I've been lurking here for a while now, and I guess you could call me a fader. I don't have hate in my heart for the organization that I spent most of my life in, but I have had an awakening. Luckily, so has my wife, and that way I don't feel so alone. However, I have a lot of pain inside, and nobody to really share it with. I don't want to talk to particularly about my situation, as I'm a bit paranoid that someone will find me out and I'll lose what little I have. Actually, I don't have any friends anyway in the organization, as they only talk to me inside the Kingdom Hall and not often there, as I've never been in the cool club. I really don't have any family either, but my wife has some, and I don't want to cause her problems.
I do love Jehovah, which may ruffle the feathers of some. I know that there's a wide array of people here, some that don't believe in any god, many that hate the one that Witnesses worship, and probably everything in between. To each his or her own. I don't hate Jehovah's Witnesses and don't ascribe all of the negative motives to them that some do, as I generally see them as well intentioned. However, I do see them as overzealous to the point of lunacy and a cult like following which creeps me out. I learned a lot of things growing up that really hurt me, but I've spent the past many years really widening my perspectives on things and learning how to be a better human being, not just a better dub. My wife and I have grown a lot as people and are much happier now, though things with my family are incredibly rocky. Lots of pain there, but I can't blame all of their dysfunction on dubdom, they came by a lot of it in their own histories.
Anyway, I wrote a little something to lay out some of my feelings. It isn't like I can share them anywhere else, especially anywhere that anyone would appreciate them. I'm certainly no poet, but I like to put my feelings out in rhyme to whatever extent sometimes just to help me get them out. So, here goes..........
Haunted
By the things I was told
That I'd never grow up, never grow old
Punished
Watched my brother get disfellowshipped
Another bird whose wings got clipped
Appearance
Dad gave public talks on happy family life
But was much different with his own kids and wife
Fear
Of doing something wrong
About doing enough, being enough, to find out that I really don't belong
Friends
Supposedly identified by our love, but marked by cliques
Never found outside those four wall of bricks
Paranoia
The world is evil, the deck is stacked
It's just a matter of time until we're all viciously attacked
Alone
With my pain, with nobody to hear
Cognitive dissonance won't allow for anything but kingdom cheer
Change
The internet is a trap, electronics a distraction
Until the organization decides to get a piece of that action
Black or White
You're wrong or you're right
Nothing in the middle, it's the truth or a lie
Conditional Love
As long as I do what you want
But as soon as I stop, it was all just a front
Hyperbole
Not everyone that overcomes adversity becomes a pioneer,
The rest go to Bethel or become a circuit overseer
Truth
Is seen as absolute, all good with no bad inside,
But we expound on the good while the bad we hide
Happiness
Whoa is me, everything is bad
Let's look to the future, as today is too sad
Work
Is a drudgery, something to endure
If you enjoy what you do, you're investing too much in this world for sure
Shame
I am my thoughts and as good as dead
Because I can't control what goes on in my head
I've got something to say
I just want someone to listen
I learned about Jehovah
But something was missin'
I did all the right things
But didn't feel the love
Now as I finally find myself
I actually see help from above