My sister and I were forced into becoming JW's back in the late 60's when we were 13 and 15 years old. I stayed in the organization about 2 1/2 years until I was 16 and then put my foot down and stopped going. We attended the old Fairfax Hall that was across the street from Fairfax HS in LA. I'm sure many remember it. As much as I didn't want to go, I still met many people I had respect for, men with integrity and passion in their hearts for the organization. I met kids my own age that I had fun with, back then the assemblys were fun.....so I don't have bad memories, just horror and disgust of how much the JW's have gradually changed into this hardened cult that urge's mother's to abandon their children. Total mind control by a few men who either intentionally, or from ignorance have twisted what the bible actually says, encourages mind control on families. I was pressured to be baptized at age 15, so I was df'd in 1970 I think. Fortunately my sister & family still allowed me in their life, or I would have been completely alone. My way of creating a new family was to have a daughter alone at age 19. always had to do things the hard way.
My sister was attracted to the JW's because our small family was basically dysfunctional and she wanted stability in her life. She also met, and then married her sweetheart she met at the Kingdom Hall. They were from a very well known and respected family that was very involved in all aspects of the religion, men with compassion, and that in their hearts they believed that was the truth. this was before the first "mistake" of choosing the year 1975, and then how many more. They continued on in the JW's up until my brother-in-law and sister couldn't help but realize how twisted the teaching had become, and couldn't ignore it. My brother-in-law is an intelligent man who could actually read and study the bible and understand it. This is from years of studing. Now all of these elders of the earlier years are gone, and I know they would be horrified and ashamed if they could see how the teachings had changed.
So now they're both df'd. They have moved on to join the living, instead of continue to wait for death and destruction so they can live in their X#*% paradise. I wouldn't want to live in a paradise where the price would be shunning my child (parent, whatever). I wouldn't want to be there at all of these horrible costs. That kind of god is not someone I'd like. Of course it is difficult for them to lose friends that were like family and had known all of their live's. They still care and love these people, but are unwilling to sacrifice and bow down to what they know now is wrong.
It takes courage and losing dear friends to make this change, but I'm very happy because their loss is OUR gain, and my husband and I have more fun with them then just about anybody we've know. It's opended so many doors for them.
That's all I have to say, except 'peace'