Hello all.
For me, the whole "Truth" thing never really fitted. I come from a family with a strong WTBS tradition. I am third generation, elder dad/ elder grandparents/ uncles etc. I have 2 relatives of the "Annointed" (one deceased). I was always encouraged to get baptised, but never did. I went through phases of being quite keen as I suppose everyone does, but never keen enough to get baptised. I was made an unbaptised publisher at the wise old age of 8 or 9.
Although I have now (within the last 9-12 months) decided that there is no element of "Truth" in any of the WTBS teachings, I have still not technically left the Org. This has been the situation for sometime now. First, I started having questions about certain teachings (in particular the flood account and the "sin gene" teaching that they started using in the late 90's - which has now been reversed), but always thought that perhaps they got it a little wrong in areas, but the fundamentals were still right. Over the last year or so my feelings changed to"well if they got that wrong, how do I know the rest isn't wrong" and so it has gone from there.
I still go to the occasional meeting and I even went in service recently for the first time in months. I have siblings and many friends who still attend. I know that my siblings will never shun me if I decided to leave completely and I'm sure that my parents would be upset, but as I'm not baptised I can't see how they could justify any shunning. If they did initially, I couldn't see it lasting any length of time.
I have many friends in the Org and although I know that their friendship is conditional, I do not see this as their fault. They are only doing what the have been brought up to do. It is difficult not to if you've had these teachings drummed into you every day for 20 odd years and it's all you've ever known. I do genuinely like them, although I realise few will have any contact with me in the years to come. This is inevitable anyway even if I stay in the Org. My parents grew up with many friends, but only see half a dozen at the most now, and this is once a year or so. Once people get families and responsibilities, this happens I suppose. If I left the Org now, I would obviously not see many of my friends again staight away, so for me it's better to keep ticking along, doing what I want anyway and maintaining the staus quo. Some will think this is hipocritical, but it works for me! It can be quite fun trying to juggle a wordly life and a truth life. I know that sooner or later, I will have to make a decision either way (or I'll get caught with a girl or sometghing else!). I don't live in the family home and have moved about an hour and a half away from my old cong so it is easier to hide and not be noticed.
I am basically doing as I please anyway, whilst maintaining a front to keep certain friends and family members happy. I can't see this charade lasting any great length of time (I think about a year tops) - the house of cards will fall sooner or later, but it suits me quite nicely as it is. The only thing that will end it is getting caught for something (not planning on that though) or meeting a really nice girl - only because it gives me a reason to leave that I think my parents will understand better. Better to leave for falling in love than leave as a known apostate!
So to answer the questions:
1.) How long did it take you to decide to leave the organization once you knew it was no longer the "truth" ?
I've decided to leave but havent got a date yet. Been this way for about a year.
2.) How much harder of an influence was it to weigh the decisions on leaving realizing you had family and friends in the organization ?
Family and friends are the only reason fro me to stay, so that makes them a huge influence.
3.) If you had to do everything all over again would you have done things differently or exactly the same ?
I would probably have liked to have started this whole thing in my late teens and early 20s rather than now. I'm getting a bit old for the partying I do and it's getting time to settle down and be sensible. I suppose I'm making up for lost time still!
I've just read this through and it makes me seem like a proper selfish bastard! Sorry it's a bit long.