I am right there with you. Losing all your religious faith is not so bad, though.
As I examined the WTS, I also examined the Bible. If the story of Noah wasn't sound,
then why did God put it there? If Christianity is correct, is Jesus God or not? Stuff like
that has led me to great research. It is my conclusion that NOBODY ever lived under the
Mosiac Law Code. It was written long after the days of King David by priests of Yahweh
or it was edited by Hebrew redactors from recorded legends and turned into scripture.
Likewise, the Gospels were chosen and credit was given to earlier authors. Editing and
writing from existing documents eventually made them almost entirely agree with each
other, even though very little of what was written was true.
I do believe that Jesus was raised to be the revolutionary leader that would encourage
the ousting of Roman rule, but that he recognized that he would be a martyr for the cause,
so he said to "pay Ceasar's things to Ceasar." Otherwise, he staged the ride into Jerusalem
on a donkey to fulfill the "prophecy" and writers exaggerated how he fulfilled countless other
prophecies.
Anyway, enough of that. You dismiss or want to dismiss all religion. I do it. That doesn't mean
that you cannot appreciate that most of the earth wants to exchange gifts and wish for peace
on earth in December according to a religious schedule. I wish such peace all the time, and I
can give gifts anytime (sounds like a JW statement) so I can certainly join the rest of the people
when they do it. I don't really celebrate other holidays, but I don't shun them either. I think kids
like candy and searching for eggs, so if parents want to get into that, POWER TO THEM.
My dad isn't a JW, so certainly, I will honor him on Father's Day (and the rest of the year) so that
he doesn't feel left out.
I was in a mind-control cult for nearly 2 decades, so who am I to tell others that they should not
practise Judiasm or Buddism or Christianity? Each person must decide for themselves how to
worship or not worship. Their religions mostly teach that the Almighty is understanding and forgiving.
That means that He should forgive me for not "picking" the correct religion or even believing that
there is one, but understand that my cult experience has caused me to be turned off by
organized religion.
If I am wrong, and there is a God, and he doesn't forgive as easily as I have stated, then I am
furious with him. I was at my lowest point in life, begging him to guide me. He let me get into the
JW cult and stop thinking for myself. If He let me do that, then cannot forgive me for not being able to
pick the correct Methodist or Catholic or Jewish or Tribal belief that is "the truth," then I would rather
be destroyed or rot in Hell then stand by his side for eternity. I don't carry that as a terrible grudge,
but rather have decided to be a good person and not worry so much about "the truth" of religion or
what the afterlife will bring me.