I left the Witnesses. Returned full bearded, which drew censure from a District Overseer: “Peter, you can’t witness door-to-door with a beard”. Bewildered, I asked for an explanation. None was given. Of course, beards resonate hippie, liberal counterculture, sex, drugs and music. Really.
I refused to shave the beard; they refused to accept me. I left.
I have met several since, 2015, but their talk of an imminent perusia, a second coming of Christ was slightly disturbing. More disturbing still is their often constant, cack-handed attempt to cover-up child sexual abuse in Australia, UK and USA. In Australia 1,000 members of the Jehovah's Witness Church have been accused of child sexual abuse; none were reported to the police.
Whenever I meet a Witness, I ask this question: Being a theocratic organization, ruled by Jehovah’s loving hand, which, you say, justly sympathizes with all who have suffered abuse of any sort, why allow innocent children to suffer silently. Victims are being ignored, not helped. Help comes from outside of the organization; ironically, from those whom you accuse of being in league with Satan.