First thanks to all for this board and forum and all the stories, information and thoughts that are shared. I have been a lurker now for almost a year, and now that “newbies” can get on board, here I am.
Here's my story. I'll try to keep it brief. Baptized at 15 and made Ministerial Servant by 19. My father, mother, siblings and entire side of my mother's family are Jehovah's Witnesses. Literally, the girl next door was good friends with my sister and I took an interest in her. She studies with my sister and was baptized. Shortly thereafter, we were engaged and then married. I have been happily married to Mrs. Trebor close to a decade, and both of us are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses by choice.
The in-between… I guess for me (and probably many others) there was always doubts, but had the mind-controlled rationale of "Where Else to Go", "It's the Best Thing Out There". However, as far as I can recall the real turning point for me was the acceptance of blood fractions...It just didn't add up. It's either you were abstaining from blood or you're not. Nonetheless, for years I just chalked it up as the Society allowing people to make their own "bible-trained" decision without really following through on the logic.
In doing some research on the Watchtower Library CD, I came across their previous stance(s) on Organ Transplants, and I knew then and there all bets were off. I did my digging and research discovering the plethora of evidence and facts which totally discredited the Watchtower Society and the contradictions and flip-slops which abounded.
Probably out of all of it the thing which shook me up the most was the Society's previous stance on the issue of rape. Always being a supporter and believer of protecting women especially against violent acts.
It had been several weeks and I had yet to mention anything to my wife; so I put all my research together. I prayed about it and showed everything to my wife. She was as crushed as I was and thankfully came to the same conclusions I did concerning the organization.
Now what to do about my family, here's where it became really tricky. Our families were pretty close. Not only was my wife friends with my sister, she was relatively close to my other siblings as well. Furthermore, my mother and mother-in-law were good friends. The icing on the cake is my wife and I studied with my In-Law parents for years and assisted in bringing them into the organization!
There is more surrounding this predicament, which I will save you from reading, but what was ultimately decided and the most "fair" thing my wife and I could do was inform our families all at once. Considering some lived ~20 miles away, while others close to 2000 miles away, we put together a mini-book (~60 pages) with a letter explaining everything, and mailed it out next day service overnight.
I left voice (Already type written and then read) messages with several Elders including the statement it was our God-giving and legal right to our decision, and admonished them to not harass us to prevent further action from being taken. We have not been bothered since.
The reaction to the letter and book to our family was mixed, resulting with my wife's parents listening and ultimately disassociating themselves as Jehovah's Witnesses, while the rest of my family - outside of my father - shunning us. My father “kind of” still talks to us.
I'll spare you further details for now, but for you reading including any lurkers, understand despite the heartache, pain and sacrifice, I made the right choice and could not be a hypocrite and live the lie. I made the choice when I first discovered the facts - that I could not ignore them and pretend. I was ready to sacrifice it all for the (real) truth. I still have my wife and In-Laws, but indeed have great lost in the way of family and friends. Regardless, it is still worth it and I advise everyone and anyone who is stuck or on the fence about being a supporter of the Watchtower Society to leave it.