The guilt part of leaving I believe has a lot to do with how JW parents (as most religious parents) label their children with their beliefs. We were all labeled as good little JW boys and girls even though we weren't possibly educated enough to make such a decision on our own. Thus, when we do decide to leave, we get comments from our parents like "you weren't raised like this" "you know better", and my personal favorite, which still makes me want to punch someone in the throat, "Deep down, you KNOW this is the truth". I'm not sure how much contact you still have with your parents, but if your dad is an elder, I imagine you get guilt trips like no other, which I can certainly relate to. My mother has it in her head that I am simply being rebellious and one day will go back to the "one true god" (barf). The problem with that logic is that is has to do with beliefs, not a pissing contest with the elders. My whole childhood and adolescence I trusted my mother and believed that 2+2=3 and in fact fought with people over this "fact" that I KNEW to be true. Now that I've learned that 2+2 in fact equals 4 I cannot simply forget the facts and go back to ignorance, but alas, since JW's KNOW their beliefs to be true, rebellion/Satan's influence is the only logical reason anyone would leave that organization.

Anyways, consider yourself to be lucky you never truly believed the BS and didn't get dunked, and I'm happy for you that you've found some direction in your life.