, I wanted to make sure I was just not filling a void again, by diving to deep into it. Which didn't happen, I took a slow pace and even backed away many times to do nothing. Now years later I am pretty deep into it, and I think it became more about not filling a void, put giving my life enough time to grow new seeds of interest that became the next me. Yet if I could give any advice to a new exit Witness. I would say, don't leave and go right to another religion to fill a void. As you can easily replace one mess with another, if you don't give enough time for your life to heal and make room for something new to grow slowly. Would others agree, that you feel a need right after exit to find another religion?
Do you join other religions to fill a void, or is it real to you?
by free2beme 16 Replies latest jw friends
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JH
I will never join another religion.
Meanwhile, I rather have a personal relationship with God.
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divejunkie
I feel just like JH.
One thing JW's do really well is to point out all the absurdities and bull in the other religions (at least the major competition), so I see them all on the same plane - only that now JW's top the list. Organized religion is nothing but some dude or dudes manipulating others for their own personal gain by using the human need to believe in something.
Well, they got their claws on me for most of my life. I'm never giving that power to anyone else.
I believe that Jesus' teachings of moral value is all you need to be a good person: show love, kindness, honesty to others and take care of your family. -
tetrapod.sapien
everyone has their own drug for that god shaped hole...
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JamesThomas
grow new seeds of interest that became the next me
Your eloquent post brings us to the brink of some interesting questions.
Are we nothing more than our beliefs and interests that become the next me? For after all, these are just thoughts and activities.
What are we at our core? Underneath all the thinking and doing, who/what am I, really?
Do we really need to fill a void? Perhaps the sense of emptiness is felt, simply because we are unaware of what we truly are...already.
j
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delilah
My friend Mary and I have discussed this to some extent. While she has a spiritual need, I don't seem to have one. I think because I let the WTBTS sway my thinking for a good portion of my life, I feel that I will not let another religious group do the same. What's that saying, "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"? I think that's how it goes, in any case, I do believe there is a God out there who does care for the human race, and I think in His due time, he will intervene....how? I leave that up to Him, as I've no clue whatsoever....I don't feel it necessary for me, to follow any man-made religions at this point in my life. However, I think next Christmas, I will go to one of the churches only to see the choir..... -
delilah
Well said, James Thomas....and how thought provoking a statement.... Do we really need to fill a void? Perhaps the sense of emptiness is felt, simply because we are unaware of what we truly are...already.
I think, because our lives were filled to the brim, with "spiritual" matters, for so long, that who we really are, was squelched, stuffed . Once we leave the confines of the borg, we suddenly have all the time in the world, as it were, to explore who we really are, and re-acquaint ourselves, with the real us. So, maybe, there really isn't a void in our lives, just a whole lot of opportunity, to expand on who we really are?!
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DocHayes
How did I cope? I joined the Navy. It's kinda like a cult. They deprive you of sleep, food, and strip you of your individuality, and mold you around the "Navy" way. You can't get out as easily as you got in.
At least the chow is decent, the benefits are better, and I get a chance to kill people, and blow stuff up.
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LeslieV
I think I would have to admit that I started attending church to fill a void. I still attend, but now I think I do it to feel connected to something. I did miss the social aspect of going to the KH. I attend a church that I feel really does things for others regardless of their religious belief. I like the helping aspect of it. I know for myself I have had enough judgement and condemnation to last me a lifetime.
Leslie
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Undecided
Now that my life is about over it's hard to get interested in anything anymore. I had several hobbies but it seems more trouble that it is worth now. I wish I could get going again so life would be more of a challenge. I don't have much life left, I need to enjoy it more but I guess old age has kicked in.
I did attend a church for a while with my wife but it was just a farce when you saw the real inside story of the people there, plus I didn't believe the stuff that it said was God's doing. I see no activities of God anywhere on earth unless you have a good imagination.
Ken P.