To Xjw_b12:
My family members have always discussed issues that relate to the organization in-depth. Sometimes we would agree with "new light", sometimes not. However, we just went along with the crowd irregardless of our personal feelings, believing that was the right thing to do, confident that things would be corrected. We were never afraid to voice our thoughts to the appropriate people. You definately had to be cautious who you said certain things to. Within our family circle we always felt free to be totally honest with one another on how we felt or what we believed. Surprisingly, when the issue of the U.N. involvement came up, we all felt the same way! I was somewhat apprehensive concerning my mother as she had spent her entire life living, eating and breathing for this religion. She ACTUALLY never missed a single month of real service time in her entire fifty years as a witness. She never missed an assembly and very rarely missed a meeting. When I told her what was going on, there was no hesitation on her part but that this was apostacy and she wanted to disassociate herself immediately. I convinced her to hold off on that as she is older and has many good friends. She quit attending meetings when my sibling was disfellowshipped (because of the UN association) and has distanced herself somewhat, but still talks to her friends. They have never asked her why and she just doesn't bring it up.
I was attending a seperate Hall and had many good friends there. I only shared this info with my closest friends and most felt the same way that I did. Several of them stopped attending meetings immediately and others just faded. I still have friends at the Hall and we go out for lunch or to a movie, etc. but we just do not talk about the UN thing. I have never forced by beliefs on anyone and don't intend to start now. Present the facts and let people decide for themselves...
All my family members have been Very active ...Bethel, Special Pioneering, Regular Pioneering, etc., but we were always taught to hold fast to the TRUTH as set forth in the Bible. I never put organization above my worship and neither did my family, no matter what was written in the Watchtower or any other publication. The Watchtower is not inspired and so we always believed that it could and sometimes was fallible. I remember even as a child, I would look up the scriptures cited in the Watchtower and sometimes I just did not agree with the slant they put on the text. But I did believe what I read in the Bible.
It was extremely tough for me being raised a Witness. I look back and shudder at all the control that was exercised over my life. The only thing that kept me going sometimes was believing that I was doing what God wanted me to, per the Society's rules. To realize the amount of deceit that they have covered up for so long and finally being exposed, is like someone jerking the rug out from under your feet. It takes a while to regain your balance. However after you go through that transition, the freedom feels wonderful. It takes tons of guilt off your shoulders because no matter how much you ever did, they always asked if you could do more! I honestly do not know why the elders have not wanted to meet with me...maybe it's because we were all good friends. Or they may feel the same as I do but are staying in hoping things will change. One couple stated that they had been witnesses all their life and simply didn't know how to live any other way. Sad, isn't it?
