Tonight, Memorial night, I was thinking about what some people have said about helping their families to see the "truth about the truth."
I've felt for some time that it may be preferable for my mother and father to remain Witnesses, to be honest. My mother grew up with it, while my dad got involved in the late 1980's. Knowing how they are and how much of their lives and social circle revolve around being Witnesses, I fear that they would fall into a massive, terrible depression if they were ever to conclude that it's not "the truth."
In this scenario, obviously I would just hope that things remain "static" and that their being Witnesses wouldn't have a major negative impact in an unforeseen way (i.e. being in a position where they felt they had to refuse blood transfusions).
If in fact they do ever leave, I guess I don't want to be the one who lays the material in front of them as a "shock to the system." I would prefer them to find it out themselves. It's not all inherently a big secret. They can (and do) go to the public library; they own all the same Watchtower literature as I do and can read those articles. (In my mother's case, she would have seen them all when they came out! I guess there's just such a torrent of new literature that you rarely have time to go back and check this stuff.)
My sister is a different story. She is a very intelligent young woman with great potential, and I would hate to see her waste it as some elder's wife or cleaning woman/regular pioneer. But again, I don't feel comfortable being the "instigator of her doubt." I would hope that her own literacy, reasoning abilities and sense of when things are right and when they're not (plus her relatively frequent use of the Internet) will eventually help her to make a decision that won't lock her into the Witnesses. Some people can be quite happy living as a Witness. I wasn't--I don't think it's set up well for a personality such as myself (this is regardless of whether it's 100 percent true or 100 percent false). And I don't think she will be happy in there either, in the long term.
One way or another, like most other people on this board, I would like the Society to back off in terms of the self-righteousness and harsh disfellowshipping policies, so that (even if they don't accept it) my parents and other Witnesses can be more accepting of people's right to choose to live their lives differently.
Anyway, off I go to the Memorial. My personal position is that keeping my family intact is more important than making a statement about the Society or their teachings. So, though inactive, I'll do what's necessary to keep the lines of communication open, and it makes them feel better if I go to the Memorial. I understand where other people are coming from on this, though.
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