Well I have not been a part of the Jws for over 12 years. I was born and raised one. Indoctrincated from birth you can say. Thank goodness I somehow gained the strength and fortitude to exticate myself from their narrow-minded views and life. I have my dad to thank for this. I can't give you an exact date that I started doubting but it began around the age of 15-16 when my parents got divorced. I say how the religion tore apart two people who dearly loved each other and the havoc it reigned down on a family with 4 children. I wish I could say I took my stand at this point but unfortunately it took many more years and a failed JW marriage myself to start myself on the road to freedom.
I have so much more I could say about all of this but it would take up too much space.
I am very grateful for my choice to chose freedom and am a million times happier in the life I have chosen to live. To be free of shame, guilt and judgement is a wonderful thing. I wake up every morning knowing I can make the choices I feel are right for me in my heart and go to sleep each night with a smile on my face. I won't say there haven't been adjustment issues, cause believe me socially children raised by die-hard JWs are stunted and awkward but everyday I work to overcome these. I have family that is still a part of the "organization" that I so want to be close to but know that it really is futile to let myself get to close because all it will mean is pain and rejection. My 87 year-old grandmother, who I used to be her favorite, and I got reaquainted after many years of almost nonexistant communication, being the main one. I had an opportunity to move in with her so she could continue to live in her home of over 50 years but had to turn this down due to knowing if I did I would have to deprive my 10 year old son of holidays. I knew if I lived in her house I would have to respect her feelings. I could not as a responsible parent allow this to happen to my son, I vowed he would never miss out on the things I did as a child or be forced into a narrow minded mold. I hate that my grandmother can't live the rest of her life in her own home. You would think one of the 3 of her JW children would make sure she could do this or one of the elders or friends in the congregation she has gone to for 50+ years could assist her in this matter. Where's the so called brotherly love? What about taking care of your fellow brothers and sisters?
Anyways like I said I do have issues that leaving caused but they never outweigh the relief my choice has given me. I'm glad my longtime friend Jeckle encouraged me to get on here and read some of the posts and join. My hat is off to all who have the courage to tear themselves away from the BS and mind control. I also sympathisize with the issues it creates. We all end up losing loved ones and friends when we walk or run away. The ones I am most sad for are those who have their doubts and never walk away or who do leave but never let go of the life or the beliefs. Thanks for listening. I may not post much but I will jump in when time allows me.