I had a similar experience involving the 607BCE date. I was doing some research for an instruction talk from the All Scripture Inspired bk. It simply stated that there was plenty of evidence from Assyrian/Babylonian archeological finds to pinpoint the date at 607.
I had up to that point had no reason to ever question the society, just took it at face value. But for the talk, I thought it would be nice to bring out some additional information. So I hopped on the internet for some quick research. To my dismay all evidence seemed to point a date around 20 years later. And the evidence just kept growing into a mountain.
I gave my talk, simply quoting the society literature on this issue, much as i'd heard thousands of other brothers from the stage. But that evening after my talk (and all that night and into the morning) I continued my research, and found that for the first time in my life, I simply disagreed with the society stand.
And that I think is the point. We all reach that moment of truth from different directions, but when we get there, the issue is: I'm not allowed to disagree. But I DO disagree. And it begins to dawn on you that you've given away your personal right to decide right and wrong for yourself to someone else.
As you said:
. It wasn't that I wanted to be right and the organisation be wrong. What annoyed me was the arrogance of the society in expecting that the sheep should just assume that where a conflict of understanding lay, it would automatically be the sheep who needed to be 'readjusted'.
And from there, the scales just kept falling from my eyes. The control that this man-made organization had over my life, that I had given it over my life, was stunning. I never fully saw that until I was ready to get out. And until those inside realize on their own that they are under that control -- and how powerful and extreme that control is -- they won't fight against it.
I'm looking forward to more of your story!
-Joe