Humanism and Witnisam.

The Rebel

Well it seems for many on this board the time came to leave the W.T and cross the bridge in to a real world. Speaking for myself l feel I did not enter the cold and lonely world I was lead to believe I was entering. Rather i have discovered it was no great loss leaving a world that had protected me with false, dreams, fantazy and false promises.

But what have I really achieved by my leaving that I value?

I would answer I am now able to define my very own realistic goals and live for them.

I have concluded to much thinking is shit. So questions like:-

What is the Universe? Who made it? How did it come about? no longer interest me. Everything has a beginning a middle and end, and I am just happy to be apart of that.

The witnesses are correct there will be wars and calamities, but also closer to home senseless tragic that will befall all of us. ( Which often they are responsible for) Yet the world itself and our personal life's can and should still make us glow inside. Ok I live in a land that owes something to a refugee, and everybody always has money for ice cream. But that doesn't make it as the W.T says a totally selfish land. Instead it makes me realise how fortunate I am. And I truly believe that the banality of life has a purpose- even if we may be as mortal as trees, grass, and leaves.

My conclusion- I am alive, I have my painting and my painting allows me to see more of the world my way. I am alive and when I am hungry I can eat sausage drink beer. I am alive and I left the W.T voluntarily.I am alive and I will not allow those still in ( even family) to make my life a lesser place.

I appreciate many are more sensitive and carry justified hurt inside them, but I would like this thread to highlight the good that has come from leaving the W.T. There must be at least a little good in everyone's experience?

The Rebel.

vinman

I personnally feel that since I have left, my mind and my body are at total rest. Even though I say I loved my previous life, that was only because that was all I knew. Now, even little things don't cause stress. Such as working overtime and having to race home to go to the meeting, or having to force yourself out in preaching work just so you can continue to qualify as an elder. EVERYDAY is a joyous day. Not that I don't have any problems that life brings, it is just that my time, is MY Time. I also feel so much more human inside. I feel sorry to see that disabled vet, instead of saying "here is a magazine" and thinking "that's what you get when you go to war." I love my family more than ever. I thought I did before. But the organization took away all your thinking and emotions in some way. Your first thoughts were meetings, field service, talks, elder crap and so forth. My life has slowed down, and now I truly bask in each moment. I feel that I have become a true man. A powerful man at that. I can look at the GB or any elder and say you are not going to tell me what to do. I will do what I want and on my terms. When I recently told two elders that I will serve Yahweh according to my conscience and no one is going to tell me how, I felt at that moment I could fly. I have become the man I truly am.

OnTheWayOut

There are plenty of good things in most experiences of leaving Watchtower behind.

I went through a rough period when I left. I was told by JW's when I was recruited that I had been seeking deeper truths about life, the universe, and everything. And of course, they had all the answers about an issue of universal sovereignty and why bad things happen to people due to Satan and the demons and YADDA YADDA YADDA. But as it turned out, I was asking a simple question, which was "Who am I?" That's what people really want to know.

Once I realized that, I was able to proceed with my recovery from Watchtower quite well and to pursue happiness.

The Rebel

OnTheWayout:-

from your name you now sound well and truly out. Glad you got through " the rough period". Glad we both got out of what I now see as a dictatorship.

The Rebel.

FayeDunaway

(Vinman that was beautiful)

there are so many many good things about being out. especially that my children can choose their own lives and the pressure is off for me to try to direct them on to one very unnatural way for them to go, I can love and accept them no matter what they choose. There are so many good healthy options for them, and so far they are all choosing well.

but also I want to say leaving the WT has let me be a true citizen. I walk among my neighbors as one of them, not above them, not going to see their destruction and see them eaten by birds. They are good people with their own struggles just as I have my own struggles. I have a voice in my society, I do what I can to try to improve it. I celebrate amongst them, I go to local festivals. i love the feeling of community I have now. it's not us vs. them, it's just the larger 'us.'

Vidiot

"Witisam"? Did you mean "Witnessism"? 'Cause that ain't much better.

"JWism", maybe. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

x

Seriously though; one of the best things about fading with my family is the simple knowledge that each and every one of us is now free to be a whole person.

x

If you're entrenched in the Watchtower, that can never truly happen.

OnTheWayOut

OnTheWayout:-
from your name you now sound well and truly out. Glad you got through " the rough period". Glad we both got out of what I now see as a dictatorship.

I could update my biography, my picture, even change my email associated with this forum. But I cannot change my name if I am to keep my account and all the posts with it. I would love to change my name to "Out" or something similar. OnTheWayOut was chosen when I was attending meetings. Others have chosen a name and then their situation changed.

If people can, they should consider counseling when they get out of the JW's. If they cannot, this forum can help a bit as a group therapy. Books can help also. Just talking to people is extremely helpful.

Giordano

OTWO you have made that name mean something over the years....always a must read!

but I would like this thread to highlight the good that has come from leaving the W.T. There must be at least a little good in everyone's experience?

I am sure there is a whole lotta good in most of our lives Rebel!

My wife and I left in the mid 1960's we truly began living then. The most good in our lives no longer had to associate with the JW's, no longer needed to be under the control of those imbeciles the WTBTS.

MY son who came along after we left was the tie that bonds, his son from his first marriage came to live with us at age 16 for a year, we are still close to his Mom. Our two grand daughters from son's second marriage now 4 and 5 live 2 miles away and are in our lives on a daily basis as is my DIL.

Next our careers as artists who were lucky enough to make a living doing what we loved to do, creating and exploring, then exhibiting our work in galleries and museums. Finding a community of fellow artists, many still good friends, one in particular we have known for 40 years.

When we left back in the day we had one piss poor high school diploma between us. At this point in our mature lives we can both easily say ever dream we had we were able realize.

I hope others will contribute to this brighter side of leaving.

P.S. In our community among the 100 or so people we have gotten to know we even have 2 JW's who consider us their friends though they each asked me on the quiet why we left. We had a nice conversation and neither of us have brought it up again.

Then 5 years ago I discovered this community and I swear to god it was like finding my lost tribe!

babygirl30

Like most have said, it wasnt until being on the outside looking in (DF'd), that I began to understand how it felt to be ME. So I wholeheartedly agree with everything the other posters said! To be able to feel, to not be so scared to try new things, to be whoever I want to be - all of that is priceless. I said it before and will say it till the day I die: people outside of the org will never ever understand the mental and emotional torment we dealt with as JWs. And it is sometimes embarrassing to try to explain it...because there are so many layers to the abuse of our minds, that it sounds crazy. But the freedom is something I never take for granted.

FayeDunaway

Eek babygirl I meant 'like!!!'

Humanism and Witnisam.

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