It's not due to bitterness, I have not left "the truth.

Post your responses when people ask you if you don't believe the religion, the Bible, in God or whatever because you are just bitter.
Similarly, post your response when people say you have left the truth.

I like:

I did not leave the truth. I am always seeking truth.

I am not an unbeliever simply because of bitterness. I sincerely researched and would be glad to share my findings.

treadnh2o

Depends on who asking.

If it is a "worldly" person, "I am NOT a JW. JW's are a cult and unfortunately my parents are involved in it".

If it is JW- "I am just inactive". Wear the title of "inactive" with pride and they get very confused, but they can't shun you.

cantleave

I have no reason to be bitter , being as witness wasn't all bad, I met my wife and had some good times. I left because I found out it was a lie that can be damaging to people and was taking the fun out of my kids childhood.

I certainly haven't left so that I can live an immoral life, quite the opposite, I believe that family, honesty and loyalty are prinicples that everyone should by. Unfortunately the WTS doesn't live by those principles so I can no longer consider myself part of it.

wobble

I suppose I am 90% Bitter, because I drink so much of the stuff. (Brakspear Triple tonight) [Brace yourself liver and kidneys]

I am regretetful that I wasted my life connected to the huge confidence trick that is the JW religion, but I too know that I have left The Lie, not the truth.

I believe in leading a moral and productive life that makes the World a better place. and that belief comes from me, not because some man, or some imaginary figure in the sky ,tells me I should live that way.

The Dubs are told that all " Apostates" are bitter ,and want to have the temporary enjoyment of sin. I think that bit of propaganda says more about the GB and the writing committee than it does about those who have left. They only stick to the rules coz if they don't jehoober will zap them at the big A, so they think we are the same.

Total cobblers. We have a moral compass that belongs to us, and we wont go against that ,even though the Big Man upstairs is not really watching.

Love

Wobble

AK - Jeff

I often tell them that I have found all religion to be cults. Jw's didn't have truth. No other religion has 'truth' either. They all pretend they do, hope they do, profess they do. But they just can't prove they do. In fact, by their conduct and hypocricy and lack of sincere love they prove just the opposite.

Jeff

AllTimeJeff

The idea that ex JW's are bitter is to somehow suggest that "bitterness" is an inappropriate reaction to a traumatic, unwelcome experience.

1.	having a harsh, disagreeably acrid taste, like that of aspirin, quinine, wormwood, or aloes.

2.	producing one of the four basic taste sensations; not sour, sweet, or salt.

3.	hard to bear; grievous; distressful: a bitter sorrow.

4.	causing pain; piercing; stinging: a bitter chill.

5.	characterized by intense antagonism or hostility: bitter hatred.

6.	hard to admit or accept: a bitter lesson.

7.	resentful or cynical: bitter words.

Bitterness occurs when a bad experience happens. I can be bitter that I bought a Chrysler 2 weeks before they went into bankruptcy. I can be bitter about many things that cause pain.

At times, Christians who are in apology mode miss the mark on those who leave JW's. The fact is, to be bitter is an appropriate response.

Does that mean that being cynical and less trusting is just as good? Yes and no. Anything to an extreme is a bad decision. However, you don't get hurt as much when you learn some life lessons.

Christians being nice and helpful (as long as they aren't condescedning) would seem to help, but think of it this way. A Christian who is nice and "Christlike" doesn't prove a thing to me about their god. It just means that you are being nice. I know several nice people are atheist, agnostic, and yeah, muslim.

Being nice to me won't cause me to not be bitter. Telling me not to be bitter won't help either. Telling me being bitter is wrong and hurtful is not only not helpful, oftentimes, it isn't true.

When JW's say that apostates are bitter, I don't even give that the time of day. Are you kidding? That is tantamount to running over a persons leg and then telling them not to limp. Screw them.

moshe

Being a JW is like carrying around a corpse on your back. When you find out you don't have to do that anymore, it's, well, a relief. Anything that happens in life is so much easier without the burden of the Watchtower religion dragging you down. So, I left because my spirit told me it was the right thing to do..

etna

I totally agree with cantleave, I wont go anymore because I want to be honest and not hypocrital and I cant stand how they twist things and have so many double standards. I dont want to live like that, just want to be honest.

Etna

garyneal

Since I never joined 'the truth' I can't say that I am 'bitter' for leaving it. I tell my wife all the time that I am not a truth detecter and if she is to be honest and to really look for truth she would have to agree. For as long as she is willing to bury her head in the sand and deny the truth that 607 B.C.E. is an errorneous date (and therefore so is 1914 C.E.), she will always be trapped living in a lie.