I salute you.
When I was in, I was a brainwashed idiot. It instilled an arrogance and made me part of a community that contributed to your suffering.
I remember when I would see a JW parent drag their teens to the meeting. Some of these parents had converted recently, some had been some years. But it was obvious their children were uninterested in “the truth”. Without speaking a word, their attitude emanated from them in waves.
At the time, I thought they were “rebellious” or a bad seed, that maybe if they would only give “the truth” a chance…
Now after waking up and reading experiences of the underaged knowing it isn’t “the truth”, being forced into meetings and field service, being subject to the whims of fanatical parents, I emphasize. It is no wonder they don’t look happy.
Of course, when I was 17, I briefly considered leaving the religion (after being baptized at 15), but my father threatened to kick me out if I did. At the time, I didn’t have access to the information that is everyone’s fingertips nowadays. I’d no easy way of properly evaluating the religion. My family called the elders who quickly re-indoctrinated me.
So many of my peers over the years left. I now realize they were not “weak” or “worldly”, but they were smarter than I was.
