thank you Stacey and Individual's Wife! I appreciate your comments and encouragement. The ex-witnesses I am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
I was born and raised a witness. By the time I was four my parents had me saying, "I want to go to Bethel" to the brothers and sisters because they thought it was cute. By the age of seven a circuit overseer was so impressed with my reading skills that he personally signed me up for the theocratic school and assigned me my first bible reading at a circuit assembly in Chicago. Talk about a traumatic experience! By the age of 14 I was baptized. At age 18 I began pioneering after graduating from high school. As soon as I turned 19 my dad (the presiding overseer) handed me a bethel application and told me to fill it out. Being the good little son that I was I filled it out and was accepted a few months later.
Once at bethel I was assigned to the cleaning department. I had a flat top hair cut at the time and I got the distinct feeling that upon entering bethel that they were trying to get rid of me. They had me cleaning toilets for several months. Then they had me stripping waxed floors with highly poisonous strippers. Many elders at Bethel talked to me about my flat top haircut, telling me that they just didn't feel it was a suitable style to wear "in God's house". I didn't give in to their pleas and kept my hair style.
During my stay at Bethel I noticed quite quickly that beer flowed freely. Being underage and drinking at bethel is quick grounds for dismissal. Well, suffice it to say I began drinking beer with my buddies, many of whom were of age but didn't care if I drank with them. I even began to buy beer from local grocery stores (no one ever carded me). One Monday night after the "family" watchtower study I had a little get together with seven of my buddies where my roommate and I provided the beer. For some odd reason (some will probably say it was heavenly direction) the night watchman stopped by my room and asked us what we were doing. I knew him so I let him in (stooopid me!). The following morning all seven us were in elders meetings for the whole day. The following day all seven of us were asked to leave Bethel and I was publicly reproved.
Here's the clincher! That Friday at "morning worship" the brother conducting it out and out lied about why we were sent home. He stated that seven brothers had been excused from bethel for partaking in a satanic ritual. After one year and seven months of gruelling service at bethel I got the boot. My service to Jehovah diminished quickly. I just couldn't muster the same zeal I used to have.
Bethel, Schmethel!