I've been rather distant from the board for quite some time and felt the need to post a hello to everybody out there. Any of my old friends still here?
I'm currently in college, making the best of things. My son (born in September) is growing fast.
For those who have followed my personal story the relationship between my wife and her mother (active jw) is getting much better. With a first grandchild (and only) the in-laws have made it a custom to stop by and visit quite often. My wife had a rather long discussion with her dad a few days back where he discussed how distant the two of them have become from the kingdom hall. With us gone they really have no friends in the group. From what he told my wife (posts as Amber Rose on this board) her mother simply states that the reason they continue to go to the Kingdom Hall is because "the information is correct". She also admits that she has problems with the group and that as opposed to what she felt before, she nows see's disfellowshipping as a punishment and nothing more (as opposed to seeing it as something that helps a person). Nothing like a little personal experience to change your mind on things!
This is essentially the same attitude I had right before I began my exit. Essentially, you give up on the social aspects and focus mainly on the "facts" that you feel are relevant, namely that the biblical interpretation is better than anything you could find anywhere else. The facts of her daughters disfellowshipping I think have really changed her attitudes. Not that they wern't changing before any of this. I had my own personal assumptions that she was not happy with the group long before we left.
It was my guess that time would work on my in-laws better than any argument. It seems to be going that way. Pretty interesting stuff. The best is that I'm not to concerned either way. Now that membership in the JWs is far behind me and my wife we are living a pretty good life. If her family decides to finally give it up good for them, but it's a part of their lives we are not attached to and furthermore it is not affecting our relationship.
So, that's a bit of an update. Hope all is well with everybody here. I was very saddened to hear about Ian not to long ago, he was a great man.
I may be gone from time to time, but JWD is a home of sorts!
- Drew