TO BARBARA ANDERSON: MY FOURTEEN YEAR OLD SON

by deborahs_song 71 Replies latest jw friends

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  Nathan Natas

  I'm calling "troll" on deborahs-song!
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  restrangled

  You are out of your mind with the control factor. Let your teenage son decide for himself his own religion, if any. State your beliefs, live by them and then let him have the freedom to pick his own.

  You are sounding like a nut case with the "non trinitarian" comments. I believe someone said you had quoted it 7 times in your initial post. At 14 your son is thinking for himself whether you like it or not. He is also old enough to find his own friends. Let him do it, and stop trying to control who he associates with.

  From a mother of 2 sons aged 23 and 20.

  Get a grip, and welcome to the forum.

  r.
• 

  seven006

  Scully,
  
  You have always been, and always will be, my favorite mod. Looks like another multiple IP addy snafu by “ entirely different” posters……... Entirely. Good thing that has never happened before.
  
  Buddha and the rest of the super hero god gang love you.
  
  Dave
• 

  stillajwexelder

  Welcome to the board. I actually understand what you are saying (or I think I do). I became a JW because they were the only people who could explain the Trinity to me which I never understood in my teenage years. There is not a trinity.
• 

  deborahs_song

  Some here are a little judgemental and a bit paranoid. "Ophelia" is my daughter, the other person I have no idea who that is.

  Someone objected to my use of the word "ilk" it means kind, Jim Penton is a former Jehovah's Witness who has written books against my faith, he is a "kind" of former Jehovah's Witness one who remains a believer and non trinitarian. Others wondered why I used Barbara Anderson's name in the title, she too is someone who has left, from what I understand has written a book and I've been told she remains a Christian. Does it really seem that strange that I would seek out her advice?

  My point? Where are those of us who may in any way be considering leaving our faith and who have young children find religious association?

  There is no way my husband and I will leave without a place to go to, a place where our children can find friends who are non-trinitarians. Yes, non-trinitarian. Is that a crime here, to want to give our children a Christian upbringing within a non-trinitarian faith? The Unitarians are splintered and have joined the Universalists. If we were Jews I hardly think that anyone would advise us to go to a Christian church for religious association, as Jehovah's Witnesses we are not that far from the Jewish perspective of one God.

  My husband is depressed and considering stepping down. We are merely asking for some advice, a stepping stone that will enable us to give our children some religious stability.

  I have obviously come to the wrong place.
• 

  rebel8

  Hi deborah,
  
  Don't forget that there are lots of people on this forum who were hurt very badly by the jw religion--mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, etc. That being the case, it is not surprising that a handful of the over 1000 people who have already viewed this thread were upset by what you posted and decided to respond. That doesn't mean that the other 990+ viewers agreed.
  
  I have to admit I don't understand why you want to know what Barbara Anderson believes in. I'm sure you have your reasons, but ultimately you will make your own decision, right?
  
  I'm not criticizing, just trying to understand where you're coming from. I understand why a mother would want her child to have good moral values. I don't understand how having friends who believe in the trinity would affect his moral values??
  
  I do understand your need to have a structure in his life that supports setting positive goals and being a good person. Do you believe that organized religion is the only way to accomplish that? If so, then I would have to respond the same way others did--you can belong to the mainstream religion of your choice and pick/choose which things to believe in yourself and which things to teach your children.
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  Chameleon

  meh, i still think this is a troll.
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  Amber Rose

  Why are the specific religous beliefs of your son's friends so important? Do you only allow him to be friends with people who don't think exactly like you? Forgive me if I am wrong, but that's what I gathered from your post.
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  deborahs_song

  rebel8,

  I've read the thread on the child abuse cd most on that thread had some really good things to say about Barbara Anderson, her integrity and so on. I wondered if she had found a place to go to. If some other person's name had come up here as someone who had left and who was someone to be trusted I would have asked them instead.

  I have no hidden agenda.

  Do you really believe we can take our children to the local Baptist or Lutheran church and find association that will encourage our young son to continue in his belief of no trinity? Or no political involvement?

  Maybe I'm stupid but to me for the most part we are who we associate with at least until we get to stand on our own feet. I'm not here to argue and to those who have tried to give contructive advice I am indebted.
• 

  serotonin_wraith

  Children are simply little people. They are not extentions of their parents.

  Please don't indoctrinate your child. Some of us can tell you how bad that feels.