Hard to believe, but I've been on JWD for a whole year!!! My, how time flies!!!
For those of you who are not too familiar with me or "my story" I'll just give you a few details.
I was born and raised as a JW. I became a publisher at age 10 and at the same time joined the Theocratic Ministry School, giving talks from the stage. At 17, I got baptized. But soon after high school, I started attending college and the elders kept pressuring me to quit. One elder said, "What do you need worldly college for? Armageddon is almost here!" (That was back in the early 1980's!!) Most of the "friends" at my congregation became icy cold toward me too. Apparently word leaked out that the elders had had a talk with me about quitting college, but I was being defiant. So in my early 20s, I made a choice and left the JW's for good. This lead to shunning by my family, which caused me to become suicidal at one point. If it wasn't for the love of my "worldly" dad, I may not be alive today!
Finally, just over a year ago I thought about seeing a shrink...UGH!!! So many unresolved JW issues that I was still trying to deal with since leaving The Org. Then I realized that it would probably take 5 or 6 sessions with a shrink, just to try and explain what being raised as a JW is all about...it would be much better if I could seek out other former JWs, they would understand and be able to relate easier.
Then I found out about these types of online forums and posted on a couple. Through one of these, I met buttlight and she told me about JWD. Posting on here, starting friendships with other x-JWs and hearing about their experiences over this last year has really helped me. And I have to say that it's been lots of fun too!
Thanks to everyone on here for making this site worthwhile and enjoyable!!!
I'm looking forward to many more years of hanging out on here with you wonderful apostates!!!
TCK
