by KateWild 27 Replies latest watchtower bible
Initially my daughter had concerns we would die at Armageddon - Nugget
Thanks for your story it was interesting. It also interesting about your daughter. My kids never had any of these concerns or didn't express them. Even when I got Df'd I said it was unjust and Jehovah would not kill me at Armaggedon.
But when we stopped going to meetings the kids wanted to celebrate everything they could and move on with their lives.
Kate xx
Kate, your experience is inspiring! Thanks for sharing.
I wish I was as successful with my kids.
I won't give up hope, but it's difficult to reach a person what refuses to communicate.
Oubliette
I won't give up hope, but it's difficult to reach a person what refuses to communicate.-Oub
I don't give up hope for you either, you are such a nice man, I bet you are a terrific dad. I have just been chatting to my dad now. I couldn't imagine not wanting to speak to him. Your child does not realise what they've lost yet, but soon.
Why not write a short letter every now and then?
Kate xx
Hey Kate! Great topic and feedback so far. I'm going through this now. I like the way you and others asked and answered questions so naturally without leading them one way or another. I'm having a hard time doing that with regard to TTATT. It's like I want to sit them down and spill the beans all at once. So I end up not saying anything. Doing it the way you and others have explained is better. As you said it allows them to develop their own opinions.
I have changed how I respond when my kids have gripes and complaints about the "truth" and thier encounters with the "friends". Before, I would encourage them to overlook the issues that come up or I would make justifications for the other persons words or actions. I thought I was helping them to not be judgmental, but in reality I was not respecting their feelings, shutting them down and stunting their growth.
Now, I let my kids run free with thier thoughts and opinions as long as they are not harmful. It's helping them build trust in themselves and me. Recently a brother gave a comment something like, "we (JW's) can't wait until our kids are about to graduate from high school to figure out what they want to do with thier life, we have to start from infancy, molding them and inculcating the truth in them...if you wait until they are almost out of school, it's almost too late." My kid whispered to me, "ma, that kind of sounds like he saying to brainwash your child, don't it?" I looked at him as if I was thinking about the answer, and could think of a rebuttal...I smiled and we both started laughing.
I'm looking forward to hearing more on this.
I thought I was helping them to not be judgmental, but in reality I was not respecting their feelings, shutting them down and stunting their growth.-KM
Really great point, well done for changing your mind good move
"ma, that kind of sounds like he saying to brainwash your child, don't it?" I looked at him as if I was thinking about the answer, and could think of a rebuttal...I smiled and we both started laughing.-KM
Ahhh that's priceless, how old is he? PM me if you need to keep it confidential.
Kate xx
Kate, thanks for your kind encouraging words.
You have a PM.
Oubliette
Fortunately, I did not have to teach them the TTATT. Of my kids, the two oldest started to manifest a skepticism quite early. The eldest of the two became convinced that the ORG was more cult than anything else when he asked when a particular belief was changed. He asked a younger relative about this change, "Did you believe the first explanation? If you did and you change it now, you are only changing cause they are telling you to change. So, are you believing for you or for them?" Pretty savvy explanation I thought.
The other of the elder children saw an excerpt in a magazine printed from an old issue of the Watchtower. He could read the fine print of the original on the page and noticed that the quote in the paragraph that was supposedly taken from the older issue was not the same. He looked at me during the study and said, "Check this out....they're lying again." I couldn't argue with him. It was there, plain and simple. He even brought it up to one of our big wig relatives who said, "well, you have to understand..." to which he replied, "I do understand."
It has been quite interesting to say the least.
SOP
KateW: Thanks for starting this thread and your friend who asked it.
Ahhh that's priceless, how old is he? PM me if you need to keep it confidential.
He is 16.
KiddingMe,
So it looks like your son won't be getting baptised. I bet your pleased, his father will never shun him if that's the case.
Kate xx
