I immigrated to Australia from Sweden with a couple of generations of Jehovah's Witness religion in my luggage. This means I came from a relatively old Jehovah's Witness heritage - that saw a number of predicted dates for the end of the world come and go and a fluctuation of essential doctrines.

One easy thing about Ex Jehovah's witness stories that I've noticed from other like stories is that there is almost an archetype ie. one step out of line and your thrown out on the street with nothing of your previous life with you (which, if you had been a good JW was every bit involved with the JW's and not of the evil world out there).

a basic timeline of my experiences would go as follows:

raised JW by lax parents - thus became mega-witness (preaching a lot very active and baptised at 16)

a few years of being a 'spiritua giant' as was the colloquial term.

Self recognition of homosexual feelings leading to relationships

kicked out in a matter of weeks with nothing, and disowned by loving christian family.

moved into a period of simple and beautiful Atheism.

kindled my interest in Scandinavia and the norse mythology whilst open mindedly looking into and gorging myself on world religious literature and philosophy.

a growing sense of being at home in a very self directed ancestor based worship and honouring of the elder gods of my ancestors. interested in esoteric experiences, mediumship, nature, in a manner that is not to akin to picking and choosing as if supermarket shopping but aiming to be respectful of traditions, of others and of earthliness.

Details