Have you been able to restore your relationship with your parents, and how is your teen taking this? Whatever you do, get her some Worldly Friends TM QUICK
!!!!
Lisa
Yes, LDH, We have!! Thank goodness!! We are closer now than ever. We never were unkind, but it just felt like we were headed down two different paths, and didn't have the Watchtower thread holding us together anymore. Not believing they could still possibly love Jehovah without the organization. I was so afraid of Armagedon coming and them losing their lives! I was depressed and heartbroken. However, my parents taught me to be a "truthseeker". And I held to that, and still do. When things weren't matching up I wanted to know why! I wanted the facts. I kept praying that if I was headed down the wrong path by questioning the organization, to please help me let it go. Let me be willing to sweep it all under the carpet, so to speak. However, if I wasn't wrong, then to let me continue to investigate. Needless to say, my prayers were answered, and I felt the strong need to press on! I often feel bad as to how close minded we were not to allow my parents to tell us what they found. We were afraid. So... never give up hope on your loved ones. You never no what may trigger a question, and all that you tried to tell them will come rushing back. It may be too much for them to put out of their minds, as it was with me. So. take heart! My dad said to me once, "There are lovers of truth over tradition, and then there are lovers of tradition over truth". How true! We were open and upfront with our daughter from the begining, and told her that some of the things we had taught her and always believed we were finding out not to be true. We explained that Jehovah would be more upset at us if we continued to teach and believe a lie. So it was important to do research and find out what IS truthful. She took it very well. She had many questions. Slowly, we were able to answer them to her satisfaction. As far as friends go, she is so much happier!! She actually has REAL friends now. We are still very protective, and are still carefull of her association. But I have realized so many of the "worldly" kids are really GOOD kids! I never allowed myself to believe that before. How self righteous!! It makes me ill! Anyway, we allow her to have kids over, and we try real hard to be accomodating, realizing how crucial this is. In fact a friend from school spent the night last night! I am amazed constantly by the truely Christian people out there. They are people who care tremendously about others, who actually do have morals, and who care about their own kids association as well! I thought only JWs had those standards! What an awakening to "the real brotherhood"!!!
