Just wanted to thank everyone so much for all your responses to my first post. I am overwhelmed by all the replies and supportive comments that came through overnight while I was asleep here in Aussie land!
I will absolutely endeavour to reply to each one individually but it will take some time as there are a lot to go through. I look forward to further correspondence with each of you on the topics you have raised and the questions you have asked. In the meantime just wanted to make some quick comments on a couple of common themes that came through in your replies:
1. I have listened carefully to the many comments that have advised against dissociating. I will take these on board and think further on the matter before making any hasty decisions. It is a hard one for me. I understand the point about not playing by their rules and I certainly appreciate the severe consequences as yes, ALL my social circle are currently “in.” However, on the other had, I also feel that I am compromising my integrity by not doing it. And at the end of the day I value my integrity more than I care about the personal consequences. With the exception of my wife of course, and she has promised to stick by me and respect (despite not supporting) my decision, whichever way I go. Most of my friends are only friends because of our common spiritual heritage, they are not normally persons I would have much in common with outside the organisation. There are a few special and close friends though that are exceptions to that rule that I hope will be loyal to our friendship, but that of course remains to be seen. And from the experience of others I have read about it is likely they will not survive if I formally disassociate. On a side not, I was thinking of just doing it verbally instead of writing a letter as G.Jackson indicated in his testimony any the ARC that one didn't need to go through a formal process and suffer the consequences that process implies - I thought I might test that theory!
2. A coupe asks about the writing. I will share some more experiences down the track but just wanted to clear up that I have never been a Bethelite or worked at headquarters. Select branches have a writing desk/department that contributes to the head office writing department. I worked under the writing desk of the Australian branch office, which doe snot actually require one to be at Bethel. There are many researchers and writers in many branches that contribute to articles or even come up with ideas for articles. I will explain the process another time.
3. I don’t know if I will publish my manifesto here when it is complete as it is really just a personal compilation and interpretation of material already covered by many others before me. I have certainly gone through jwfacts, Penton, Gruss etc and many others. I think Lloyd Evans has already written more comprehensively than I will be on all these subjects and am looking forward to reading his book. But I may share specific parts of it as I continue to contribute more to these boards in time as particular subjects come up.