Does Your JW Family Act Like This?

by Banshee 21 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Banshee

  Well, it is District Convention time again. My mother is an active JW and faithfully attends these long, brainwashing sessions. She and I have fairly close contact and, over the past few years, I have noticed a definite pattern in her behavior after she attends the District Conventions. First, right after the convention, she becomes more distant with me (i.e. less contact, or: when calling/visiting she seems emtionally distanced from me, quite terse in conversation). Second, maybe a couple of weeks after the convention, she goes into a depressive state. Third, perhaps a month or so after the convention, she resumes frequent, more open communication with me and seems to desire my company more than usual.

  For those who still have frequent contact with JW family, does your JW family act this way around convention time?

  ---Banshee
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  outoftheorg

  Yes Banshee, they act this way and in many other negative ways. My siblings refused to speak to me for the last 12 years. Two of the three have now died. My children who are still in the borg are distant and cold, although we do speak and at times eat out together.

  I have given up on the whole thing. I no longer persue an association with them. If they call me I accept them fully and will go from there. But I no longer initiate the meeting with them. I have had no calls now for the last 2 yrs or so from most of them.

  Sad isn't it, the damage that this cult does to people and they feel righteous about it.

  It is truly insanity at its worst. I have 5 grandchildren that I seldom see. They seem afraid of me or not comfortable with me.

  I have decided to walk away from this and toward the friends I have made and enjoy the few years I have left to live.

  My wife feels that I should leave this forum and try to get even more disengaged.

  I think about it but even though there are things posted here that make me sad, there are many things that encourage me and I like to see. So We'll see.

  Outoftheorg
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  KGB

  Every stinkin time
• 

  sandy

  My family starts treating me with extra loving care. They come home and try to tell me about what they've learned at the convention. I think if I were Disassociated or DF'd some of my family would shun me completely.

  Banshe, outogtheorg, KGB - I am so sorry for the emotional pain your family is causing you. It breaks my heart to think how family can be so cold-hearted and completely disown you over religious beliefs.
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  KGB

  Sandy,

  thanks but you don't even know the half of the evil that my family has done to me, because of my leaving the WTS. Actually it was not so much the leaving part but the fact that I stood up to them and they're religion. I fired at them and they retalliated in a deep hateful anger that will hurt me for the rest of my life. They stained my reputation permanantly.
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  Gadget

  (((KGB)))

  I always found on an evening after the sessions everybody was, "wasn't this bit great", or, "wasn't that a good point about...". They just used to go on and on about nothing really but were so wrapped up in it.
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  badolputtytat

  Yes... they do... and if you notice the topics at this brainwashing session Assembly, you will see why. They are sooo paranoid right now. "The world is out to get us" "Are you giving your loyalties?"

  I was sent the program... amazing.. You have not seen the paranoia until you look this thing over. I think they know the "end" is near... for them anyway. A lot of folks are going to lose a LOT of money if they cannot keep this thing together. MILLIONS
• 

  Bendrr

  Oh tell me about it!!!

  I didn't mind going to the conventions themselves, but I hated when they were over and we got home. Every single damn time without fail, my [step]dad would come home with a megadose of "super-spirituality" and look out! here come the rules!

  More family study, more personal study, PLUS he'd decide it was time for an additional one-on-one study with both me and my brother. We're gonna go in service more. We're gonna do this, we're gonna do that. Oh yeah and my favorite was always the way he'd say "and we're all as a family going to cut down on watching TV". Yeah right. The whole family was supposed to be restricted to just one hour a day. Including weekends. By the second day that went right out the window for him and my mom. He'd come home from work and fire up the TV in their room and leave it on till after 11 or so. And of course on weekends he had his football games to watch. And my brother being *his* son always slid under the radar. But for me it would last a good couple of weeks, and the weekends were the worst. Couldn't have any friends, nothing to do, no music, and for those couple of weeks no TV either.

  And they wonder why I tell them now that I hated growing up a Witness!

  Mike.
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  Gadget

  It sound like straight after the assembly she is upbuilt by what she has heard, and makes an effort to do more in the truth. But after a few weeks she realises how unrealistic 'what you should be doing' is, and when she realise she cannot live up to this it depresses her. At least she is only depressed for a short time, a lot of people are depressed for a long time because they realise they cannot live up to the requirements of being a jw.
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  garybuss

  They are on a 21 day cycle. Check it out.