I really don't know what I would do or how I would feel. I only ever had one uncle and aunt in the Borg, and we were never close in the first place. I've lost all my "friends", but there was never any real closeness so I haven't been too upset by that. I'm one of the lucky escapees.
Could you live with not talking to your JW family for the rest of your life?
by ÁrbolesdeArabia 33 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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mrsjones5
After leaving the bOrg and marrying my hubby the holidays were joyful for me, especially when the kids got here. But because of the hateful actions of my parents over the last three years I've let that rob me of my joy. I'm working on getting that joy back. I've invited folks who are near and dear to my husband and I to Thanksgiving. I've invited my siblings but they've made motions of not wanting to come. I have not invited my parents. My brother suggested that I go visit my parents because my sister will be in town visiting the week of Thanksgiving, even though he's not speaking to the parental units and has no plans of going over there. I should I go and be tortured when he's not going to be there too? I don't think so. My mother claims she cannot find my new place and that's why she hasn't come to visit. I haven't told her that she's not welcome but I feel I will have to soon.
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Theocratic Sedition
I couldnt imagine not having a relationship with my family. I wish I could say they're disfunctional, or treacherous, but they're not. My grandmother told me how proud I make her and how blessed it is to be in a family all worshipping Jehovah. I've got a brother and his wife, my sister and her husband, two Medicare aged parents, a grandmother whos beyond Medicare aged, aunts, uncles, not to mention JWs who arent related to me physically but are still like family. Its a heavy thing to go against the grain. Tip my hat to those who do regardless of the family ties being strained.
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LisaRose
My parents have passed away, I have a brother and one sister and some neices and nephews left in. I miss them, but it's their choice, I don't lose any sleep over it. I decided if they die before me I won't bother going to their funeral. Why would I go to the funeral of someone who wont talk to me?
So, yes I could live with it the rest of my life.
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MrFreeze
I can see my mom, stepdad and sister not talking to me anymore. They are well on their way. I think I've talked to them maybe twice in the last 4 months.
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DarioKehl
I have frequent nightmares about this very situation. In fact, I took a late morning nap and woke up from one and it's put a damper on my entire day. I'm not so much afraid of them shunning me. I'm afraid of watching them get hurt and knowing that I am responsible for their pain. They're great people. They don't deserve the extra heartache. It's not my interest to expose TTATT to them because, even though I know it's all a farce, this really is all they have in their lives!
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blondie
I left 11 years ago because I refused to expose myself any more to my abusive jw family. I tried the jw and Christian way. But eventually I realized I had to get out of hitting range. It was great, I started healing right away, took no calls, shredded or sent back all correspondence, talked to no elders. I wish I had done it sooner. One by one they have died, no funerals for me.
Have no illusions, except for less than .01% of jws, they will not risk losing their EVERLASTING LIFE ON A PARADISE EARTH by talking to a df'd person. Some will as long as they think no human will see them. (They evidently don't b elieve God sees all things)
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Woody22
I have for thirty-two years both parents gone to their graves shunning me three daughters have'nt talked two since 1980. it's their loss. Grandchildren and great grandchildren I have never seen.
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Left in the Cold
I feel very lucky. When I was df'd my identical twin was cautioned not to talk to me. She told the elders that she and I were "one" once, shared a womb, have the same childhood memories, and are best friends and no man on earth would convince her to shun me. I guess some would say she loved me more than Jehovah. She actually became way more angry about my situation than I ever did. She's inactive now. For 10 years she worked for a large company comprised of mostly jws. She actually would antagonize them and mention me and things about me every chance she got so they would know our relationship was as good as ever. I did lose some friends. I don't count them. They don't matter compared to her.
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ÁrbolesdeArabia
Just to add something else to the comment, let's contrast Mark Chapter 7 with the religion of "true brotherly ????"
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Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity
1One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. 2They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. 3(The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, a as required by their ancient traditions. 4Similarly, they don't eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands b in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to-such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles. c )
5So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, "Why don't your disci ples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony."
6Jesus replied, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,
'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.' d
8For you ignore God's law and substitute your own tradition."
9Then he said, "You skillfully sidestep God's law in order to hold on to your own tradition. 10For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: 'Honor your father and mother,' e and 'Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.' f 11But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, 'Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.' g 12In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. 13And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition. And this is only one example among many others."
14Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. "All of you listen," he said, "and try to understand. 15It's not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart. h "