I've got a situation currently going on like this with a student of mine and I haven't said anything about my past to her. I think that if I do I'll start by saying that my family going back to my grandmother has a long history with JW's and that I was of the third generation. I haven't attended a meeting since 1999 although I still have some family members in it.

If that doesn't end the conversation then I assume the next question woud be "Why haven't you returned?"

If it goes that far all I can do then is answer honestly.

I could say:

"I find that science and history do not support a lot of what I was brought up to believe like for instance: human existence going back to 4026 BCE and also a global flood just a little over 4,000 years ago.

She might want to argue that but I guess then the 'conversation stopper' would be that I don't really believe in the authority of the Bible itself and that it isn't anything more to me than collection of writings of a bronze age patriarchal tribal society from the ancient Middle East and I find much of it very offensive and barbaric and demeaning to women ~ comparible to Taliban and Sharia law."

Usually expressing a disbelief in the Bible by a former witness is an instant brand of Apostate so I'd be careful on the wording there maybe.


Another tact is that the religion totally falls apart on it's own very shakey historical foundation as a breakaway group of Adventist from the late 19th century. Having a remembrance of things in my grandmothers Watchtower library and knowing how dramatically the organization has shifted to cover up past bungles of renderings of Bible prophecy is my own personal ace in the hole even if it means nothing to her..........I pull rank on this one. I was there long before she was even born. I studied those old books dillegently just like the good little JW that I was.

I'd like to end any discussion with my own prophetic pronouncement of: "Remember this conversation years from now when you are my age or older and have seen what I have seen and you will if you're as smart and astute as I think you are"

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

t.s.eliot