Why’d you leave your religion?

 

For twenty-eight years I was totally a legit JW and I have the business cards to prove it.

Or maybe the better the question is, why’d you stay so long?

I’ve been asked many times “Why did you leave your religion?.” My default answer has usually been something related to the false doctrine I uncovered or the controlling nature of religion or the scandalous lies told by the leaders, etc., etc., etc.

Ok, sure, I can “prove by references” the faulty teachings and lies of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But although all of that is true and without a doubt legitimate reasons for leaving, the fact that I wasn’t happy should’ve been enough.

It took me past two years since I’ve been out of the cult to realize that my feelings are valid and superior to those of any religion I am apart of, person I know or organization that I belong to. I don’t need to justify the decision I made to anyone, because I know I make the right choice for me.

Looking back, I see that some of why I didn’t leave sooner was because I wanted to compile concrete evidence-based reasons for leaving. Of course, I am glad that I did all of that research, but because I felt such a strong need to do so, shows how little value I put on my own feelings, happiness and well being.

So in order for me to muster up the courage to change my life, I felt that I had to look outward for validation, when the whole time I had the most compelling reason to leave within me. I just didn’t know how to listen to my internal voice telling me to get out!

(And that’s how I know I was brainwashed.)

This article was originally published on Medium