I'm brand spanking new to this forum...
My story is a long one that I will save for rainy day....However I will say I have been out for a long time 10+ years and when I left I really left. I walked away at 20 (in my heart I was mentally gone at 17) and never really looked back much. I was raised JW my father was an elder my mother an off and on pioneer (My father is no longer except he goes to the Memorials, poor bastard and again thats another long story) I was not shunned by my parents both of whom were still very much in although my father left shortly after me and I would like to think that my bravery and courage allowed him to do the same. I have a great relantionship with my parents we just don't talk religon ever anymore and yes it took a long time to get to that point but I consider myself one of the "lucky ones"
Now that you have a slight view into my long history with the Dubs I wanted to say that when I said I left I left and didn't really look back. I have read a few ex-jw forums off and on over the years but didn't really care to ever think to much about it, I was out and that was all that mattered.
So a few days ago... (I don't even remember how or why I found this forum) I started reading through posts etc and I couldn't believe what I was hearing UN/RandCam/WTS being Incorparated, the list goes on and on...All of a sudden I felf myself getting angry, I mean I was in very much in when the UN involvement was happening how could I not have known? I have always mantained that the jw's were a cult and that I felt they brainwashed people but again I was out so it never really mattered. Now I think I survived to tell the tale of being raised in a cult and it is much worse than I ever thought. Perhaps my way of coping was to just let it all go and not look back but still I suppose when you really see the WTS for who they are and how they take over people's lives it truly is awful... Through all this recent speculation I think about my mother and a conversation we once had about dinosaurs....I don't mean to be braggy but my mother is a very simple woman who doesn't question much, unlike my father and I. She takes things at face value including what the WTS tells her so when asked what about her belief as far as dinosaurs were concerned (the whole carbon dating conflicting with bibical timelines) She couldn't really give me an answer and said the usual "well I'll have to research that" I said "no what do you believe?" and she actually stated she didn't know she would have to look it up... That's basically saying "I don't know what I believe I will have to look up the answer so I can tell you what they tell me to believe...Scary very scary and now I hear all this stuff...My poor, poor brainwashed Mother and for that matter all those poor brainwashed people.
Perhaps I am rambling at the excitement of all this "New Light" that has been brought to my attention but I do have many, many stories to share with you...You all are amazing people who have strength and courage most people couldn't imagine...
P.S. To any of you out there sitting on the fence I suggest you run like mad and don't look back I promise you won't be dissapointed.
Mad Love~ Miss Bliss