A lady at the dr. office recently asked me why I left the JWs(she is very active) and I told her. I said that never been able to disagree was an issue for me. She said she just kept her disagreements to herself and 'waited on Jehovah' to set them straight. (I was inwardly saying the 'waitng on Jehovah' part to myself when I saw that one coming. She admitted that she didn't agree with everything, but when I brought up the point about birthdays(lame issue, but it was someones birthday) and not being able in good conscience to teach JW reasons as they thought they were dishonest and manipulative. She wondered why-when they had so much truth, I didn't just go along anyway-it wasn't that big an issue-could I find anyone else with all that 'truth'? Well, obviously my issues are deeper than birthdays, but it is an example of why I hate the organizational control, I said " I should not HAVE to deny what I believe" and "I can have disagreements in other churches without being expelled from them if I honestly express myself to the wrong person " And if birthdays were so unimportant-why the heck would people be disfellowshipped for observing them? Anyway, we had talked for quite a while(I mentioned some in an earlier post), but she admitted vaguely that she did not agree with everything AND that the control issues (that I had) had some justification. I am sure I am some "experience with a goat" now at her hall, but it was good to listen to and talk to her. (There was a 'brother' from her cong. sitting in the waiting room also)