Welcome. I agree that this is a place to vent. Vent all you want. JW's wonder why "apostates" are so angry. They reason to themselves that they are angry because "they've left Jehovah". No. the truth is.....they are angry because of all the unjust behavior they've witnessed over the years.
But I do have one suggestion. While your letter is very well put.....it does carry an awfully indignant tone. Which is ok for this forum. This forum is filled with people just like you who have gone through or are going through your same pain. I would however, suggest against making that an "open letter".....(i.e. plastering it all over the internet).
As I alluded to earlier, it is that indignant tone (though justified) that gives seeming credence to the Witnesses claim that all apostates and all those critical of their organization are filled with hate.
Let me give you a situation of how Witnesses turn such a situation into an opportunity to look good. This is a first hand experience from back when I was a faithful/devout Witness. A co-worker found out I was a witness. He told me about a previous job he had where he was friends with someone who was a former witness. He told me about how his friend shared with him "a lot of dark stuff about witnesses". He brought up flip flopping doctrine....allowing children to die.....shunning of disfellowshipped members...etc. He said that his friend was really bitter about leaving the group. So what did I do? Being the devout, mind controlled, pre-programmed robot that I was.....I used that opportunity to "witness" to him. I flipped the tables. I asked if he had verified all the claims his friend made about the witnesses. (which of course he hadn't......thankfully) I explained that witnesses do not allow children to die (lie). I told him that only those that have done very very bad things get disfellowshipped. (lie) I told him that those that are disfellowshipped aren't completely shunned....we just chose to limit association with such ones because after all....bad association does indeed spoil useful habbits. (lie). I explained to him that many former members are now former members because of their own foolish actions and because they've chosen to lead a disgusting life. And then they blame the poor witnesses for their own decisions.
His stance began to soften when he saw how much blame I (undeservedly) heaped back onto his disfellowshipped friend. I told him it was just like a disgruntled employee leaving his firm. I said "do you think you would get an honest answer of what it was like working at that place by asking a disgruntled former employee?".
He fell for it. He never studied with me but he did accept some publications from me and he believed me when I told him that his friend was nothing but a disgruntled former member and that's how apostates are. Always telling lies and showing hatred of God's celestial chariot.
Just like that...I used a classic straw man argument....attacked it....defeated it and looked like a hero. I am going to go throw up now.
