Hi, this is my long overdue introduction. I’ve been visiting this site since probably around 2011. In that time, I’ve taken a lot from these discussions and never contributed anything. I’m not sure that I have much to contribute these days because I just don’t pay too much attention to WT land. Perhaps the board just knowing there are fewer WT victims out there is contribution enough.
My my wife and I attended our last meeting in the late 2015 early 2016 time frame. I’m was a 4th generation and she was second. We were well on our way to raising the 5th generation when I started having questions. I began by reading all of the societies old material I could find. I served as an elder for around 10 years. In that time and in my capacity as an elder I was confronted with issues like the UN, pedophiles, etc. I just pushed it all down and soldiered on until I started having to tell my young children that they had to be awkward in their youth like I was.
Having familiarized myself with the societies moving of the goal posts over the decades, when overlapping came out, I thought “holy cow, they’re doing it again, and this time they want my kids. This whole thing is a total load of excrement.” I began talking to my wife, slowly at first, but it picked up steam as time went on. I’m fortunate that she is such a reasonable person and over the years she listened.
We we are living a very happy life outside the cult now and just celebrated our second Christmas in our home. A good chunk of our family has followed us out as well and celebrated with us this year. We are not disfellowshipped and really don’t worry about it except for a very few relatives. We have replaced our witness friends with neighbors, parents of our children’s friends, and people we share interests with.
If if I could offer any advice to people struggling with believing mates, friends, etc., it’s this. Don’t tell them anything. Ask them everything. I love it when people come to me to “save me.” It usually results in another convert away from the cult.
Happy new new year to everyone!