Can someone raised as a Jehovah's Witness ever successfully deal with reality? I am beginning to wonder if it is possible, at least for me.
I was raised to believe I would never grow old. I was raised to believe that I would not have to work and make a living for myself. I never gave consideration to having to prepare myself for dealing with the aches and pains that growing up and old would bring.
By now I was supposed to be in paradise, eating apples and having fun with all my friends.
A major difference between the "paradise earth" promise and the "heaven" promise made by most religions is that most religions offer the reward as a post death situation. Other religions teach that suffering in this life is a build up to the good life after death.
Not so with witnesses who raise their children to believe that life should be put on hold. They are taught that this life is not the real life.
Now at 44, I am still growing up, trying to get a grasp on the fact that I do indeed have to solve my problems myself.
This disjunction between the surreal world of child witness life and the real world of adulthood is a dangerous and lonely plain to find oneself on.
Joel