This thread is an excellent although painful thread to read. I feel sad, hurt and angry at the same time.
If I could digress for one minute for all the people who are just thinking about leaving, starting to leave or are in the middle of the painful, seemingly unending process of getting out.
Here is an anecdotal story that I hope gives you some hope...
My oldest got her first job at a local business that recreates the Polar Express trip to the north pole. My wife, myself and my youngest went to the dress rehearsal yesterday. As I could hear the kids yelling and dancing in the train, hopeful to see santa or even an elf, christmas songs started to break out in the various parts of the train. My wife and our youngest started singing along and to my suprise my youngest knew all the words, while I knew only the main lines. Hearing my youngest sing "Frosty the Snowman" had such a huge emotional impact on me that I was glad the lights in the train were not working! I have never doubted leaving when I found out TTATT, but it was not easy. The childhood that my daughters are having is worlds different then the childhood I had. Not only different but better, much better!
All the worrying about the future, arguing with family members and the inevitable shunning by decades old "friends" IS worth it. The thoughts that my life was wasted or squandered on missed opportuinites is the wrong way to think about your time in this cult. Going through what I and many others have gone through has forged me into who I am today. My experience has given me the skill set to make sure my kids will see what the real life is. Not the one that is restricted and built on lies meant to keep us servile to a group of men in NYC or any other group of men anywhere!
pbrow