This has affected me deeply. I did not know Eric, however I did follow his posts for two reasons. One of my first posts he replied back to me in an encouraging manner (I can't remember exactly what it was) but I did note his name in a good way, I also noted his avatar. Since I am a Gene Wilder fan that stuck in my memory. The other reason was that he lived in North Carolina. I too live in NC. I had determined from some of his posts that he lived in the Greensboro/Kernersville/Winston area and I have a lot of witness "friends" in that area. I wondered if I knew him, turns out I did not.
Either way it is very sad what he was driven to. I too have contemplated that in the past, fighting the lies of the organization and the mental hold it has on ones family is like fighting city hall . . . you just can't win. I still love Jehovah, and Jesus but I hate those that use their name to ruin peoples lives. Whoever wrote that the GB is responcible for this is right. They are.
The other ones that are responsible are those who helped the GB. Seven men in NY can not enforce shunning or anything else without help from their followers. Much as the average German enabled Hitler so too the average JW enables the GB. I do beleive they are on the way down, I just hope I live long enough to either see them exposed to thier followers for what they are or at least for my wife to see TTATT.
Anyway, if any of Eric's family are reading this. Yes, some on this site no longer believe in God at all. So what. Can you blame them, after the mental abuse piled on by those who say they represent God. I don't. Others (like myself) have managed to separate the BORG from God and struggle to maintain faith. But when someone who has as good of a heart as Eric is driven to do what he did, I must admit it is hard.
I told my wife about Eric this morning. Her answer was "We don't know Jehovah's heart, maybe he will be resureccted" I practically blew my top. Maybe he will be ressurected???!!! How about it did not need to happen in the first place!!! How about maybe Jehovah should strike the elders who DF'd him in absentia with lightning? Good grief.