Above all - do what feels right to you. And if you have a faith, know that it'll be respected and valued by those who matter in your friend/family circle. As much as I don't personally have faith, I truly respect those who have it. Not the destructive JW version of faith. But the kind that benefits the individuals who have it and treasure it.
Hey Jambon,
Thanks for your kind words. It's funny, but my brother is an atheist and have had some lengthy discussions around religion. The point you mentioned above is exactly what I explained to him. Ie there is nothing wrong with having a Christian faith...as long as it is harming no one else. My brother is sickened by the impact this religion has had on him personally...and he isn't even a witness. Yet the reverberations of the actions of my over the top die hard jdub mother has done the damage over the years to our family. My own sister tearfully told me how isolated she felt growing up as witness, because she wasn't encouraged to mix with other children. She ended up with depression as a result. As soon as she turned 18, she left home to travel. She was so desperate to get away from the religion. I only found this out recently.
My niece who is a happy go lucky girl told me several months ago at a family gathering how she met a 'really nice handsome brother' who had been visiting her hall with a group. She arranged to meet up with him that weekend with others as he showed an interest in her. She added him to her face book. The 'very next day' she got a pm from him explaining how he had been asking questions about her spirituality and said that there was no point progressing the relationship any further. I had to control my anger and said to her that people like that make me sick. I told my wife later about it and how it completely pissed me off. If my niece was going out like any normal girl, she would be snapped up by some lucky guy. A really nice girl, with a lovely personality, yet treated like trash because she ain't jumping high enough for a literature corporation.
This religion has created such a culture and most of it's members are so deluded they can't see the impact their actions are having on the people around them.