Hello Everyone.
I apologize in advance for the length.
When I finally resolved myself to choose a nick, after a year and a half spent as an Infamous Lurker, I very likely thought to be the only one from this VaticanLand interested in this weird net-place and its inhabitants. But yesterday I found out it's not this way. ("Italians, I want You out of the dark!").
That was the reason of my name. Indeed, it also reflects the conscience of a need I think not being the only one to share. It's the awareness of how far are we Italians from an integrated use of the Internet, essentially due to our failing mastery of the English language.
Also - me first, the Italian JWs, exJWs, future JWs then - it's the lack of a proper view of the Web, as well as of any other mean of kowledge, and of logic, to compel me to focus on the comparison between the slightly differences inJW national "cultures". Maybe only, in the end, the differences in management of the various JW branches. Which I see real and active. I have sundry instances to draw upon in explaining why.
So, when looking at a "TheItalian" post, try thinking what you would be willing to discover in the trends of the JW in a peculiar country like Italy.
Yet, this is not at stake. What I really want to do is to THANK YOU ALL. Want to thank Master Simon in his effort in running the site. I want to thank all the friends (I dare to call you this way) for having expressed yourselves and helped others with relief. Those who did come up and faced their deepest grieves caused by a corrupted view of christianism, an evil congregation and false teachings created and fostered by the Watchtower Society. By simply stating your rights as free thinkers and (more or less) respectful observer of all possible system of beliefs - surely more respectful
than the WTS, now namely the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.
I owe my enlightenment to myself, to God if he exists - still, to YOU all posters and free (wo)men.
'Cause I've been in a hall too many times since I was four years old. And I have not seen nor suffered from many of the atrocities some among you have done; but my disgrace has been, since I learned to remember, just the fact I remember and I wanted to Understand. Only today, although not so satisfactorily, I am starting to give credit to myself and do make serious researches and (maybe) learn to respectfully listen to others' opinions. But my bitter hatred for those kind of people the congregations are still stuffed up with, numbs my will to be a rational and a spiritual being - and to respect you. So at times I will quarrel with some of you. Larsguy, YouKnow and akin species been warned: I loved you; I must thank you for having set an example for me not to follow.
And I am still sitting in BoreDom Kingdom Hall, striving to contain myself and at every word uttered not to start yelling at the address of those I will never be able to talk to: the members of the Governing Body. I am twenty-five yars old, I study at the University, been alone with my mom, who is A true Christian, since parents divorced when I was ten, I've ALWAYS felt the flawed logic pervading those around me at the same times acknowledging the true efforts made by sincere people, brothers, sisters in the congregations; YOU have helped me to sort out among informations, 'cause "the Truth will set You Free", so I managed to re-examine everything concerning this strange corner of reality that is the cultish mindset and I want to be different whatever may it mean, even clearer in thinking: yet I want Their Heads. I want to see as my vengeance the Ruin of those at Columbia Heights who know to be not speaking the Truth. I want them exposed and I want to be there.
So, my past is not of the utmost relevance: it's the present and the choices anyone - ever related to the JW -in, out, on the edge of that Kingdom Hall which is in his own mind has to contemplate. I am deeply grateful to you, your words and your courage.
It has taken me months to come up with the time to periodically check most of the posts and to afford serious resarch on what I've always been innerly aware of. And I don't know a 100th of what I should. At last, even if rarely I will be contributing to this collective marvel, I raised from the dark: but now, please, ask me (and advise me on what to do) of how I've already outspoken to my elders about EVERYTHING, even if never formally, phoned to my former CO and hiddenly insulted him for "vacationing" at Bethel, and given (I know ridiculous) n2 speeches in which I told of how credible is that Jerusalem was destroyed in 587-586 b.C. and how none should put any organization over christianism; how funny was, at one of the last service meeting, correcting the speaker about the number of missing "problematic" (my words) chapters in the new cutandpaste book "Worsheep"ALOUD, from the last row in the Hall.
But they've not yet Disfellowshipped me!!!
Now, What else? (and thanks for your patience).
HCE.J.J.