hummm. interesting.
First of all, I find the Catholics are as full of as much guilt as the JWs, and all their saints and all that crap blow my mind. Living in a Catholic country now, I find it shocking - especially when my friend walks to the Guadalupe church to buy his little card to write his promise to "the virgin" - I will not drink for 1 month - I find it weird and I chuckle to myself. I am sickened that these poverty stricken people have to PAY $500 US Dollars to get married in the church, or to have their new house or car blessed by the priest. I believe that the Catholic church is the biggest surpresser of people on the planet. Thank God, the young people are using birth control here, in defiance of the church!! WOOHOO - no more familes with 25 children in this younger generation.
From where I sit, and this is truly not in judgement, well, OK, maybe it is..... when I started seeing the lies in the JW, it opened my mind to the possibility that the WHOLE thing is a fraud. Then as years go by and I find out about the fraud of the books of the Bible, I realise that it is all a GREAT BIG MIND CONTROL to keep the masses in line. IT is NOT just the JWs that are cults - It is ALL religion, some just worse than others.
I just can't understand how people can't see it. Reading your explanation left me wondering why you just traded in one cult for another - but, hey, that is just me...... Look, I have friends that are religous, I respect their beliefs, but when one opens up on a message forum, I believe it is ok to question them and you did ask for input - from anyone. (I am saying this to anyone who might slam me for my post, I am defending myself from the Christians ahead of time Gringa's lesson 1 in how to win friends and influence people)