I was quite lonely in college, away from my family, and met a JW. I felt genuinely "cared" for, and I also sincerely cared for the person in return. Eventually got baptized after so many years of doubting whether the religion really had the truth.
I KNEW about the UN hypocrisy, child abuse, etc. and due to my shock and disappointment I even printed out the internet articles and showed it to my Bible study conductor. But I was told that there is no perfect organization and that Jehovah would solve everything in his time. I already felt so alone because of all that cognitive dissonance but I guess I had what people call the "sunk cost" mentality. I already spent so many years "studying" with them. I made many "friends" with them. And nobody was outright telling me to do something bad. So I figured that as long as I focused on the good sides of the teachings 'based' from the Bible, then I wouldn't have any trouble.
Fast forward to around 7 years later, and because I was also busy with work, I never really became deeply indoctrinated. I guess I stayed for the association. That 'warm' feeling you get after each meeting when you talked to almost everyone, have dinner together afterwards, even talk about work together. Something like that.
But I already felt something was just wrong with the org. Those became magnified during WT studies. I was able to read between the lines. Even reading the WT texts literally gave me some goosebumps because the guilt-mongering was so obvious. They started asking for more, more, and more money. All this "ARE YOU DOING ENOUGH?" stuff.
Add to that the hypocrisy I observed around me. Bethel people, special pioneers, regular pioneers, all the "special people" coming from WT being treated like celebrities wherever they go. All the bling bling I saw. And then they tried to portray hard-working office-working people as 'selfish' individuals. But among the JWs, well-to-do brothers and sisters also associated most of the time with other well-to-do brothers and sisters. You still saw the social hierarchies. When you get sick, you get a visit. But of course, you have to pay for your hospitalization yourself. It's a simple matter. And it makes me sick how they encourage many to give almost all that they have to the organization--but when the time comes that they need it, especially when they become seriously ill, they are instead told to seek help from their 'wordly' relatives. I saw these things in my few years within the organization.
I joined the 'preaching' work before but I also felt disgusted by the inefficiency of the process. How it makes you harbor this 'ulterior motive' to be nice to people with the intention of converting them later. Recording time. Another stuff that made me felt sick.
Another observation is that I felt depressed most of the time when I started engaging with JWs.
The list goes on and on... but I am just thankful that I have my non-JW family who gives me the sense of normalcy and balance after years with the organization. My family doesn't know my experiences and how hurt I was, which I think is good. I am able to live my life with more positivity. To the lurkers and born-in JWs here, not all 'worldly' people are bad. There are so many beautiful people and things out there.
I am not totally DA or DF. I still attend from time to time, just for the association. It isn't making me 100% free, I know. But I guess my personality (right now) predisposes me to stick with 'long-time friends'. I hope I can be more at peace in the future.
