As i stated in my first post, i had reached a crossroads.
I was never going back to the kingdom hall, ever.
My struggle was i knew i had to tell my wife. She is my best friend and soulmate. I am indeed a lucky man to have found her. I was scared as to what her reaction would be. She was born and raised in the org. It is all she has ever known. Her mother is fanatical about "The Truth", as is most of her family.
I knew however that i had to tell her the real truth. This wasn't going to be easy. I prepared for the day very well. I've had plenty of training over the years on how to be prepared, or so i thought. I wasn't sure how she would react. I went over all the possibilities in my head. She might have a nervous breakdown. She might leave me, because she always said Jehovah came first. She might get angry at the mere suggestion the Society was wrong. I fully expected the worse, but there was no way i could pretend to be what i was not. She had to know.
Many things the Society taught was a problem for me, including shunning, issues with disfellowshipping. Also the sweeping under the rug the rampant misconduct of sexual abuse by men in power in the organization. The biggie for me was the issue of 1914. The whole decade of the 80's, my entire time spent in the ministry was based on warning people that we were in the last days, and the countdown started in 1914.
This would be my starting point in the "Talk" i had prepared for my wife.
We sat down one evening, the day i decided it was time, and i opened up the May 15th 1984 Watchtower. The headlines stated 1914, The Generation That Will Not Pass Away! We looked it over a bit, then i opened the bible to Deut. 18:20-22 and read that to her.
That's when she stopped me.
She put her arms around me, told me she trusted me, she knew something had been bothering me, and she knew that i would make the right decision for my family. She also felt betrayed by the organization, and supported me 100%.
I was stunned to say the least, and relieved as well.
We spent the next several days together, and i shared with her the things i had learned about the Society. We decided then and there we would never set foot in the Hall again.
I feel very fortunate that this did not destroy us. Even though we have been fading for years, the pull of the organization, and the family members that are still in is very strong. Others have not been so lucky, and that is truly sad.
This year for the first time in our lives we celebrated Thanksgiving, then Christmas! It was indeed a joy of joys! We started our fade when our children were still young, so neither are baptized, for which we were critisized. To be able to celebrate this past year with them was truly amazing. Over the years i've made friends with "worldly" people that are some of the best people i've ever met. They are my friends with no strings attached. The brothers were friends as long as i went to the meetings and stayed strong in the 'truth". I no longer have any interest in cultivating such friendships.
Our lives are filled with riches and blessings now, none of which involve the Society.
I appreciate the opportunity you gave me to tell my story, and i certainly look forward to cultivating friendships on this forum!