To “Vintagewife”: Welcome to the forum! Even though you have left the organization 17 years ago, I believe that it is still quite important to share your experience with others in similar situations because having been in the Watchtower cult has to have affected people on different levels. I myself have been in a strongly-JW family since my birth (in 1966), and I know only too well that much of the damage done remains with us on a subconscious level. (I’m actually still stuck in the damn thing, as I am currently living with my JW folks under their roof.) I still have the occasional dream about a slowly-approaching storm, obviously representing Armageddon, of which I never had any confidence of surviving since my early teen years. Like they say in any kind of support group, “You have to get it out.”
I too have seen how some of these “elders” really act, toward their spouse and children. They have that “headship principle” thing hard-wired into their noggins and thus feel pretty much compelled to play the part of the “alpha male” in the family and treat their wives as just another dumb child. (Sickening, really.) Let’s just say that their speech and vocabulary at home are not exactly the same as at the Kingdom Hall!
You mentioned about “those in charge being removed from their positions” and that “many were found to be adulterers and drunkards.” The JWs are really just as bad as everyone else, for sure – but the only difference is that they just think they are so much better!
Hang in there. It’s always encouraging to see so many others like yourself having had the courage to step off that whacky ride on the JW merry-go-round. Take care.
