It's time for my weekly Sunday afternoon rant.
My story starts with my daughter seven years ago when she was 11. Even though we were not associating anymore, we would let her stay with her JW grand parents and JW cousins some distance away for overniters.
Coming back from a visit, she was noticeably reserved. She told my wife at bedtime, she NEVER wanted to go back and visit grandma. And why?
They had told her we would not be in the New Order. My daughter is not stupid. She knows that means we would be killed at Armageddon.
How would you react to your little girl being traumatized like that?
Our initial feelings were to call and let them have it, but calmed down and decided to not let her visit unaccompanied anymore. Seeing as they don't visit with us, we knew they would not take the initiative to set up any encounter. We were right. They have never called, nor written, nor done ANYTHING to see their grand daughter. They are loyal JW's.
When one of her JW cousins died, she refused to go to the service. I insisted she go, but she absolutely refused. She wanted nothing to do with that religion. She is very firm. She has vocalized this many times. She wants nothing to do with a religion that wants her mom and dad killed.
Are they, her grand parents, unique in their reasonings?
Now to my nephew and his wife who dissasociated themselves six years ago.
His parents took the same stand. Refusing to even greet him and completely avoiding his kids, even though they lived right around the corner. He went to them and pleaded with them to spend time with the kids. They were cold in their reply, but called to say they would come by to visit. That visit lasted five minutes. But they did call later and asked if they could take the kids to see a local play. My nephew liked the idea and they did.
Their oldest kid, maybe eight, came home crying. They had told her, mommy and daddy would not be in the New Order. Unbelievable!
Unlike me, he called his parents and questioned them. Their reply, "Do you want us to lie?" Unbelievable!
Unlike me, he has continued to try and work with them, but they are only allowed to visit in his presence until, as he says, "when they learn to behave."
His parents are loyal JW's.
This has been our experience. Two different families, two different places, one same rotten attitude. Coincidence? No, not at all. They both serve the same master. The GB of the JW's.
I'm curious as to your experience with a similar situation, and how you handle it?
I hope its not all the same as ours, but I'm afraid, many have had something similar happen to them.
Rant over, your turn.