amac:
I have discovered that when a person is in a "cult" - as we were all our lives - we didn't know it as such at the time. Did you know the organization you were serving in at Bethel and blah, blah, blah - was utilizing the methods of control that makes it synonomous with a cult? I didn't. But I do now. I am not quite sure what angle you really come from in having left the organization.
In any case, I think you might find interesting the August 8, 1988 Awake with the cover article of, "IS YOUR RELIGION A MATTER OF CHOICE?" Of course it was an issue we were presenting to people at the doors to try to get THEM to examine THEIR beliefs/religion and not be afraid to make a change if it was a religion they had been BORN INTO, like many here. I was intriqued to read it NOW, with a new mindset and I swear, someone on the writing staff was actually addressing it to JW's to make them think and get out of the cult.
I mention it here because it addresses the thought of what we teach our children should they be able to make their own choices in beliefs.
In this post I wasn't addressing the banning aspect. I think that has been covered well already. I don't purport to have the answer.
As far as condescension - it comes along with the JW territory - some were trained well I guess :)