How do you cope with a zealous JW wife?

by eyesthatsee 25 Replies latest jw friends

  • yknot
    yknot

    I will echo what other gals have said mostly...... since it is most appealing to me as a female.

    You need to make sure you are her first choice for leadership/direction and right now you aren't......it will take time to reverse the situation.

    She will and is clinging harder because it is what she has been trained to do ....... and it is totally fear based.

    So what can you do to off-set this ingrained response........?

    1) Increase intimacy (not just sex). Make a point to daily physically touch your wife via cuddling, holding hands, hugs, massages, date nights, more quality time together, and communication. We thrive on this stuff like a plant to water and sunshine: consider how a plant will lean toward the sun to receive it's warmth and light even if it means the plant must bend or twist in an opposite direction it has previously been growing. You will be actively competing for fulfilling her need for attention and approval. We like to feel desired and wanted which leads us to trusting you boys enough to seek your advice/opinons and approval.......

    Talking about future plans and achieving some short-term ones together is very important. Again here you are re-directing her attentions and discernment away from the WTS. She also receives increased feelings of security by seeing you in start and finish things, you prove yourself again as being reliable and consistant where the WTS has cast doubt on your abilities since you are not being an active JW.

    Make her feel appreciated. If she likes flowers, buy some, if she needs a hand in the housework, pitch in, she likes baubbles, buy 'em......... or simply make a point to say thank you.......after giving her a long desirous gaze and deeply passionate kiss. Feeling supported/encouraged in all areas of her life is important..... again you are replacing the WTS as her go-to.

    Be emotionally present, do not allow the WTS cause you to withdrawl! Too many times men fall into this snare and thus it leads to a further divide, so share your feelings enough to keep her beguiled and remembering that you aren't the WTS's representation of an evil selfish hateful opposer. Knowing your fears, passions, concerns and heart will make it harder for her to embrace the WTSs message of a person like you deserving to be birdfood and than that will be just another chip as you slowly chip away at her mental chains.

    Finally know when to compromise and when to be firm. Do you lead the FWN? If not than you should because it is an excellent opportunity to openly discuss the nonsense of the WTS! Granted you don't wanna come on too strong here but it is essentially like conducting a study where the goal is to get her to discern for herself the stupidity of the WTS...... remember how you remained calm and deliberate in your questions leading a new study to discern the WTS stuff now you will do the same but to drawl attention to the fallacies. With this generation change coming up the opportunity is ripe! Use the bible reading portion to really discuss context and what she thinks and feels about the passages in context. If the WTS has stupidly applied this scripture in previous publications.......drawl attention saying you 'remember' such and such'....... than get the CD/book out and show the stupidity...... Conducting the FWN also gives you the opportunity to have good reason to acquire a fuller theocratic library of publications not on the CD for reference......granted yes you will be somewhat dangling the carrot of false hope but again it is fair in this fight for your family.

    We like options...... sometimes we like to be led and others times we like to be enabled to think for ourselves.

  • awildflower
    awildflower

    Out of all this, the most difficult thing for me to cope with is the grief, the sobbing, the 'broken my heart' stuff. I can't see a way through this, unless I return to the meetings and ministry. It's been around 2 years now, and it's not getting better - worse if anything.

    Imo, that would not be a good idea because then she will still be critical of you for not being "the usable brother" and the embarrassment you bring to her and the kids being at the hall. It just wouldn't be the same. No matter what you do, from here on out your always going to be doing something wrong. So the best thing you can do is stay true to YOUR direction. This was mentioned above but I'll second it, it always amazes me that the one who leaves gets all the blame for dividing the family. The jw NEVER considers that them being the jw, is dividing the family also! That's the superiority.

    Try to find things you can agree to do together and tell her that's the best you can do for the situation but going back to this org is not an option.

  • Think About It
    Think About It

    I don't want to leave me wife and family. I've explained that the only issue I have is with the religion, although have never criticised the organisation (I know my wife will report me to the elders for apostasy if I do).

    That's what's sad about the JW religion.....the fact that a man in his own house can't say he thinks the WTS is full of shit on some issues without fear of bringing repercussions on himself.

    Think About It

  • AllTimeJeff
    AllTimeJeff

    Hi there. I went through the same thing with my ex JW wife. I totally understand. When we got back from our missionary assignment because of some bad stuff that happened to me, she went around at the next CA telling everyone that she feels like she just lost a child. (mind you, she never had kids, and it was totally disrespectful of those that had that happen) But thats the kind of nutcase JW's breed.

    It's been two years for you, and there is no doubt, as you are a former elder and know, that she is being coached. I have no answers. You don't have to do what I did, but at the same time, you do need to take care of yourself and be realistic and pragmatic.

    I sent you a PM.

    Wish you the best my brother.

  • Think About It
    Think About It

    Eyesthatsee.........welcome to the forum. Sounds like you are in a very delicate situation. I was "really in" for 13 yrs with the last 8 as an elder. Been out 15 yrs now and life is good. Good luck with this decision for your family.

    Think About It

  • sspo
    sspo

    Wish you the best.

    Don't have an answer since i went thru the same thing and after 26 years of marriage my wife left due

    to " spiritual endangerment ".

    It seems a lost cause trying to reason with them!

  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    Cope with a devout J W wife ??

    With a sense of humour, a hide as tough as rhinoceros, a ton of "agape" love (it is hard to find the other kind) , a bag of understanding and remembering that she is a victim of the cult so the crap she vents out is theirs not hers......

    After a while the situation settles a bit and she accepts that you are the same person, i e not growing two heads or going to act in the WT stereotype of wicked "worldly" men. Then she just lives with you and accepts that she is married to "The Anti Christ"

    BTW my background in The Borg is just like yours - Welcome friend !

  • I quit!
    I quit!

    It is a tough situation Eyesthatsee. As you can see there are a lot of others going through the same thing. I feel for all of them. The Watchtower's brainwashing is so deep they can't even distinguish who their friends are and who could care less about them that is why they make stupid comments like the ones made by Alanvs and Nija's family did. They live in fear of displeasing this book publishing company that will toss them to one side when they are of no more use to it. When I left my wife told me should wouldn't have taken it so hard if I had committed adultery rather that leave the WT. How ridiculous is that? Forgive them for they know not what they are saying is the way you have to look at it.

    I agree with Mary. Don't sell your soul to the Tower for peace in your life. It isn't worth it and you won't have it. Living a lie will eat away at your soul and your physical and mental health. Try do as many things as you can together to remain close that don't involve the WT. Remember it is her choice to be a JW and try to respect that remembering that there was a time when you felt it was the absolute truth and would have acted just as she is acting. If there are opening discuss issues but try not to argue. I know it is hard to get a JW to understand but you need to let her know that if she wants you to respect her position she also needs to realise that some can't force themselves to believe something so she needs to respect where you are.

    And by the way I am no expert at this. There are still times when I feel like nuking the local Kingdom Hall. My wife's family is a train wreck yet none of them will even consider that being in the Watchtower had anything to do with it.

  • tenyearsafter
    tenyearsafter

    ETS

    I wish I could add something positive to what others have already commented on here already. I had a similar situation to you, and I could never make her change her attitude towards me after I mentally left the Borg. She made it very clear that I was a disloyal SOB who abandoned God and ruined her theocratic career track! She always dreamed of being a CO's wife and I ruined that for her. She made my life miserable from that point on (with moral support from the BOE) so as to "bring me to my senses" and come back to Jah. Though I don't recommend this for you, I finally divorced the Mrs. and moved on with my life (and got DF'ed in the process). She mourned the end of our marriage by re-marrying in under a year from our divorce...and she got her dream fulfilled as her new hubby was a substitute CO waiting for a permanent appointment.

    I think the thing that will ultimately decide your situation is where your wife's priorities lie...if she is truly interested in keeping your marriage together, she will eventually find a compromise with you on your beliefs. Continue to show her love...it is ultimately up to her as to how this will play out. Do not go back to the Borg unless you truly want to...if you do it just to placate her, you will end up resenting her. I wish you the very best in your situation, and will hope for a positive outcome as you start your journey to personal freedom.

    TYA

  • Heaven
    Heaven

    ETS.... Well now, let me see... you are the head of the household. So from what I understand, what you say goes. This may actually be an opportunity for you to suggest to her that the 2 of you need marriage counselling. Before suggesting this, perhaps you can seek out a counsellor who is versed in cult tactics and have an initial meeting with them to provide some background/history. Your wife needs to be educated on the tactics she's using with you. They are not principled. She is trying to manipulate you into doing something you no longer feel comfortable doing. How would she feel if you did the same thing to her?

    The one thing that drives me nuts about this cult is they don't practice what they preach.

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