Hi Wizkid and welcome to the forum. I'm a JW and have been for 35 years but no longer believe. There's no easy way for you to do this. What might be helpful is if you write down all your reasons in list form and then sit down at an appropriate time and have a serious talk with your family. Or, if there is one member of your family you feel more comfortable confiding in, maybe confess all to them first and get their advice on how to make your move. At the end of the day you're going to have to explain how you feel and it's probably going to cause some hurt and dissappointment to someone. The most you can offer your family is your honesty and courage - and it does take a lot of courage. One thing you will have to expect is shepherding visits form your congregation elders, unless they have already tried that. I sounds as though you have been trying to 'drift' out quietly. I wish there was a magic solution for these situations, as I to will eventually have to tell my family how I feel. But, at the end of the day, like so many on this forum, you are simply going to have to confront your family in the most honest and respectful way possible. Sorry I can't be more helpful Wizkid. I do believe in the power of writing things down. Not only will it give structure to your argument/confrontation but it will also help sort things out in your own head and strengthen your own convictions. Please, please, pleeeeeaaaase be cautious with your new friends. It sounds like you've got to know them really well but make sure that wherever you go someone knows your exact location (damn I'm sounding like a panicky parent), I'm jsut thinking of all the horror stories. However, if you've got enough common sense to leave 'the truth' then this should equip you well for your new life in California.

You have a tremendously exciting time ahead of you wizkid. In the future you will look back on your confrontation with your family and realize it was a small episode that lead to a much happier life. I'm sure you will gets loads of other advice from the long term posters onn this forum.

Stand firm in your resolve Wizkid and let us know what happens.