Hello everyone,
Its my first post and I don't really know where to start, there been so much on my mind. I've been reading threads on this site like crazy and obtained a copy of COC from the library yesterday. I stayed up until 4am reading it, and I'm impressed with the way it was written - its just like reading a W only the subject matter is a little different hehe.
I'll break myself in gently with this site over time but basically a few things about me are: born in a jw family, baptized as a young teen, 1 yr aux pio, several yrs as reg pio, 1 year as 'special' full time pio at bethel. Not df'd or da'd yet but no doubt have a few eyes watching me - kinda like sauron - the eye is moving around watching everywhere!
Its hard for me to really pinpoint but I think, the real turning point in my life was the year at bethel and specifically the requirement to read the bible cover to cover in your first year. I hadn't done that up to that point and doing so got me thinking more and more about several matters of 'faith' and consience. Oh yah, my favourite book is Ecclesiastes without a doubt!
I've never before associated with 'apostates' and only very very briefly checked out a website once several years ago (actually while at b). The only thing I remember about it was some claims about impropriety to do with Nazi flags or something at some assembly in Germany. I actually was able to read the society's account in the old yearbook at the b library and amazingly enough shortly after I read about this, the society actually put out that article addressing this issue. I'm not sure who is telling the truth about it all but it doesn't really matter right now to me anyway. The point of this paragraph is that I got to this stage in my spiritual life and the jw org pretty much on my own with my own meditation and thinking. Of course I love thinking that I've applied the bstudy principle of the 'ring of truth' to my own journey away from the org, although that never was my purpose - to get away from the org, but rather to seek 'truth' and accuracy of belief.
I've felt so alone (other than wife who is similar to my thinking - actually, she was there first but didn't push me ever) in my journey the last several years and to affirm that I'm not alone by the discussions many of you have on this site is pretty moving to me.
Enough of me now, I'll definitely be around for awhile to hopefully contribute in some meaningful way and appreciate any support great or small that comes my way. Just reading your stories is pretty much support enough. Thank you all! (and you too Simon!)
boa
'To all those who think they KNOW, beware of arrogance'
boa