Oh ((((((((((((((((Viv)))))))))))))))))
If only we could sit round a table and talk, just talk to these people who were once our luvved ones, our close friends, our family and so called 'bruvva's and sista's inda troof'!
The only way I get through every day of shunning is to hold my head up high, smile, and say hello to them, ALWAYS. Especially when I take my kids to school.....what a disgrace! They may feel they're justified in shunning me, but my kids?
I'm absolutely resolute in not stooping down to their level. I refuse to play their mindphuk games.
By continuing to be 'me', I'm absolutely certain that many of the dubbs that I've greeted have had to end up 'crakin a smile' at me, despite them knowing that I'm a so called 'apostate'.
My ill mother (who is still a luvvin sista but don't believe it anymore) lives in a granny annex next to my family home, and thus, I've got easy access into her living quarters, so when my aunt (of over 35 years in da dubbery) came over to see her, I quite instinctively said, "hi Aunt..., you're looking well, how are you".
Looking at my mum, her reply was........"you know you're not supposed to talk to me"
Looking directly at her, my reply was......."well, as I don't live by Watchtower rules, my Christian conscience doesn't allow me to be rude and inconsiderate to friends, family, and especially relatives. Its up to you if you want to live under the Watchtower rules and shun me, my wife and kids, but I'm afraid, we're not going to play that game, ever. We will ALWAYS continue to show you love and respect, even if you don't return it......"
Her mouth dropped to the floor and my mum winked at me with a cute little smile on her face.
My closing words to her were........."we may have stopped being witnesses, but we sure not going to stop being Christian, so we will always love you, ciao.....", and walked out of the room.
The only advice I ever give to any of my family is to keep on being ok with the dubbs. Keep on greeting them even when they shun you cos I found that if you put your head down and accept the shunning, you're basically showing them that you are in actual fact 'ashamed' of your situation.
You should never ever be ashamed of the fact that you're out of that cult Viv. You know its not 'da troof', unfortunately, they don't. However, one day, by the way you show that you're not shaken by their shunning, they may even start finding it hard to shun you.
I've been able to get loads of dubbs out, and so has da_luvvin_sista, my wife! And its only been as a result of continuing to show that we weren't affected by the shunning (we obviously were, but we hid it). Its workin quite nicely now here where we live and surrounding areas from where da_luvvin_sista comes from.
We are truly blessed to be out 'n free. They're the ones that are shackled in the WT bondage, so, in a way, despite the fact that they can make you physically sick just looking at them, ya just gotta feel sorry for e'm.
Keep your chin up Viv.
We'll never shun you.
Luv, da_luvvin_bruvva