Cold Dodger
Very interesting post. I don't know that much about Mormons.
I was (born in) and raised by JW parents (father an elder). He was one of the compassionate Elders (these don't exist anymore). They want yes/company men now. My parents were very loving and kind but we were restricted growing up. No holidays, no worldly friends, no college. I never felt like I fit in with the JW's. I think I was given a free pass because my father was a VERY likable/loving man. Everyone loved him!
My spouse and I (been together 30+ years) always had a sense that we just didn't fit in to the JW mold. Never wanted to reach our for a position or Pioneer and meeting and assemblies were extremely repetitive and boring to us. Something just wasn't right! We could not put our finger on it so we just moved along like two robots. Then we started noticing how the men (the ones with positions) seemed to be hateful bullies. It seemed like we were part of a church that had a police state. I started wondering if these guys enjoyed the demise of other people. It seemed that way. Then we heard several talks given by what they call CO's (circuit Overseers). These are men that travel around several different Circuits and check on the spirituality of a Congregation. They are supposed to encourage the flock. There were a few kind ones but there were several (the majority) that we arrogant, pompous an downright rude. Not loving shepherds like we were told they were supposed to be.
What you said in your comment above was so true in the JW cult:
"By "meat," I mean we feel like going to church is expected, serving "faithfully in the kingdom" is expected, and anyone who doesn't pull their wait and do exactly as they are told is a shame to themselves and treated accordingly by the most Puritanical religious society you have ever been a part of."
If you didn't have a certain measure of "spirituality" you were considered a nothing in the Congregation. If men do not reach out, they are verbally bullied by these men who have positions. If you get a moment watch the Zone Meeting from last November (2014) regarding men who are not Ministerial Servants by the age of 23. This talk was given by a Governing Body Member (Anthony Morris III). Brother Morris basically told the audience that if a man was not a Ministerial Servant by the age of 23 , he was not good marriage material. We had already exited the cult prior to this talk but it was the nail in the cofin for us. This is NOT Jehovahs earthly organization. This talk was not loving and kind and upset so many people.
They hypocrisy in the JW cult is just incredible. I could just write about this for days but this is just a small example of what we witnessed. When there is more wrong than there is right, it is time to run like hell.