My biggest regret is that it simply wasn't true - or at least, precious little of it
I actually had a great time as a JW. I'm not sure I'd have left if they hadn't kicked me out, so strong was my mental conditioning and social bond. I once told my worldly mother that I'd probably be dead if I hadn't stumbled into the faith at an early age. In hindsight, I can see I'd have benefited from any high control group. A military school would have done me equal or better.
The three KH's I was a part of had well-meaning brothers, even if they did forget you existed for a year or two. Half of the COs I met seemed to be good guys. The other half were obvious @$$holes. But, I was fortunate at the time to have a social group of liberal JWs who would acknowledge such things. We'd make fun of the idea that the flood was global, that lions eat grass, that the celestial signs were sputnik, that the trumpets of Revelation were Cedar Point Ohio. We felt secure that the core teachings were correct and the GB just went off on strange side streets. We used to talk over scotch about how the Society was better in the "old days" which we were too young to be a part of. It seemed to us that the religion had gone soft and stupid, but that was just another sign of the times.
You can see the mental gymnastics at work. A touch of arrogance that we were smarter than the average JW and a willingness to make endless mental adjustments for truly crazy teachings.
I had great friends, great experiences, and learned a lot. In a way, the KH took over from my failed family and finished raising me. There were times the Elders provided me profound assistance. Mostly, the advice was unintentionally damaging, though.
However, it was all "the Matrix". A completely made up construct. A cult. I'm not too hard on them, since the rule books they follow derive from cults every bit as obnoxious and brain washed. It was ever thus.
