PASTING WHAT I SAID IN ANOTHER THREAD BUT IT SEEMS TO FIT HERE AS WELL.
We have a close friend who
suggested that we "Just Fake It". They believe they are "using" their
association in the Borg for their own benefit. Good friends. Sure they
are "conditional" but as long as they see you as part of the IN group,
the ones that are your friends will be there for you. If you "fade",
they'll eventually abandon you. Our friend is pretty well off
financially so they are in the clique with the "beautiful" JW crowd --
you know, the ones who take cruises and go out to the nice places, and
wear nice clothes, and have boats and pools etc. And.....they are
generally pretty "moral" people (don't debate it, you get to pick who
you run around with) and thus are not crude or rude, etc.
Frankly,
we do miss that "association" thing. We had LOTS of JW friends while we
were IN. But we just cannot see "faking it", even for that. I'm sure
that when some dumbass thing was said in the WT Study or "Bible Study"
I'd get caught rolling my eyes or I might even LOL at some of the puke
they're serving up these days. Then it would be the "Back Room" ass
whooping or inquisition. (I guess I'm too much of my "authentic" self?)
Additionally we have discussed that we would feel guilty if others who
had doubts decided to stay IN because they saw that we "believed" -- so
it must be OK. (Did you have some JW's you looked up to that way?)
But the final straw is: You have to do what is good FOR YOU.