Welcome! Wow would you and my brother have a lot in common. I found your story very interesting. Glad to meet you.
Dustin
Yet Another Newbie Here
by adelmaal 26 Replies latest jw friends
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orangefatcat
Welcome Friend,
May your journey here prove strenghtening. And as you can see already so many have gone through the same difficulties and have become survivors of that nefarious. organization known as JWs
Enjoy the new found freedom. And most of all for your own happiness and that of your children, be true to yourself and go with your heart.
All my luv
Orangefatcat
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adelmaal
You are all awesome! Thanks for all the heartfelt responses.
I have struggled with the decision to fight for full custody and for me it just isn't something I am comfortable doing, nor something I can afford to do. I actually think I would have a great chance of winning but I don't want to completely alienate my daughter from her father as he tries to do with me. I know that anything short of supervised visitation would be a vain effort because they won't listen to a human judge when it comes to her "everlasting life". They so take the whole "obey God as ruler rather than man" to the limit. Can't they see they obey the GB as ruler rather than God - LOL? They won't stop studying with her and I know that.
So what I want for her is to be able to distinguish right from wrong and I have gotten some really good pointers in this post. I am going to take a more aggressive stand with her and really by not only have a Christian Bible study but also by showing her some of the things suggested above.
Thanks again!
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Kenneson
Adelmaal,
Welcome!
I'm glad that your daughter won't be getting a myopic view of things. There's more to life than just the Watchtower Society.
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indispair
I was the daughter of two split parents. My mom in , my dad out. You can read about our family on line when looking up Religious Supreme Court Decision. My parents court case set the presedent for divorce cases now. My mother's case was overturned by the Supreme court and now holds the "tender years" rule which says, a child can not be taken from their mother at a young age due to maternal bonding such as done with breast feeding.
My mother and my sister and I were featured in the Awake magazine in 1985 for a good example of fleeing the world and divorce, etc. I believe it is in the 1985 Awake but I am not sure which month.
I can only tell you that as a child it was hell. I lived one way one weekend and another way another weekend. It kept my sister in and me out. I appreciate that you tell your daughter that she should wait to be baptized as I was baptized at 14 with no clue what I was doing and was later disfellowshipped. I only got baptized to make a statement to my father who I was to afraid to confront. And I wanted to please my mother and get baptized with my friend. Just keep instilling in your child the love and unconditional acceptance you have for her and tell her to pray at night and ask God' s direction on which way she should go when she is old enough to decide. She is not responsible for her religious actions until she is completely informed and neither you or your ex can do that for her.
Good Luck!
Keep your chin up
Indispair
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prophecor
Adelmaal, hello. It's a pleasure to have you with all of us. It's wonderful that you can return to portions of your former life, family & friends as most XJW's don't have that as a luxury. Also that you could re-activate yourself into the community, socially and politically is such a plus as well. I wish you all the sucsess that can come your way in your new life. God Bless
Art
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Sassy
This is the first I have seen this.. Thank you for sharing your story. I know you explained some of this to me when we spoke on the phone..
I am sooooo glad that you have joined us here!!
I really feel for you and your torn situation.. and FOR your DAUGHTER!
to be honest.. I grew up in a 'divided household'.. Dad celebated and wasn't a JW, and Mom was and didn't.. it was different in that we lived in the same household and at that time they were still married.. but my point is that kids adapt.. no matter what you do with her in your household.. and of course he will do in his (since you both have legal custody), she will get through this.. and if you can give her a real life.. a normal one.. that is much better. gives her a better chance than if she had been stuck raised as only a JW.. thankfully you got smart and walked away!!
