I decided I wanted to try to find my original user name on this site, and for some reason my memory decided to start working for a bit. I finally found it, and back then I went by the name of Irish Rose. I had picked that name because of my Irish family history, and roses are my favorite flower. Anyways, I went through some of my old post and found one titled 20 years ago today. In there I was talking about how I made the biggest mistake in my life, by getting baptized. Next year that number will be 30 years. I have been officially out of that cult 15 years, next month. My mom became a member back in the mid 1970's, and unfortunately for me I had the "privilege" of being raised in it.
My husband doesn't visit any of these forums, but his history is some what similar to my own. In the mid 1970's, both his parents became JWs. They all became witness for the same reason, and that was to survive the pending doom of this world back in 1975. Personally if it were me, and I fell for that, once 1976 rolled around I would have walked away from those lying serpents. Yes, I consider the the whole lot as a bunch of snakes in the grass.
My husband on the other hand, had the "privilege" of dealing with a dad, who's life goal was to become an elder, at the time was a Ministerial Servant. As soon as he was able, he moved out, and shortly after that his dad did become an elder. If your wondering, he's not an elder any more. I don't know the details, but I know he had a falling out with some of the other elders, and he moved to another congregation. I have a feeling that it might have been about a birthday party that man attended, and yes he did sing the Happy Birthday song. He is one of the biggest hypocritical jerks that I know.
I really don't feel that getting baptized was my biggest mistake anymore, because the way I look at it now, and it is this. By getting baptized in that cult, and yes leaving it years later, and yes getting shunned, has really been a blessing. I say this a blessing because never again will I fall for something like that, and my children are very aware of what to look for as well. To make things even more positive, what happened to me any my husband, actually prevented several of our non-JW relatives from making the biggest mistake of their lives. When they saw what the JW relatives had done to us, and are still doing, they do not want any part of that cult. Those who were, stopped their bible studies, and saw for themselves the JW's true colors.
For a while, yes I did miss my mom, and other JW relatives, but not any more. I'm actually better off without them, because they are very toxic people to be around. They are the type of people that will hug you, while sticking a knife in your back and twisting the blade.
Because of making that decision to get baptized, it allowed me to be in a place where I met my husband, and to later on have my two boys. At the time when I met him, I was a member of the electrical crew who went around helping with the kingdom hall builds. He had come with a friend who was on a crew that laid carpet. Although that day we met, my future husband didn't do much work. He was following me around, and talking to me. I had finished up my work by the time we met, and was getting ready to leave for home. That part got delayed for most of the day, because well there was something about him that I really liked. It was probably his blue eyes, because I'm a sucker for blue eyes. lol
Now to tell you how close I came to not meeting him, and it was this. That hall build was the last that I was going to work on, because I was getting ready to move out of state, and then later move to another country. I had already worked on four years worth of building projects, and was ready to move on with the next phase of my life. The moment I had met him, I was asking another friend if he knew where some of my equipment was, after that I was leaving. I didn't realize it at the time, but the name of the town I met my husband, is also the same as my birthstone. Someone pointed that one out to me. lol This September will be our 23rd wedding anniversary.
Looking back on the past, I no longer view that as my biggest mistake, but as a life choice that has lead me to where I am today.