Mr. Flipper,
I also was raised JW. My parents and 1 uncle and his family were the only JW's in my whole family. But we never associated with them, you know worldly!
Anyway, I don't ever remember a time that I willingly did any JW, stuff. It was rammed down my throat until the day I left home! I was always a rebel. When was in the 10th and 11th grade I went out for the marching band, yeah I was a band geek, twirled the hell out of a flag though. I hid it from my parents for as long as I could, then they when the found out they made me quit.
I remember my first day of kindergarten, my mom told me not to stand or say the pledge. The first person I met is still my best friend! I said the pledge from the first day of school! The only thing that bothered me was that i couldn't share my acheivements with my parents, I had to hide everything I did or did well in. Even getting good grades were not important to them. Bringing home an A was the same as bringing home a D. As long as you passed on to the next grade. It's a wonder I made it through high school not to mention nursing and radiology school.
On my high school graduation, my parents didn't come because they had an assembly to attend. So they left me home to go alone. I did what I always did, went with my best friend and her family after graduation we went to dinner!
Ok, enough of my sob story!
nj