R.Franz "Christian Freedom" Bk - Misuse of Disfellowshipping -WT Hypocrisy

by flipper 23 Replies latest jw friends

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  flipper

  BONNIE_CLYDE- I'm so sorry your daughter has shunned you folks the last 5 years. Both of my JW daughters have essentially done the same to me almost 7 years now. I understand the pain you feel, believe me. And as you stated the shunning can happen over what would seem to be the most TRIVIAL conversation ! Thanks for your link to your experience- it was interesting indeed. Hang in there Bonnie & Clyde. I feel ya.

  DESIGNS- Very good point. Just go walking into a Circuit Assembly and we find out REAL fast how former JW friends we knew will treat us. Probably one real good reason I've never gone back to a Circuit assembly ! LOL !

  NEONMADMAN- Exactly. Good point. People don't THINK about that when they leave their " former " religion do they ? That when they BECOME witnesses they are VERY vocal about dissing all religion as FALSE that isn't JW inspired. Very true.

  OTWO- You've definitely been very lucky so far ( knock on wood ) that the elders in your former congregation haven't come after you trying to harass you. But you're fortunate to have a marriage mate who supports you in your fade and allows you the freedom of mental movement in whatever direction you need to go. that is a HUGE plus for you ! I didn't have that when I was married for years to a JW woman. She'd rat my a$$ out at the drop of a cuss word , innappropriate bedroom behavior ( according to WT land ) , or just me stating I had DOUBTS about the generation teaching. I'd be brought up before a JC faster than my head could spin ! LOL !

  Very true as you say, myself, and many others here on the board have lost or are still being shunned by JW family members even as just being an inactive witness not attending meetings . As Bonnie & Cyde have experienced this, many times it lasts for years . Like you say, all we can do is continue to hope our JW families in time come to the realization that they need freedom of mind. Till then, we wait patiently with love.

  ZOIKS- Exactly ! It is an EXCELLENT chapter in a wonderful book indeed ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  Thanks Flipper. At least I have two wonderful sons and two wonderful daughters-in-law. Just wish the family could be complete, but so many have it much worse than I.
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  flipper

  BONNIE_CLYDE- I'm glad you have your great sons and daughters-in-law . I too have a wonderful 25 yr.old son who my wife and I are very close to. I hope also that someday we will be re-connected with his 2 sisters, my daughters . Till then, we keep hope alive ! Very true, many have it worse with the shunning
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  Anator

  It has been a long while since I posted anything, but this really messed up my family big time. I remember the quote from Walter Graham , WT Canadian Branch, quoted in a Toronto Newspaper - " If someone doesn't want to live by our principles, he's free to leave. There's no badgering here, no physical or emotional harassment.... We don't dictate from headquarters. "

  I did not witness this quote from Walter Graham, but my son and my wife received terrible badgering, as well as emotional harassment. I had to witness my son get DF'd and end up in a hospital under suicide watch, see my wife have a complete emotional and physiological breakdown which required medical care for months. My wife does not want anything to do with the org and has become scared from this experience and will never go back. However, I continued to believe for many years and even now I still struggle, but I remember once going to the hall sometime after, and I became so disillusioned by it all due to my experience and to see the lack of compassion, it also left me scared and I find it next to impossible to ever go back.

  Fortunately, my son and wife have recovered and are doing well, and I see them happier than ever since leaving the org. I ask myself, why in the world did I ever join? But, when I search for that answer, I knew it was because, it appeared they had answers to certain questions that I never thought that could get answered. At first it appeared that the love poured in when you first entered, BUT once in the org it all felt different. I wish I had more insight at that time.
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  Bonnie_Clyde

  "Fortunately, my son and wife have recovered and are doing well, and I see them happier than ever since leaving the org. I ask myself, why in the world did I ever join? But, when I search for that answer, I knew it was because, it appeared they had answers to certain questions that I never thought that could get answered. At first it appeared that the love poured in when you first entered, BUT once in the org it all felt different. I wish I had more insight at that time."

  Anator, Clyde and I had the same experience. Actually our marriage was falling apart, the kids seemed to be going their separate ways. We now don't see the need of any religion although we still feel that we are spiritual persons. Our sons and their families feel the same way and all of this has drawn us closer together as a united family. We've often disussed, there is only one thing in the Bible that really matters--the two great commandments, to love God and neighbor.
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  Anator

  Bonnie_Clyde, thanks for sharing that, our marriage was also falling apart and some were actually encouraging me to do so. This was really messing up head at the time, BUT like yourself we have drawn even closer together as a family.
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  flipper

  ANATOR- I'm so sorry that you and your family suffered so much pain and agony. My heart aches for what pain your son went through- to the point of being under " suicide watch ". I am glad to hear you, your wife, and son have recovered though and exited this horrific mind control cult. Don't blame yourself too much for having joined the witnesses; we were all duped by the tricks of the WT society's mind control. I wish you and your family the best my friend.

  BONNIE_CLYDE- I agree with you- love is the GREATEST thing to share with others which really matters ! The Beatles & John Lennon said it " All you need is Love . " My thoughts entirely
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  flipper

  Wanted to bump this one up in case some had missed it. Thanks. All comments welcome ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  The Oracle

  glad you bumped it Flipper!

  Good reminders, indeed.

  Hope all is well with you, friend!

  I haven't been frequenting the site regularly over the last year, but do check in once in a while.

  The Oracle
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  flipper

  THE ORACLE- Hey, how are you ? Nice hearing from you . Wife and I are doing fine - still getting shunned mostly by my 2 JW daughters- but what else is new ? We just have to keep trying to help and show authentic human love to whichever JW relatives we can and hope they will respond in time. But my wife and I remain upbeat, hopeful, and positive. I know no other way. Refuse to give up. Books like this from Ray Franz show me that ANYTHING is possible. Even HE exited the JW cult after years and years - so we gotta keep hope alive