Best Stones song ever.
00DAD posted something that got me thinking. Newbies who PM people asking for personal data. Well that is me. Well just once and he responded because we had gone to a couple of the same congregations. But, still guilty. So here goes my introduction.
I am In Minnesota and got assimilated in my early teens against my parents wishes. I was very "pious" during my teenage years, having come from a small town congregation. The teenagers in the city congos did not appreciate that. They helped speed my corruption along. I was reproved, disfellowshipped, reinstated and then faded. I made one last go of it when my witness wife left me for another man. When I started attending meetings again, one of the elders said that people were gossiping about me coming back just to get my ex df'd. That is not why I did it but that is what it probably still looks like to them because after about 9 months of the gossiping, insults and cold behavior I realized these people were not my friends and I left.
Unfortunately the cult mindset was still there and I had to go through years of worry about being destroyed at armageddon. I slowly started to learn just how messed up this religion was. I started reading this site right after leaving but it didn't completely make me see just how wrong my worldview was. That started to clear up when my 23 year old disfellowshipped nephew got drunk and stumbled in front of a semi. (with that statement, any of my JW relatives lurking here will know exactly who I am. To that I say come get me.) I felt lucky that I had had enough sense to talk to him just a few months earlier when I saw him at his brothers wedding. We were only 8 years apart and had our differences but it would have killed me to know I had ignored him the last time I saw him.
I did see how my sisters, his cousins and his own brothers acted like he wasn't there. Then these same people were at his funeral not long after. I saw the "worldly" people he knew more broken up about this than his brothers or stepfather. For a group that proclaims they are known for their love they were certainly not showing it.
I got back to researching, have joined an ex-jw meetup group and read peoples experiences on here. I have been intelectually clean for years now. This site especially has been helpful to me. I see people have disagreements and be able to discuss them. No thought stopping proclaimations are given to win an argument.
I now am married to a wonderful woman, have 2 great kids and earn a good living (I know it is cliched, but yes, I was a janitor). I still have dealings with my JW sisters but once my mother passes I expect that to cease. I don't expect I will be one of the 10 thousand club of posters here, I just don't have that much to say, but will join in when it strikes me.
So, pleased to meet you, ...
Jeff