I've sort of known that she had some JW connections, but I had never broached the subject with her as the timing never was right. Well, today I finally managed to work it in, after hearing her talking on the phone with somebody about the Memorial. I sent her an IM not knowing quite how she would respond, but it actually turned out pretty well:
...
me: did you know that I was a JW for 10 years?
Her: well i remember you saying you were at one time
me: were you raised in it?
Her: yep all my life, you?
Me: n
me: converted back when I was 22
her: oh, well why did you quit
me: difficult to give a short answer there
her: i bet
me: blood issue really bothered me, didn't know that at one time organ transplants were banned using the same rationale, only later they got ?new light? about it
me: hated going d2d feeling like people's lives were in my hands
me: that ?real soon now? God is going to kill the 99.9% of humanity that isn't JW
me: their history of false predictions
her: i understand the blood thing, my son had to have it. Your 'real soon now' comment is funny
me: you know the drill
me: they've been saying ?real soon now? for over 100 years
me: kinda loses its impact
her: yeah. Nothing is perfect, but got the most part i do believe it more than i would believe any other religious viewpoint
me: best thing I ever did though was read Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz
her: whats that all about
me: can't recommend the book highly enough for anybody who has ever had any connection with JW's
me: Ray Franz ? former governing body
her: it talks about that religion
me: DF'd back in 1981
her: well why us ut the best thing you couldve done
me: well, I think that the JW religion makes people miserable
her: i dont think so, what does the book say about that
me: and I was very depressed and didn't know why, and Ray really cuts right to the heart of the matter
me: I can loan you the book if you're interested
her: yeah, i would like to see it
...
I don't know if she was ever baptized. She has three kids, don't know if she was ever married to their father but she isn't married now. I don't think she is DF'd. The thing is, is that she is very cool-headed person, the moment that I were to ever sound outraged or vitriolic towards the organization is the day that she will be like ?um, ok, well, talk to ya later? and that would be it, which is exactly what I don't want to happen. I don't know that Ray's book will affect her, as, well, if you knew her, you'd understand. She does what she wants to do, is not emotional at all, and isn't one to really reason on things in depth.
Wish me luck!