Me too, a young dumb and influential person.
I was not raised a JW, but considering what/where I was coming from, at the time, was a whole lot better.
Where I lived as a young teen was utter 'hopelessness'.
The JWs, despite what we know them to be....or how shall I rephrase it; the WTBTS's doctrine, offered me a 'false hope' considering the 'no-hope' I was accustomed to.
But shedding both, I have a perspective that's 'hopeful'.