@Biahi,
No, it was crammed down my throat. I had perhaps over 100 JW relatives on both sides of the family going back 4 generations. I had no other worldview to anchor me. When I started asking the "wrong" questions after the failed 1975 prophecy (age 13), I would get grilled for hours by my dad and uber self-righteous older brothers. I would have to run out of the house and go to a neighborhood friends house to calm down and try to keep my head from exploding. Twice, I came back and found everything I owned on the front yard. Clothes, school books, matress - entire bedroom cleaned out. All on public display for the neighbors to see that I had been publically rejected by my family.
So, I was put out on the street at 14. I was exposed to most everything you can imagine after that. Shunning makes no difference if you are baptized or not. I was told to be thankful because if it was bible times they would have to stone me. That is no B.S.! They had me convinced I was was a "bad" kid and that there was no hope for me.
The last grade I completed was the 8th grade. Went to work as a travelling salesman the minute I turned 16. I'm 61 now and it has taken a lifetime to unravel the damage those demonic jackasses caused me and my family. It's amazing I didn't turn out to be an ax-murderer - had unbelievable amounts of rage that I have had to work through off and on with professionals for over 30 years.
All because I refused to turn a blind eye to their lies and pretend nothing was wrong with their childish false prophecies.
I'll be retiring on 75 acres with two beautiful homes on it in six monts. Plan to raise some cattle. Looking for peace at this point in my life. My wife is 17 years younger than me and is from the Czech Republic. Now that our youngest son will be going to University next Fall; We plan on buying an apartment in Olomouc, CZ to be more near her relatives, who are WONDERFUL people. Summers are rough in South Texas, but central Europe is awesome in Summer.
We played a game with friends and family the other day and the question came up what song should be played when you enter the room. I was the subject. My 17 year old football player son immediately wrote down George Thoroughgood "Bad to the Bone". I got pretty choked up when he wrote that.
No longer are there any family members in my life that believe that I am such an abomination that I should be stoned to death. They have been replaced by others with a different opinion. I am nearing the finish-line. Victory is in sight. But, let's not forget those that have fallen along the path to freedom out of Watchtower. God bless the Czech Republic.
Carry on,
SB