Hello!! I'm new here. Been lurking off and on for about a year. I was never DF'd or DA'd, just walked away..
I began to study when I was a new mom.All my friends worked, I got lonely for adult conversation,and when I was offered a "free" bible study I jumped at the chance. In the beginning it was great, I met new "stay-at-home" mom's. We would have our studies, then make plans to go to the park or other mom's home. Everything was so positive. When I began to go to meetings, I was greeted by very friendly people,who were interested in me. After I got baptised, everything changed. The time spent doing Jehovah's work was taking a toll on me and my marriage. I didn't fit in, as hard as I tried, I was always being spoken to by the older sisters about my children ( I didn't take them with me to book study), or about my choice of clothes ( I always dressed modestly) or about something else, on and on.
I guess you could say that I was shunned while I was an active publisher. My children and I were never invited to anything. For the longest time I didn't even know we were being excluded, until my oldest son told me that his friend called him "bad association". I called around, only to find out that I was "bad association" also.
That was 8yrs ago. When I left, I still believed that the WT was God's org. I knew I wasn't worthy and went into a depression. I probably would have killed myself if it weren't for my kids, needing a mom. Needing to get a grip on life, a neighbor of mine told me to really look into the background of the WT. Were my eyes ever opened, I began to thirst for more and more info, which brought me to this forum. All of you will never know the difference you have made in my life and the life of my children. I will be greatful forever.
Love, Jade