Hello JG,
I too am the unbelieving husband of a woman who returned to the Witnesses after a lengthy absence, and who did so after we were married. I was raised Catholic, but don’t believe in organized religion. My religious leanings tend more towards Eastern thought, i.e. Zen and Taoism where one’s behavior – how one relates to his fellow man and the world at large – is more important than what one believes.
Obviously, my wife and I have hugely different views of the world. This, of course, causes conflict in our marriage. The Witness view of the world and their role in it doesn’t leave much room for compromise.
Luckily, in my case my wife and I had discussed some of these issues prior to marriage, prior to having children and prior to my wife returning to the Watchtower organization. We agreed to not indoctrinate our children into any belief system, but rather to let them make their own choices.
Now that my wife has returned, she wants to bring our child to meetings. I however have put my foot down and hold my wife to our agreement. She sometimes pushes the issue, but for me, it’s non-negotiable.
Like others have already pointed out, the most important thing you can do is prevent your wife from indoctrinating your children. You should try to do this in the least confrontational manner possible.
I’ve made the mistake all too often of trying to use my knowledge of all the looney stuff the Watchtower has proclaimed as a weapon in arguments with my wife. This has served no purpose other than to add fuel to the fire, so to speak. It has done nothing to release the grip the Watchtower organization has on my wife. It hasn’t improved our relationship one iota.
You don’t say what provoked your wife’s return. It’s quite common for former Witnesses and former members of high-control groups to return after having experienced some crisis or difficulty in their lives. This is what prompted my wife’s return. Possibly, that is what occurred in your case. Your wife may need therapy to deal in a more healthy manner with the issue that caused her to return to the Witnesses.
Best of luck,
CPiolo
