My Anointed Grandma’s Wavering Faith?

by My Name is of No Consequence 26 Replies latest jw experiences

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  My Name is of No Consequence

  Some quick background information: My dad (her firstborn son) died unexpectedly this past October. His death has really hit our family hard. Personally, I have not totally come to terms with this. I am struggling. He went in for “routine” surgery and never left the hospital. WTF? This man did everything for everybody (witness or not).

  My grandma hasn’t been going to the meetings regularly for several years now, perhaps because of depression and poor health. When my dad died, this put her over the edge. My aunt (her daughter) who lives with her tries to get her ready for the meetings, but she is slow to get ready or says she is not feeling up to it.

  Being that she is in her 90’s, you can see why she doesn’t go to meetings regularly. However, I think that there is more to it. Even though she is advanced in age and in failing health, her spiritual mind is still sharp. It is worth mentioning that she wanted to contact her disfellowshipped great-granddaughter (my niece) recently, but was talked out of it.

  Could it be that with all of the recent changes within the org that her faith is beginning to waiver? With the death of my dad, could it be that her faith has taken even more of a hit?

  It will be interesting to see if she comes to the memorial this year.

  If her faith can be compromised, anyone’s can.
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  ToesUp

  Yes...I think a lot of the older ones are having trouble with all the changes. The generation did not end as promised. This generation was a major part of our up bringing. Now they are trying to change it because their "jig is up." The older ones are watching everything they believed in turn into a televangelist organization. No different than the 700 club. They also do not like that everything is via the internet. Try teaching a 90 year old how to use a IPad. They also hate the new songs (hard to sing).

  I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. I hope you are doing okay.

  Let's hope your Grandma is seeing the little ole man behind the curtain and seeing that he is not the great and powerful Oz.
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  Muddy Waters

  I don't know.... Coming to know TTATT when in one's 90's would be pretty harsh... Is a hard call. You almost wish she could still have her dreams and faith intact, but the Org has changed everything so much... I wish her peace, and you as well.

  I lost my mom nearly two years ago, and it is still very painful for me to deal with... Walk gently....
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  My Name is of No Consequence

  @ Muddy Waters:

  You may be right. But then again, I would rather be told the truth than to live a lie, age aside.
  
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  redvip2000

  He went in for “routine” surgery and never left the hospital. WTF?

  This is why I avoid medical treatment as much as possible, thought of course sometimes you can't avoid it. I think in the US there are tens of thousands of people each year that die as a result of some form of medical malpractice.
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  notalone

  Dear My Name, my mother is also of the anointed she finally woke up last year.She did not attend the memorial but had a private observance on the day before the Passover, when Christ actually had His last supper. She had seen things with people in the org for a while, but made excuses. There were finally no more excuses to be made. As to the doctrines, this is not the org her grandmother joined with in the time of Russell. This isn't even the org of Rutherford,Knorr or even Franz. This is some empty shell of an org. There are no deep studies or conversations. The rank and file have left any love they may have had, and now it's all empty double-talk. So she left, because her conscience required it. Now she is reading her Bible without the publications. It is hard but she is actually happier. Now, my when husband's grandmother stopped going, and even listening in she said,'I've heard it all before'. I was worried at the time but I now realize she had woken up but kept up appearances the last couple of years. Her final say was refusing to leave the org any money in her will, quite adamantly so. I am sorry for your loss and for hers. Talk to her about the Bible. Talk to her about forgiveness. Talk to her about Christian conscience. Show her love and respect, you never know what may happen.
  
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  sir82

  The contempt the the organization has for its older members is exceeded only by its contempt for its children.

  The organization values its members by their productivity. People under 15 and over 80 are poor producers, and so are marginalized.
  

  The intuitive among JWs pick up on this, and the reaction is often the same as your grandma's.
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  ShirleyW

  When I was a kid,the we only had one anointed brother in our hall. He and his wife left da troof about thirty or more years ago. They don't live to far from me, he said he finally realized that all their predictions and dates just don't add up.
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  Pete Zahut

  Sorry to hear about your Father, it's quite a blow when they walk into the hospital voluntarily and never walk out. The same thing happened to my father and on top of that it was a routine surgery but it turned out he needed blood a day or so later, due to a leak in an artery. He was too weak to un-sign the blood directive and didn't survive. On top of that, he wasn't even a JW....just studied with JW's. A short time later, they OK'd the use of "blood fractions" which would have saved him.

  I was curious if your DF'd niece was told that her great grandmother wanted to get in touch with her ? If not, perhaps you could get her to make the call and somehow make sure Grandma is available to answer the phone directly so as to avoid interference by your Aunt.

  It seems to me that old folks have on some level realized what's truly important and because of their limited time left, are willing to cut through all the nonsense.
  
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  My Name is of No Consequence

  Pete Zahut...I'm not sure if my niece knows. I will be seeing her soon so maybe I will let her know.