Hi, I've been lurking hear for awhile and just registered this week. You're an interesting bunch and I look forward to getting to know you better.
I started studying with the Jw's when I was 16. I was dating my husband, 10yrs my senior, and he heard they had the truth. I was in an abusive household, so I moved in with him, studied, got married at 17 and baptised at 18.
I believed in it hook, line and sinker for 22 yrs. If I had a doubt, I pushed it aside and waited on Jehovah, and waited, and waited, and waited.
My faith was shattered when I heard the reports on NBC about the child abuse settlements. I was so furious that they had us going door to door with kingdom news 37 "False Religions End is Near!" Which in part, condemns the Catholic Church for the very things they were doing. I never went to a meeting again. My husband, a devout JW, kept calling the elders on me. I got sick of it, so I put in my letter of disassociation to stop the harrassment. I still wanted it to be the truth, but after examining the bible, without their influence, their beliefs just dont match up with the bible, and I won't go back. I consider myself a Christian, but nondenominational.
This is causing a great strain in my marriage, and I don't think we'll make it. I can't take being screamed at about the end coming and that I've given myself over to Satan on a daily basis. I've done everything I can to respect that he still believes this way, and I don't interfere, but he does not respect me this way.
Anyway, I hope to make friends here. Thanks for reading.