A thread on another forum reminded me of a letter I wrote to the person that went to the elders and started the proceedings to have me disfellowshipped.
I stopped believing in the religion when I was 25 but continued going for about ten years. I finally started to fade at 35, but about 6 months after I had stopped going to meetings, a person wrote a letter to the elders about my website, which at the time was anonymous. It ended up for the best, since I would never have been able to move on if I just faded. This is what I wrote him.
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Hi Dwayne,
This week is the anniversary of the 6th year since I was disfellowshipped. I would like to thank you, as you were directly involved in that occurrence, and if not for you I may never have had the strength to do what I should have many years earlier. Being officially freed from the religion was like being born again; it was such a relief. For about a year I would wake each morning a feel in awe at finally being alive, released from a life time in a mental prison.
Of course there were some negative aspects, particularly losing family. But it was that aspect of anger and hurt that spurred me to be able to achieve great things. My site was small and anonymous at the start, with the intention of explaining to my family and friends my point of view. But the actions you precipitated with the elders, rather than letting me fade (particularly since I had not been to a meeting in 6 months and had almost zero contact with JWs) but disfellowshipping me, gave me the impetuous to plunge fully into expanding jwfacts.com, promoting it, and also launching a case with the Privacy Commission.
jwfacts.com is now one of the main resources regarding the Watchtower Society on the internet, and has lead to many thousands leaving the religion, many more that left but were still tormented by doubts finally freeing themselves completely, and from the emails I receive is having a tremendous influence in preventing people contacted by Witnesses from joining the religion. I am inundated with emails of gratitude for the information.
You really have been a godsend.
Here is wishing you a Happy and Prosperous 2012.
Regards
Paul