The following incident is nothing unusual to any JW, but I wanted to add on to the list of reasons to never join, and sympathize with those stuck in it, and again a reminder that you can never get away from the mayhem when you have family still in. In a recent conversation with my JW sister who I love very much, I was reminded how complex and abnormal relationships can become within a Jehovah's Witness family.Families relationships can be difficult with any religion or none, but once we throw in the various labels and restrictions within the JW family it becomes really cultish. No one outside it could begin to understand. In the following case it's within an extended born- in family group. I'll try to keep this short. There are those active, or inactive, or maybe a Witness who married an "unbeliever." You are treated differently depending on which of the above. Let's add those currently df'd and those who were at one time, but have been reinstated. Is the person baptized, or never "made the truth they own." Living a double life? Does this or that one special privileges, or have they "stepped down?" It goes further, are they spiritually weak, or never baptized, if they were never baptized they might get limited association regardless of their behavior. Yet at least they can included in family activities, but of course if you were baptized at ten years old and were disfellowshipped at sixteen, there will be no invitation. But the children are invited if they attend meetings. It gets plain ridiculous and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Here's a small example from the conversation I mentioned at the outset.My youngest daughter who was never baptized, and who hasn't gone to meetings for years, and does multiple things a Witness would be kicked out for is having a baby. Simple right? No. My other daughter, who was disfellowshipped, then reinstated, yet never attended one meeting after that, had her baby *while disfellowshipped.*So now, my sister says she feels bad that she can buy an (expensive) gift for the never baptized one, but didn't get anything for the other because she was disfellowshipped at the time. Huh? Yet, not long after the birth of my grandchild she sent a long letter to the never-a-Witness husband with advice on how to raise him (her great nephew, my grandson, in case your getting lost, and even still reading, lol ) then also added that hopefully the df'd niece would return to the organization. I'm speechless. My daughter and I decided that though doubtless, well intentioned she counted the time for her pioneer report! Well, that particular part of the conversation probably took ten minutes, then it moved on to her strained relationship with our two never baptized sisters, and the maybe gay relative. All of the different JW status above we're also included.Exhausting to read, and it was so hard to get through. I did learn one important thing, that unfortunately I will be sticking with the occasional text and email. That was actually our first conversation in months as I've been keeping under the radar for the past year. I'm only getting away with unofficial shunning because I live so far away. 😕As I said it's just not normal, and anyone even considering becoming involved with Jehovah's Witness, for the sake of yourself and your family, please erase that idea from your mind while you can still think for yourself. 😮 The End. 😮
