How have you benefited by leaving the WT Organization?

by Quirky1 39 Replies latest jw experiences

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  logic&reason

  I have yet to leave physically (for several reasons) so I still put up with many of the things listed in this thread.

  But... now that I see reality, now that I can step back and look at what is going on without the rose-colored glasses, now that I can allow myself to question the authority of the Society, it is very liberating.

  My whole life I have always seen the Faithful and Discreet Slave as the last word in every matter. I can remember whenever a question would come up about something said during a talk, peole would say, " Well, until I read it in the WatchTower..." like the WTBS is the authority on everything. It is great not feeling guilt over thinking for yourself. It is great to realize that a group of guys in Brooklyn who have lost their grasp of the real world, have absolutely no impact on me at all. It is great to realize that Elders and CO's have no real authority or power over you unless you let them have it.

  It is like when Dorothy and the Tin Man, etc were standing before the "Great Oz" and then saw the pityful little man pulling levers behind the curtain...
• 

  snowbird

  I can THINK!!! without worrying about the WT's view on this or that. It is exhilirating!

  Thank you for asking.

  Sylvia
• 

  spanteach

  There's so many things people have said that made me say "yep!!! Exactly!" So I'm just going to borrow what they said:

  No more guilt about reading stuff for pleasure rather than making sure I'm caught up on personal study, WT & Awakes, personal Bible reading, new releases, etc.

  No more having to get up early on weekends. I can sleep in now.

  No more going in field service. I really disliked it and struggled with those feelings while I was in. Now it's just a feeling of immense relief.

  I haven't worn a skirt in three years. That's been nice, let me tell you! A small fringe benefit, but nice nevertheless.

  I can now move ahead with my plan to join the Peace Corps in a few years without having to worry that it's not something a Witness should do. I may even get to learn a 3rd language. MAYBE I'll even get a government job after that!

  No more guilt when I crank up my beloved Guns N Roses.
• 

  babygirl75

  I can do, say, and go anywhere that I want to without having to answer to anyone or always looking over my shoulder.

  My son can play all the sports that he wants through school or the optimist club & he can do karate.

  Don't have to worry about a weekly evening schedule or working things around the meetings.

  Can sleep in on Saturday & Sunday.

  NO FIELD SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• 

  Deidra

  When I was a JW I used to look at happy "wordly" people and feel envious. The happy ones looked so free, they enjoyed life and had an inner happiness that I could see. My only consulation was the fact that they were going to die at armageddon. It made me feel better about living my miserable, fake life. NOW, I am one of those happy, free "worldly" people. FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST. THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I'M FREE AT LAST. From where I sit, life is good.
• 

  megaflower

  There are so many to list but I think the major one is I feel good about myself. I can say that Iam enjoying life each and every day. I look forward to each sunrise and have hope. In contract when I was a practicing dud my life was robotic and my feelings were numbed or had much anger. I smile and laugh now. IT FEELS GOOD.
• 

  LayingLow

  Before I doubts of doctrine that the JW's taught which made life constantly stressful. I was stressed in service because I didn't feel that what I had was 'the truth'. I felt stressed at meetings and my stomach would get sick because of hearing wrong doctrine and boasting.
  
  The benefits I now enjoy are:
  
  1. Having an open mind (This doesn't mean I don't try to shape my life on what the Bible says. I just realize that I don't have a full understanding of everything it says.)
  2. Although I don't have as full an understanding of everything as I wish I did, I no longer have to pretend that I do and try to convince others of this. I can have constructive conversations with others where we discuss and try to find meaning instead of trying to destruct their views and build them up to mine.
  3. I can focus on the type of life that Jesus emphasized without constantly being sidetracked by a robotic "spiritual schedule" which keeps me too busy to really evaluate spiritual things.
  4. I can exercise my Christian conscience as the Bible encourages without others telling me what my conscience says.
  
  Maybe the most important of all is this, I look at others as real people (I couldn't do this before because I thought they were going to be destroyed so mentally I didn't allow myself to really see them as individuals). I'm not constantly judging them because that is not my job.
  
  That's off the top of my head, there may be more.
• 

  Layla33

  Yes in every way. I am more free, I can think for myself, I can enjoy all facets of life without the fear/guilt/mind controls. I have the Saturday mornings to myself. My friends are those who are on my own terms.

  I feel happy that as soon as I was able to make the decision for myself, I did at 18. And I have never looked back...
• 

  Hope4Others

  I was overwhelmed at one time trying to keep up with (work) which pays the bills and (meetings, pioneering) being a mom and wife and responsibilitys at home.

  I feel total relief, I am much calmer, Much older and wiser and I feel no stress most of the time, and I now have my own personality back I can just be me! And it

  truly feels great.

  I'm not really a rebel but I am free to be one!
• 

  Witness 007

  Yeah like in the movie Braveheart: "FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOMMMM!!!"

  NOW I Know why "worldly" people love weekends so much....Sunday is funday...My I don't have to run day. {Opps Bangles song}