My extended family were all Jehovah's Witnesses from the Bible Students day. My father was immense and chosen as a bodyguard to both Judge (spurious title) and Nathan Knorr. Bethel was very small then so he knew Fred Franz, Covington, Henshel well. My uncle by marriage was his best friend at Bethel. Another uncle by marriage was a prisoner at Danbury Federal Prison for refusing to serve during WWII. My uncle was a very prominent overseer and circuit leader in New Jersey who was offered a great sum of money to shephard a particular congregation. My greatgrandfather was a member of the Remnant. My great uncle gave us all his Bible Student books. I grew up peeking at the pyramids and occult symbols. It was terrifying. My mother always warned me to take Armageddon warning with a grain of salt b/c very close friends ascended a mountain for some Witness date after selling all worldly goods. They were destitute.
The accumulated stories of these people carried two common threads. They experienced shock and betrayl at clearly immoral behavior and hypocritical behavior of the Society yet they could not leave b/c of fear and people-pleasing. I was robbed of my chidhood. My father was a monster and used JW to back up his legitimacy to almost kill me and menance me sexually. I go out of my way to discount my father's behavior concerning JW b/c it was his moral fault, not the WTBTS. My temparament is not a JW mentaliltiy. We attended congregations with the lowest rung on the social pole. The brothers were functionally illiterate. Once in fifth grade I realized they could not read properly. No big deal anyplace else. My mind rushed to Peter's weird behavior in Acts when the couple questioned the Holy Spirit and were struck dead. It wasn't very Jesusesque. Since it was the only unforgiveable sin, I was panic stricken and unable to sleep. I was condemned to death and death from the Armageddon illustrations. Yet God gave me the ability to read. There was no intent involved. It upsets me to this day to recall.
I could write about demons, too, but I want this to brief. My father died and I was able to attend college and law school with generous scholarhsips from Ivy League schools. I studied the New Testament and a seminar on Jesus at Columbia University. We had to read the primary sources in one sitting, verse after verse consecutively. Soon I was telephoning home to report that the Bible does not say what the Witnesses say on the most important doctrinal issues. Trinity is neither in the Bible or not in the Bible. The concept of a Trinity is an extrapolition. The Bible is unclear. My point is that the absence of a Trinity is not in the Bible, too. Either way Trinity is an extrapolition of scripture. Since the Bible was thumped so much, reading it in this manner brought me immense freedom. I interacted with profs who actually opened and translated the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not some minor character who once attended a mediocre seminary for a while. Soon I became Episcopalian. I don't believe it is the correct way for anyone but myself. Several times I've tried to learn Koine Greek. My particular fascination is with the historical Jesus. Today I freely attend services of friends' denominations. Respect for others is possible.
Despite reading academic journal articles and Gnostic scriptures to shed light on the debates in the early Church, academic knowledge is limited. How I interact with other people is a more telling test of my Christianity. Despite decades passing, my fury with the WTBTS is endless. My major point is not doctrinal but the false use of authority for mind control, knowing the entire time the filth at Bethel. My family were good people. They did not gossip. I am certain many things were never reported. Blind oblegiance is dangerous. God created humans with a brain and supposedly free will. When I was a child, I had no faculties to question. I agree that every religion has its flaws but the Witnesses cause major discord. A brief glimpse at Wikipedia confirms the polarization.
Janice