I am 23 years old. For 21 years, I have shut my brain out from the most beautiful of things. I never knew the beauty of books by Carl Sagan. I never knew the beauty of nature's evolution. I had to hide my music. Deicide, A Perfect Circle, Nirvana, A Perfect Circle, Inkubs Sukkubus, Bauhaus, they were all considered "Not music for spiritual people" because "alternative" music was a gateway to feelings that shouldn't be felt by Christians.
Dumbasses.
Thoughtcrimes: There were many things wrong that I saw with the org. Their books were written in a way that attacked other veiwpoints instead of using facts. They taught faulty science and history. Not to mention that a certian video was bad, but then you really couldn't say in public that the video looked bad, or else you'll be "questioning the brother's work". For god's sake, the video looks like you're looking a Picasso while drunk.
It claimed to "follow Jesus'" words, yet you had to dress a certian way in order to be considered "one of god's flock", ignoring the scripture that says "He is the one that is a Jew on the inside.". And the major one. You cannot question the organization or else you're disfellowshipped. Major thoughtcrime.
When I saw my elders' response to the child molestation scandal in a nearby town, where they accused the person of lying without even considering what went on, that was the last straw.
I will be 24 years old in 6 months. I am free, but my freedom is limited, due to the fact that I have only a lifetime to enjoy it. 1/4th of that life has already been stolen by Them.
I was fooled into thinking I would live forever since childhood. That gave me a lazy attitude towards my life. I didn't want to learn alot, but rather put my efforts into going to people's houses and giving them tracts that they would most likley, throw away. I wanted to learn, but to go to college was seen as me not putting faith into god's promise of armageddon coming soon. I still had that fear.
I'm now 23 years old, and I'm catching up on 3 years of fear and 2 years of greif.
I won't graduate college until i'm 28 years old. Thank you for stealing my youth.