Welcome to the board.
I know there is a lot of hatred here and some have good reason to be angry.
The board i meant for people to freely express their experiences, beliefs and ideas.
it sounds like your childhood in the organisation was a happy one and I'm glad for you.
Not everyone was that lucky.
My father was very strict as to whom i was to associate with and anything "worldly" outside school hours was not permitted. He was very loving but strict.
True, if one broke laws set forth by the faith based on biblical assumptions (ie: adultary, fornication, drug use etc etc), they were disciplined (disfellowshipped)-but not completely shunned by one and all. And though this discipline may seem outrageous to some, to others it is necessary. I know I wouldn't want my husband (if I had one) cheating on me without consequences from the God I worshipped.
I was recently disfellowshipped and have been shunned by all but four of my family members and all but one of my witness friends.
Also I totaly believe that consequences for actions are necessary. I was trully repentant for what i did, the end of a long hard slog and i finally just broke ( a lot of bad things happening to me from within the organisation), and was still disfellowshipped.
I welcome you again, and hope you have a great time here, just remember everyones experiences are very different.
Lehaa.