Parents of Different Spiritual Persuasions

by Thehermit05 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  Thehermit05

  Hello,

  I escaped the cult many years ago. As a result, I have an eye for cultlike thinking, whether in terms of religion, politics, centrist thinking, etc.

  Last December my fiance and I had a baby. She is black and I'm white. We've never really had any issues with each others' spiritual ideas, perhaps because they aligned fairly well, focused on self-development and transformation by way of occult and magical techniques. In the last few months, she has gotten into looking at African spirituality, which I have nothing against and have helped to encourage, but I'm beginning to notice what feels like thinking and behavior familiar to me because of my JW past. Lots of "us vs. everyone else" kind of thinking, "we did it, had it, thought of it first" statements, "African spirituality is like oil and water with any other forms of spirituality" talk, and other things that, if nothing else, have me worried about how I am going to handle making sure that our daughter, in the coming years, will get to know about other things also, which have been particularly useful and helpful to me. I would feel equally concerned if she were making such statements in terms of Catholicism, Native American spiritual practices, Trancendental Meditation, or Pastafarianism.

  So, taking it from an angle I'm familiar with, how did/do non-JW parents who have a JW spouse, make sure that their kids get exposure to more than just one form of "spiritual food," while keeping things peaceful?
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  truth_b_known

  make sure that their kids get exposure to more than just one form of "spiritual food," while keeping things peaceful.

  I think you have answered your own question.

  First, expose your child to other spiritual practices. Don't force it on them.

  Second, let your child know he/she should use their rational thinking. Do not believe something simply because someone told them or a book says so. Always examine and investigate.

  Third, teach by example. Be peaceable. Be understanding. Be mindful. Do not argue with your wife. When your wife says something truly listen with 100% of your attention with the goal of understanding her. Do not listen with the goal to either agree or to think up a retort to counter her point.

  I have been studying Buddhism for 2 years and have taken up the practice of Soto Zen Buddhism. My youngest soon asked for a copy of the Tao Teh Ching. I was excited as Taoism influenced Mahayana Buddhism and gave us Zen Buddhism. I would simply asked him about what he read and would listen. About a year later he ask me to buy him a book on Zen Buddhism.

  So, great question. I guess one great question for any person to ask themselves is "What is the purpose of spiritual practice?" Is it not to experience life to the fullest? Why are we here? Is it not to learn that we are not separate from one another? Religions that divide will become self evident.
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  road to nowhere

  I mistrust any philosophy be it spiritual or otherwise that has to be prefaced with a race or nationality.
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  Thehermit05

  Road to Nowhere, I tend to agree. I don't agree that only white supremacy poses a threat or that only whites can exhibit racism, and I see her thinking going in that direction, which I find unsettling. Part of why I want to prepare now and work on the longterm on this.
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  Sea Breeze

  focused on self-development and transformation by way of occult and magical techniques.

  I had enough of that while in the Watchtower.
  
  
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  Thehermit05

  Sea Breeze: Not really the same, and comparison with the org wasn't the point of the post. If you prefer, and if it would glean a helpful response, think of it as two parents of whatever terms you'd like.
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  Anony Mous

  This is the problem with modern racial philosophy, that it is another cult. Be clear and honest, point out the flaws and the parallels with whatever cult they are leaning towards before they become entrenched in their positions.

  These cults have very similar styles, they all follow a leader, they have out vs in mentality, special ways of talking, invented words and very sly, but counterfactual talking points. The goal is always to maximize power for the leaders, nothing more, nothing less.
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  WingCommander

  Voo-doo Bullshit? Well, you married into it...............
  
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  shepherdless

  So, taking it from an angle I'm familiar with, how did/do non-JW parents who have a JW spouse, make sure that their kids get exposure to more than just one form of "spiritual food," while keeping things peaceful?

  I was never one to encourage any other form of “spiritual food”. I always encouraged logic and reason, and rational responses to events, instead of superstitious nonsense.