Flip Mode,
I'm not living a double life. What you see is what you get. I'm the only member of my entire family that is a JW. I studied in my 20's and was baptized years later. I recall bringing "apostate" literature to my study and having many discussions with my study conductor. I guess I saw the Jdubs from the outside looking in when I grew up. At Church, the Pastor would rant and rave about how we should not talk to JW's! "They are from the Devil! They have their own Bible! They don't believe in God!" blah, blah, blah. Which, of course, made a non-conformist such as myself more curious about this "strange demonic sect". Whenever they would knock on our door, my siblings would hide and my mom would yell at us to get away from the window. My dad didn't really care about religion although he believed in God. Once I hit middle school, I would open the door whenever Jdubs knocked. I'd ask them questions concerning what my Pastor would tell me. Which led to phone calls from other relatives (mostly my Bible thumping Aunt) warning me JW's brainwashing techniques and how I would fall prey to their wiles.
I did it more to get a rise out of my controlling Aunt and other "sanctified" church members more than anything else. However, the sincerity of the JW's impressed me. After years of girls, drugs, college, clubbing, traveling, gambling, and "other things" life became more than simple pleasures. I started reading up on different religions, even took a course at a local community college.
I didn't start studying instantly. Looking back, I was a "rainy day" RV. I'd invite JW's in and have one hour conversations with them. One day someone offered a free home Bible study and I accepted the offer. I studied for about 5 years. Live Forever, United in Worship, Creation and Evolution, and lastly Mankind's Search for God. Talk about a conductor having patience! During that time I would blow off my BSC, leave Playboys on the table, friends crashed out on my couch, naked girls in my bed, and "other things".
As the study became more "enlightening" I took it seriously. I started appreciating who Jehovah is, His qualities, attributes, and His love. I culitivated a personal relationship with Him first and found like-minded individuals in the Org. I didn't find such individuals in other religions, at work, in the mall, at school, at the gym, or in my neighborhood. I still keep my eyes open, wondering if there are others that can say they have a genuine love for people. Sure, certain famous individuals stick out: Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Jimmy Carter, Martin Luther King, ect., but not a collective group.
*****Going off on a tangent***** Why isn't there a religious group called the Ghandites or Theresarians? Or even the Elvis Presleyians? I guess this shows how hard it is to reach diety status.******Rambling*****
Hey....Maybe because i'm a proselyte, I get special treatment! I do know that if I had been "raised" in the truth and my parents were hypocrites like most of yours, I would have left the Org. also. My family, (wife and kids) are all baptized. We've had District parts, Assembly parts, Pioneer, and are Overseers. But my family isn't unique. There's groups of Jdubs that ride motorcycles on the weekends, golf outings, cruises, vacations, and charter fishing among "other things". Perhaps the proselytes have taught the Levites how to be "balanced" LOL!
