My parents became JW's when I was about 2 years old. I only had one Christmas and I don't remember it that well. My father was a chiropractor (strike 2) and worked his ass off and my mother became the religious leader of the family. She herded all 5 of us to the meetings until we were in our teens. While my dad was a true believer, he didn't attend meetings or go out in service regularly.
Growing up a witness was a living hell. Especially as a teenager. No sports, dances, dating, holidays or fun. Just meetings, school work, door to door work and masturbation. Glad to say I no longer do most of those things.
After high school the choices were, go to Viet Nam, prison, work in a hospital as a conscientious objector or "pioneer" (UGH!) I cowardly chose the latter.
I didn't last long as a pioneer because there weren't that many laundromats in my town to leave Watchtowers and Awakes in. Sometimes the older women pioneers would poach in my laundromats leaving older issues. I would go in behind them and replace them with new issues.
When I realized that I could no longer stand pioneering, wasn't getting laid and still didn't want to go to prison I decided to go to Bethel. What's a four year committment when your life is hell anyway?
When I arrived at Bethel I realized that pioneering was a walk in the park. New York stunk, was too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer and you can't live there on $14.00 a month. There was not a sign of Christianity at Bethel and there appeared to be rampant homosexuality, self-righteousness and hypocrisy. After two years I had to leave. Basically I needed to get laid and the only way to do so without gettng disfellowshipped was to marry some dim witted Witness girl. Boy did I strike gold!
After 11 years of marriage, she took up with an older pot smoking man she worked with, broke up our family (2 kids) and remarried within a month of our divorce. THIS, MY FRIENDS WAS THE FIRST REALLY GOOD THING I CAN REMEMBER ABOUT MY LIFE UP TO THAT POINT.
Since then, I remarried a wonderful NON-WITNESS girl, have three great NON-WITNESS children, finished college, earned a graduate degree in business and have been living the good life. I'm not particularly religious, but do attend a Presbyterian church because my kids enjoy Sunday school with their friends from school and attending church pleases my wife.
By the way, reading Ray Franz book "Crisis of Conscience" in 1984 was the act that opened my eyes to the contemptable nature of the Witness organization. Thank you Ray whereever you are!