Hello to everyone of you on this forum. I am new here...have been reading this site since January of this year. I have been raised in the truth and published for 36 years...(yes, I have been very timid about posting...because I am new and because I feel I must have something of value to contribute).
Since Feb. I have seriously been reconsidering this org. My husband and I had a so called welcoming visit from the elders. (we had just moved a month before to a new location). The first 10 minutes was great........then they totally AVOIDED me for 2 hours and 45 minutes and grilled my husband to shredds.......it was just the worst, unloving shepherding visit I have ever had. I still can't get over it. They have killed my desire to ever step foot in their KH. I know that Jehovah or Jesus did not approve of that visit.
I would not have even looked at this site...you know why...as an active JW we were told this is an apostate site. But in Jan. my husband got reacquainted with a member...you all know and love her: Scully....He was searching a site for a high school. He posted and she got in touch with him. They shared what happened in their lives since they were young teens. As I read her story I was saddened by the total lack of love shown to her. My new husband went thru his "hell" story as well....After that so called "shepherding visit" I must say the visits to this site have become very regular. And in defense of this site: I can truly say that the majority are not apostates. I now know why the Org. doesn't want us visiting here.......because we will find the "truth" about the truth. I read so many heart wrenching experiences that I know people don't make them up....So I started sharing them with my husband. He was raised in the Truth.....and was treated horribly by his elders when his ex wife left him (way before I even knew him-----I was going thru my divorce thousands of miles away) He is still trying to cope with that pain they dished out. It was sad to see a person treated this way that is so kind.
Anyways, because I had seen that Dateline show, a year ago last May, (which by the way, I almost fell off my couch watching it. I felt so betrayed and annoyed and full of hurt for several reasons. The victims that are suffering are huge....I was a very strong JW...felt duped because they always condemned the Catholic Church for such things---and now I find out JW's do the same thing???) The letter read at all the congregations the following week never answered any of my pending questions, it seemed like a "sweep me under the rug answer"....not quite what I expected from someone who trained and educated me on how Jehovah wants us to owe up to wrongs and right them. I thought: "how can I ever go in the door to door again? How can I say we have the truth when we do exactly as the Catholic church does?"....hmmmm.. I was raised this way and lived it and truly believed in it....thus a heaviness thrust upon my heart....I can not bring in somebody to an org that allows and doesn't protect victims of such abuse and how this is a stench upon the very name of Jehovah.
The child abuse issues and the lack of love received in the past few years has really brought up huge questions about the org. I could say a whole lot more....but that would cover many pages.
I am also friends with Joy2bfree......and her husband Steve. They are very kind and hospitable people that showed me great kindness in my time of need.
I want to thank many of you posters that have shared their life experiences. I really appreciate you sharing your personal experiences. I feel so bad that you had to go thru such a lack of love by JW's. My heart goes out to all of you that have suffered and didn't receive the love that you deserved.