How it affected my family

by KW13 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  KW13

  Have the Society affected your family WHILE you were a witness or WHILE you were not?

  I remember i was sat at my Grandma's. My aunt was also there. Mum came over, had a cup of tea and then just as she was leaving said to my aunt also present "we don't want Karl associating with you as much"

  You know, i really hated that. My aunt was in tears. At the time she was suffering from bad anxiety problems, we were more like siblings because unfortunate circumstances meant we spent a lot of time together (when mum wasn't Jw, went out drinking a lot, disappearing for days). My aunt needed me or someone who would be able to spend time on walks so she could take her dog out and just be a friend. Heartless religion stopped that.

  It also got to a point when my stepdad said that i wasn't to see my family without PROPER permission. How wrong is this...

  I was allowed to see JW friends but not family. It got to the point i'd have to lie saying i was going to JW friends then see family. Mum did nothing.
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  Es

  it affected my outside family like all my nans and pops and aunts and uncles and cousins... i grew up never really being close to them coz they wernt JW. I have only just started being close to my nan, it makes me angry i would have love to have given my two pops bday presents and spent christmas with them before they passed away.

  Such wasted time

  es
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  lovelylil

  It affected my daughter who is 13 the most. She is a very talented artist and has been since about age 6. This talent runs in my family. Anyway, because I had her enrolled in art classes, she was marked by the other kids in the hall and did not have any friends. Also my hubby was against her doing anything after school with art because of the association etc. He and I were always fighting about this. I mean this is who my daugher is, she is an artist. I tried to explain to everyone that God gave her this talent but it was no use. She was very depressed and had social anxiety. We left 2 years ago almost and she is doing great. She is in three clubs at school including art and takes private lessons too. She also has lots of friends now.

  The best thing we ever did we leave the WT org.
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  KW13

  has a talent and gets trouble for it.

  good for you and her leaving.

  - es, i know the feeling and hate it. never can remember b'days e.t.c and i feel regret over time wasted but its gotta be FORWARD now, use the past to help me move on and not make the mistakes my parents made.
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  Virgochik

  It affected my Grandfather and several great aunts and uncles on my Mom's side. They spent holidays all alone and weren't allowed to give me Christmas or birthday presents. Sometimes one great aunt would cook a Thanksgiving meal and have the others over, for company. Very sad for old people to be left alone on holidays, in the name of "love."
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  moanzy

  This religion destroyed my family. My parents are divorced because of it. From there it all went down hill, from bad to worse.

  Moanzy
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  KW13

  Some sad stories

  I remember my dad was always saying that i could come for my birthday and stuff. really trying to give me the best. although we don't get on now, i regret never giving him a birthday on the actual date when he could see me
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  blondie

  A little off topic but not exactly

  I never understood how male JW family members (not your husband) had any authority over their single or married female JW relative.

  Can a "fleshly" JW brother tell his single (or married to a JW or non-JW) sister, mother, adult daughter living out of the house, what to do scripturally?

  Do the elders have more authority over a single sister (or sister with non-JW) husband than over married JW sisters? Are the elders the spiritual heads of these women?

  No, and I have researched it. Yet they stick their nose into it time and time again.

  Blondie
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  KW13

  nah, they're not supposed to Blondie. Infact its only 'Husband -> Wife'
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  jgnat

  I couldn't agree more, Blondie. I've even experienced elders getting between husband and wife. I find the JW's give lip service to the sacred bond of marriage.