by thebiggestlie 34 Replies latest jw experiences
The Jehovah's Witless god is of the three P's
1: Penis
2: Power
3: Property
It is all about control and domination. If their god cannot do either he will kill you.
Your parents are simply frightened that they are losing control of a beloved child, and really do think that God would obliterate you for being open and honest about your feelings and beliefs.
At 17, three years can seem eternity, but you will be laughing about this one day, and happy you did it your way.
HB
There must be a law against forcing your teenager to attend a church he/she does not believe in.
I remember when I was applying to be a foster parent the county told me I could not force a foster child to attend religious meetings. Foster children know their rights.
I say listen to Richie who loves his mom very much. He went through a similar terrible ordeal just last year.
(((((((((((((TBL)))))))))))
Hang in there sweetie, I'm thinking of you everyday!
nj
I don't know how to express this, and my feelings about it but I am going to try. This is not just a JW thing-though they seem to have mastered it. Thinking that their reasoning can be guilted in to you, that they can 'make' you believe it is the truth by bullying and abuse-that is a sick and sad thing. No one comes to faith of any kind b that kind of pressure. I wish I could just tell your parents (Or maybe you can, in the way that is appropriate) "Hey, you raised a bright and articulate young man. He is a young man that you can be proud of. He is strong, healthy and a decent human being. He studies hard, he is a good son. YOu have been able to inculcate(:) ) good strong values into him since childhood. If this religion is something that will ever be significant to his life, you need to let him free of it now to find that out. All the things you have taught him for almost 18 years matter, and they are in his heart. But if you force him into this, he will never be able to be 'strong in the truth'. He will merely be a hanger on and will never know that it is the truth for himself. He will be trying to please his parents and his congregation. NOT Jehovah-because he hasn't gotten that conviction yet. He can come back, and he may yet do so, but forcing him back with emotional abuse isn't going to make him a lover of your religion and will likely seed resentment of all religion-especially this one-for the rest of his life. Don't destroy his chances for a spiritual life by browbeating him into something like this. He is almost an adult and will be making his own choices about his future. This is part of it. You can, of course, shun or ignore him, you can force him to meetings, you can do all kinds of things-for a few more weeks/months. But you will lose him. And you will have been the ones who pushed him from you, and Jehovah, and the congregation. Just love him like he is your son, and let all the things you have taught him shine. He may yet mature and find that he wants what you have. He may not. But you don't go to doors and force people into the congregation, you don't force them into the waters of baptism, and you can't force them to like or believe in your religion. Religion is personal, and your son is a separate person from you. He isn't you, and you have to love him for who he is or you shouldn't be calling it love.
Not very profound, but very true!
I know it is not likely you will ever choose the religion, but some do and are content enough (doubtful that they are in bliss). But leaving that possibility open is kind and it does sometimes happen. Although I have noticed most that leave on their own based on conviction, not being convicted of sin-seem to stay gone.
I wish you the best. Being the parent of teenagers is the hardest thing I have ever done, so if you can muster any pity for them, try to.
Shelly
You are doing great TBL. It's a huge paradigm shift you are experiencing. You are on step 10 of the shift while your parents are on step 1. They will not understand where you are coming from for a while, if at all.
As far as the 'Where else will you go?' or 'we teach undeniable bible truths!' statements....these both assume the Bible is an inspired book from God. If it is not inspired, these statements are meaningless; there is no 'undeniable truth'.
My faith in the Bible was shattered as I finally examined it in detail with an open heart. Take for example, the WT's account of pre-flood Earth. They teach the Earth was protected by a water canopy which kept the entire Earth temperate and warm. Then the flood came and covered the entire earth, all the mountains, for one year. This supposedly happened 4000 years ago.
Contrast this story with the fact that scientists have extracted ice cores from Antarctica that can be measured to be 650,000 years old. How could the polar ice cap be that old? Could it have survived the flood? No, rather the flood story is a myth. There may be a real flood that happened in ancient times, a local flood, from which the story in the Bible and similar stories in other cultures are derived.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4467420.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPICA
