Photo shock!

Marilyn

My kids recently met my older brother. They took photo's. I had forgotten that they'd seen him and I was thumbing thru my daughter's pictures and came across a picture of my brother with my daugher and one with my son. What a shock it gave me. I haven't seen him since I was disfellowhipped in 1981. When some one you love dies, you remember them always as they were. I was shocked to see the transformation that 20 yrs had achieved. I looked for ages, trying to get my head around the image that stared back at me.

You remember your childhood and how this person was so much part of your life until a bunch of men in suits changed everything - and 20 yrs later you are looking at a photo of someone who is your brother. He looks familiar but there is nothing past 1981 to remember about him.

Just another aspect of shunning.

Marilyn

Unclepenn1

That is so terribly sad. I am sorry

Penn

josephus

fucked up bro

sorry to hear i wish it were diferent

regards

josephus

Had Enough

I am so sorry to read your post Marilyn. Your's and your brother's situation could easily be my son and daughter's in 20 years from now.

How sad to see a family torn apart such as this...it is just too heartbreaking especially when we read the WTS drivel on how "family ties are not broken". Life is just too short to waste it on such stupidity!!!

It not only breaks my heart though...it makes me mad as hell!! ... especially when I hear my daughter complain how its all his fault because he CHOSE the state he's in. I won't even go into that or I'll break a blood vessle or something!!!

All I can say is I hope your brother (and my daughter) wake up before its too late. My heart goes out to you.

Had Enough

"Never doubt that a small group of citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."...Margaret Mead

Marilyn

:::::especially when I hear my daughter complain how its all his fault because he CHOSE the state he's in.

Had Enough, I think if I were you I'd be planning a way to retrieve my daughter from the Tower. Being complacent with the dubs doesn't get you anywhere. As you see from my post - time just passes and before you know it 20 yrs has elapsed. The kind of crap your daughter is spouting is typical of their ignorance.

Why not turn your anger and frustration into action. To sit back and hope is not enough. In my case it's only been my relatives that have shunned me. My immediate family, husband and two kids are out. If one of my kids were in still I would leave no stone unturned in my attempts to secure their freedom. Read up on deprogramming, or cult exiting strategies. Keep up with info from the net on how crooked the WTS is. Keep your mind open as to ways you might best get your daughter back in your life. She could end up thanking you with all her heart.

Any time you need to talk about this please feel free to email me. I'm on [email protected] My heart goes out to you!

Marilyn

Richie

Marilyn...., it's impossible to believe that the WT organization has any blessing, spirit or direction from a God above. When you see this happen, where people are disfellowshipped or have disassociated themselves often for a life time, it makes one extremely angry inside. How they can ruin the lives of families, friends and often even close relatives.... In my situation, I am "looking forward" with disdain and disgust of not being able to see my grandson and my 2 daughters anymore, possibly for the rest of my life. The only exception would be when there is a funeral and even then I brace myself by not even going to any witness funeral, whoever is dying!
If I let myself be crushed emotionally because of the moronic and unbiblical guidelines of the WT, then I would be the loser and my life would really be lost. I will not allow that to happen -
If they decide to accept this nonsense of not associating with their father anymore, then it will be their loss. True, at this moment in time I feel devastated inside, but I am fighting against this feeling of total desolation. Instead I want to live my life in true happiness without the shackles of the Borg! I will make it my resolve in time to let my love cool off for them to the point that they will just become to me like acquaintances instead of close relatives. It's the only way to go, as otherwise it would take a miracle to take them out of this entangled grip of religious bondage, as only they have to decide for themselves to leave the Borg.
I have a 3rd daughter (not in the truth anymore) who is contemplating getting married very soon. She is getting all my love and attention and when her first child is born, I promise you that I will love that child to death with all my might! Because I am not able to extend this love to my grandson, this love will be reserved for the ones that deserve it: yes, those who show unhypocritical love in return......

:* Richie

bluesapphire

I am so glad to have stumbled onto this post. My sister is really enjoying shunning me. I see the little smirk on her face. I don't doubt she got some coaching from an elder on how to "handle" me. She makes things so uncomfortable for the whole family. Not being in any room in which I am in. Saying hello and hugging and kissing everyone but skipping over me. It's almost easier not to see her for 20 years!

Last night I gave her a hug and a kiss because she had the audacity to do it to my daughters. How dare she go and hug my daughters but shun me, their mother! It put a flame into my heart. And when I saw her smirk, I wanted to smack her face! But I didn't. Instead I told her I loved her and she is still my sister. You know what she did? She grabbed my arm hard and removed it from her. That's what she did.

Then I thought about it: Why is she even there around my worldly family? You know why? Because she is a walking billboard. She is advertising her religion with her smile and trying to be so "Christ-like" (in her own mind). Well she is a PR nightmare for the Watchtower because I don't think anyone is breaking down the doors trying to join!

But you know what, she's there to recruit future members from the fishing pond which is my family. So if my pain can prevent that from ever happening, then I deserve it for sucking her in with me to begin with. The thought of seeing my own nieces and nephews shunning their siblings one day. Or the thought of another family member like say my mom joining and having to shun me as well. And you know they don't disclose this little piece of Watchtower trivia before the big dunk. No, that's the fine print that they bank on nobody catching. Well this is what I am going to do ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE! Let the whole world know about this little fine print and save as many people as I can from having to deal with this torture.

As you can see I am mad and sad right now. I cried all night. My heart broke. I think in my heart it's easier to kill the love for her than it is to deal with this pain. How dare she come to my family's gatherings and inflict her cult's rules on us! How dare she bring this ugliness there!

I remember when I was still a dub. I could never shun anyone. I had to somehow make eye contact with them and smile. I always hated that doctrine. But here she is with a smirk on her face! It makes me sick. I will spend all my energy exposing this cult for what it is for the rest of my life until the Watchtower comes down! I already lost my sister. She's a gonner - completely! But when the Tower comes down - and I hope it does before I die - then I will find peace!

Skeptic

I just wanted to say hi, Marilyn.

Richard

thinkers wife

Marilyn and all,
This is just so very sad. To see how a religion can affect so many lives in such a detrimental way.
My mother is 59 years old and my father is 64. I have thought ahead to the time when they actually die, and how they will have missed out on the happiest years of my life.
And yes, they too have blamed me for cutting them off, which is so not true. I called for over a year several times a week hoping things would get better. They never did.
At the time of my one year anniversary with Thinker, my mother told me she really didn't care about my life. That was in July 2001, I haven't called since. What is the point. But it still makes me very sad. And hearing others saying what is in my mind is sad as well.
Thanks for sharing, I wish the best for everyone who has to face this issue!
TW

waiting

Hey blue - and a Big Hug to you.

And you know they don't disclose this little piece of Watchtower trivia before the big dunk. No, that's the fine print that they bank on nobody catching. Well this is what I am going to do ADVERTISE ADVERTISE ADVERTISE! Let the whole world know about this little fine print and save as many people as I can from having to deal with this torture.

What you're dealing with takes such a good strength of inner self - please hug yourself repeatedly - you deserve it. I don't think I could put up with it, especially someone like that hugging MY kids.

But, you're absolutely right - she's a walking billboard on what the WTBTS doesn't want the unsuspecting public to know - shunning. If you've never gone through a divorce, a little rememberance? When around other people, it was common for the highly hurt person to tell the others (and show by their pain) the falsity (sp?) of the mate. Advertise that they weren't telling the truth - and they are hypocrites.

By your actions - even by allowing your family to see your hurt and pain, which are real - shows your sister for what she is. Imho, she is an immature person with real issues using shunning to inflict pain to be on a *higher* level than you. In other words, a real shit. It also shows the WTBTS to be teaching family destruction to their followers - and willing to turn on the follower if they don't use their teachings to hurt their own family.

Howdy Marilyn

Good to see you posting more - if you're the same Marilyn who's been around for awhile - aussie? If another Marilyn.....nice to meet you.

Sorry for the family loss - so unnecessary, but real. I have a brother like that - but due to family problems. Except for a brief time at my mom's funeral, I've really had no contact with him for about 25 years. Such is life, I guess.

But the WTBTS does teach that it's the df'd person's fault for the whole situation, even if only on a local level. The shunner is the one put into that horrible situation by the df'd person. Much like a wife is to blame for the husband beating her - after all, she sinned - he only reacted.

Just about anything can be justified if one tries hard enough.

waiting

Photo shock!

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