Hi Jewel:
It's a lost cause and 2. she would be lost without the social structure she has been building-exclusively within this religion-for 30+ years.
Sadly, I do find that we naturally don't spend lots of time together partly because of the preaching-and partly because she can't come to any of the family gatherings I have-kids' birthdays, soup supper on Christmas Day, etc. ad infinitum.
I don't have any wise words for you, but I can tell you that I can honestly say I know how you feel
I respectfully disagree.
1.) Assuming you were at one time "in", and now you are "out" of the organizations sphere of influence and control in your life, how can you say it's a lost cause.. Obviously, you're no longer being controlled by the organization should be reason enough to understand that it is not a lost cause, assuming of course, that when you were under the organization's control, you believed that you had the 'truth'.. Something/someone caused you to think, yet I'd be willing to bet that when you were securely rooted in the truth youself, you would never have even considered that one day you would be "out". It's never a lost cause!
2.) The social structure should not be an excuse to ignore the fact that a person is NOT thinking for themselves, but being led around like Pharisee's. That is NOT pleasing to god, and sometimes doing what is pleasing to god is not easy, but if you really love god, you will do it, and it always works out better in the long run! You obviously are "out" so you have pleased god by no longer being "yoked" to the F&DS. Why would you NOT want to offer that same freedom to others?
* It is NOT natural for parents and children to 'drift apart' at the level you describe above.. You are family, and to state that because of 'preaching' and not being able to goto family gatherings is a good rationalization, but we both know that is NOT the truth.. Truth of the matter is that there are many other times where parents and children naturally interact, and show natural affetion and love towards one another.. Remember the bible scripture (I forget which one) that says basically "Where are your brothers? How can you claim to love me, which you have not seen, when you do not love whom you can see?"
I'm not in any way saying it is easy, nor am I in any way saying it will be quick, but if you truly love someone, you don't walk away from them, and you want to help them for their own good. The WTBTS teaches to walk away from loved ones when they go against the organization (NOTE I did NOT say they walked away from GOD!!!).. I am at a loss to understand anyone that says, "I left the organization and left my loved ones in and have no intention of helping them to think for themselves".. That is the exact same conditonal love (worthless IMHO) as the WT itself teaches.
