I have been lurking on here for some time and I finally decided to join the fray. I am 25 years old and was raised in the Society. Fortunately when I was 8, my father left the organization and this allowed me to see the wrold from both angles, the JW (mom) and not (dad).
At first, I was strongly on the side of the Witnesses and I even allowed myself to be convinced that getting baptised at 11 was a good idea. Then the next several years happened and I began to see the organization for what is really was instead of what it pretended to be, which is a shame because there are so many good hearted people in it who give their soul 100% and no questions asked.
My "issues" began when I hit puberty. I had the unfortunate luck to develop early and many said I looked 18 when I was 13. At first I loved the attention because it put my parents on guard and it was cool being the center of many mens fancy.
But I eventaully was counseled for being to flirty and I had to watch every step I took. As often the case is with Witness females, I got married at 18 to a 20 year old guy in our congregation. He was a nice guy, but we were just too young and inexperienced to be in such an arrangement.
We eventually separated after a year and about 8 months after that we were divorced. I was quite distraught over the ordeal and it took me a while to get my head on straight. I feel for my dad who stuck with me through this mess and he was not judgemental over it.
Three years ago I hooked up with a boy I knew in high school and we hit it off really well. He had just joined the Marines, but I didn't care, I really loved this man. We got married in Febuary 2007 and I moved with him to Camp Pendeleton in Southern California. Strangely, I was never reproved or disfellowshipped over this, but I was tagged with a moniker, "Worldygirl". My dad insisted that this was wrong and because I talk so much, rechristened me "Wordlygirl".
In April he was deployed to Iraq and it was a nerve racking period for me. I didn't think the US should be over there, but I supported my husband and his career. In November 2007, he came home for a month furlough and left again on Dec 28.
Then in January 2008 I received the terrible news that my love and my life had been killed by sniper fire in a town that was thought to be "safe". I don't even remember breathing in the first few weeks that followed and I am so thankful that my non-JW side of the family was there for support.
In April 2008 I discovered I was pregnant and I was so happy that I was carrying a part of my husband with me. She was born on Sept 6, 2008 and she has been the one who has kept me straight. I wake every morning and look forward to seeing the most beautiful little face I have ever seen.
I will reveal more later, but now I have to get to work.
Wordlygirl
I hope to learn more as I continue to paruse through the old posts.