Letter from a family member: is there even a point?

by under_believer 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  jgnat

  I think the analogy was quite helpful. You could turn it around several ways.

  "Can you see things from my point of view? What if I found out your best friend <fill in the blank> was convicted of fraud/ is an axe murderer/is a prison pen pal?"

  "I believe a strong organization can stand up to critical scrutiny. Is any question an attack? Might it make you a better Christian to search these things out for yourself so that you "have an answer for any man"?

  "OK, I won't attack your best friend. I'll keep it friendly. But is it OK if I ask friendly questions about what you believe, as a good friend?"
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  Good Girl or Bad Girl?

  Look, under_believer, only you know for sure, and others here have really good points. But one thing I want to say is that I, less than a year ago, sent a similar, but with even stronger language, email to a friend of mine. He could have (and I would have) given up on me and written me off as a hopeless case. But he saw underneath it and kept at it. Sometimes I feel that I owe my life to him.

  I said I would have given up on me for a reason. You have to take into consideration what is best for you. I couldn't have done what my friend did. But I will forever be grateful that he did.

  One year later I couldn't feel more differently, nor could I be happier. I nearly lost my life. My persevering friend saw underneath the preachy garbage I wrote to him, and knew I had potential to wake up.

  My two cents. Good luck and best wishes, under_believer.

  I also just want to clarify that I know my friend didn't give up on me by any means but he did back off and finesse his approach so that I wouldn't be scared away... above all he showed he was my true friend, not based on the condition of living up to WTS standards...

  Now I'm trying to help another friend, who is a close relative also, but it's a difficult battle. Sometimes she cuts me off for a couple of weeks after something I've said that she perceived to be apostate... one thing my friend who helped me said is that you can't take it back once you say something that the loved one perceives to be apostate... so it's important to be so careful of that.
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  under_believer

  jgnat, that is an excellent idea.
  GG/BG, I like your new avatar! And thanks very much for the perspective of one who was saved from the Society. There is at least reason for hope.
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  Good Girl or Bad Girl?

  GG/BG, I like your new avatar! And thanks very much for the perspective of one who was saved from the Society. There is at least reason for hope.

  Thanks, under_believer, I do love your Avatar avatar, too. Have many picked up on that, by the way?

  And yes, I guess that was the main point, that I'm grateful to have been saved and there IS always hope.
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  LovesDubs

  Id say: "If you are so concerned about attacks against what you BELIEVE why would you associate with an organization that does NOTHING BUT attack OTHER peoples beliefs? Are you saying that what you believe is more important than anyone elses and their feelings are of no concern to you? That, my friend is hypocritical and does not reflect the LOVE that you portend your organization has that nobody else apparently does. If you show me ONE ARTICLE where the Watchtower publications say ANYTHING good about ANY OTHER RELIGION, I will become a Jehovahs Witness myself."
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  under_believer

  GG/BG, you're the only one who's mentioned it. If anyone else has "gotten" my avatar, they're not telling me about it.