As many of you know, I have difficulty at times forming the words to encapsulate completely my entire experience with the Jehovah's Witnesses.
There will follow some of the observations I have personally made down through the years. My involvement with the WT. The effects this had on my psychological development. The early years. Mid teens. Late teens. Early adult life. Mid 20's upto where I am today.
I do not expect myself to be able to write this all in one go, much as I would like to, I doubt my mind could stand against reliving so many painful memories.
First though, for those that don't know me, a bit of personal background information, who I am now etc.
I work independently with proactive think tank Community Action Network (CAN UK) http://www.can-online.org.uk We specialise specificly in helping one another throughout the country to put together initiatives, which enable communities suffering from the effects of long term economic decline. It obviously doesn't take any genius to work out or see the divide these days between the have's and the havenot's within society. Our mission statement is to provide practical measures by which individuals feel socially included rather than excluded. Education plays a key role in our thinking processes. CAN though is more about doing, than just thinking alone.
I was born into the JW's, a third generation witness. Both my mother and my father's mother's were witnesses, their spouses were not. Dad, a kind man though exceptionally strict was the local WT conductor, also the local and regional assembly and district convention overseer and also had the responsibility of running the bookrooms. In my early childhood years, I thought he was God.
I was disfellowshipped in April of 1995. Within a fortnight I lost my spiritual belief system I was strictly brought up in, my son, my wife, home, business, family members etc, some of you may understand the emotions wrought at this time. Disfellowshipped for fits of anger and swearing. Stupidly, it was me going to the elders and asking them for help that enabled them to put together a judicial committee of four elders to deal with my case, it was a foregone conclusion from the start, a complete setup. (More of this later)
In this written story, much information will probaly be covered, it might appear higgledy piggledy at times as I struggle to put everything I want to down, in a cohesive order. My purpose with writing this is not to ask for pity or sympathy, but hopefully that one more frightening story might make someone else think twice before joining this group, this cult.
If any others here also have qualified or excellent life experience psychology or sociological perspectives to offer, I'd be glad to receive your questions. To trolls and other warmongerers, your views, whilst taken on board, will not be entered into dialogue with.
Fully expecting this to take a while, please bear with me as I strive for completion of this paper.
On the morrow then, part 2 will appear.
Take care onen hag oll.
Celtic Mark
[email protected]