Gumelder said: On one hand i'm glad to know the truth about the witnesses but on the other hand i'm left void. So the question for me is.....am I happier in knowing the truth ( about "the Truth")
Well sweetie, no one can define what 'happiness' means to another person, but the 'happiness' that we may have felt while still in the Borg wasn't real. It's kinda like a drug addict asking if they're happier without their bag of crack cocaine. The high/happiness they feel after taking a hit is not 'real life'-----and when they come down from their high, they're depressed as hell and want to feel that wonderful feeling again, even though it's slowly killing them.
Discovering the truth about The Truth can have the same devastating effect. When we were believers, it's like we were constantly high. We just knew that God approved of us, and that we'd never grow old and die and that the New System of Things was just over the rainbow, and as soon as we got there, all our troubles would melt like lemon drops. Why concern yourself with savings, education, improving yourself or retiring? None of that was ever going to happen. I remember one of my friends saying when we were teenagers "...I'll never have to worry about getting old. I'll either be dead or in the New System, but never old."
Real life is not like that and I think the main reason alot of us find it so difficult to adjust is that we loved the (empty) promises the WT made us. We realize now that we are getting older, that we do have to think about retiring and we have to acknowledge that we are going to die one day. And that can be hard to do. For me personally, I'm happier that I don't have to attend all their bullshit meetings anymore. I enjoy listening to Charles Stanley and James Dobson and I find their sermons a hell of a lot better than anything I ever heard at the Kingdumb Hall and it's helped me heal somewhat from the devastating effects this religion had on me.
I'm like you: I'd love to have all the answers to life right now. But that's not going to happen. The best we can do is enjoy the time we have on this earth, and to love those who are dear to us while we can. As for myself, I believe that there is a life after this one. I've talked to people who have had Near Death Experiences and they all say the same thing: they no longer fear death. The Witnesses may seem like they're happy, but remember: their friendships and love for their family is all conditional on how loyal someone is to the Organization. The never-ending drudgery of 5 meetings a week, field service, assemblies, special meetings, personal study, family study is done to keep them on their false 'high'-----it does not bring true happiness.
Now quit yer damn whining, ya stretchy green bastard, and go offer the CO a free nutshine.