A conversation with my Mom.

rassillon

I had an interesting conversation with my mother. I have spoken to her and my dad about the position I have taken before. My parents are not like many witnesses that I have heard about from many of you. This is one of the things that made it hard for me to believe many of the horror stories which I have read. My parents still talk with my brother who has been DFd 3 times and never did the whole your going to die at the big A with my other brothers who never did anything about the so called "truth". My dad went worldly for many years when I was young but got straight when I was about 13/14 (20 years now) and most of my spiritual instruction came from my mom who is a studyaholic and quite handy with the bible.

Anyway, my parents allow me to express my concerns without branding me an apostate and are very reasonable, infact they express their love and concern over anything else since I have made my views known. But when talking to my mom the other day I tried to explain to her how I got to my current state of thinking. As I explained she listened and then when I got to the explaination about 607-587-1914-1918-1919, she told me that, that was not important to her ( I am paraphrasing here), I explained that it was of utmost importance because it is the reason that the WT claims authority. I said if they really had authority from GOD that I would accept the other things but if they didn't there was no reason for me to accept their pecuilar teachings.

Well, after a long nice conversation with her she agreed that she understood "why" I had my concerns but the reasons "607 etal" were not really important to her.

I just thought that was interesting.

As a side note I am not really interested in extracating my parents from the org. since they are old and it works for them. They are active in the ministry and it gives the something to do and people to talk to. They do not suffer from being oppressed or anything and are just really nice (to everyone but each other that is, lol) seeing old people argue is funny.

This was a really long conversation and I reasoned many different ways, so please don't post "You should have said XYZ"

thought I would tell you guys since I can't tell anyone around here.

-r

KW13

Well good for you, telling folks ain't too easy

My parents are not like many witnesses that I have heard about from many of you. This is one of the things that made it hard for me to believe many of the horror stories which I have read.

Here is where i beg to differ. I got confirmed at a Church and mum kicked me out, we didn't speak for a while. Apparently i was too young and got lead into the decision, but what if i wanted to get baptized as a dub? that would of been no problem. I was around 15/16 at the time. When i try and mention my concerns about the org, i have to make sure Stepdad isnt around or he yells that he doesn't want apostate talk in his home.

fullofdoubtnow

Anyway, my parents allow me to express my concerns without branding me an apostate and are very reasonable

Rassillon, you have great parents! I wasn't brought up in the org, so leaving didn't affect me in that way, but there must be thousands, even millions, of ex jws who wish they had parents as reasonable as yours. You are doing the right thing trying to get them out of the org if, as you say, it works for them.

Dansk

As I explained she listened and then when I got to the explaination about 607-587-1914-1918-1919, she told me that, that was not important to her

I had a similar, very quick, conversation with my older daughter. After my mentioning the 607BCE garbage she turned to me and said: "W don't believe in dates anymore!" She then said to Claire and I "I can never see you again!", cried, and left. We haven't seen her since (nearly 4 years)!

Ian

garybuss

It kind of reminds me of my parents. My dad says he knows all the problems with the Society but he LIKES being a Witness and he says it's still the best way to live [even if it's not the truth].

They have accepted the claim without accepting the claim.

They KNOW it's not true, they don't CARE if it's true or not, it's their life. BUT they struggle with understanding why we don't wish to join them. They are truly captives of a concept.

greendawn

I still think that most JWs in the English speaking world with a protestant background are just as described here so often, they will shun their family members without a second thought if they dispute the FDS status or doctrine or if they get DFed for any reason. However that may not be the case with JWs from other especially non protestant cultural backgrounds. It's good to hear that there are some reasonable JW parents and perhaps congos.

parakeet

***My parents are not like many witnesses that I have heard about from many of you. This is one of the things that made it hard for me to believe many of the horror stories which I have read.***

And conversely, it's hard for me to believe that JW parents can be as reasonable as yours. I won't go into my mother's reactions to a "reasonable" discussion about religion, but if you want to check the veracity of the horror stories, just get into a similar discussion with other JW adults in your (former?) cong or elsewhere. I guarantee you'll be "branded as an apostate" within an hour.
You're extremely fortunate to have JW parents who love you unconditionally. I hope that never changes.

juni

PARAKEET SAID:

You're extremely fortunate to have JW parents who love you unconditionally. I hope that never changes.

I AGREE. BUT I'M SURE YOU , RASSILLON, APPRECIATE WHAT HEARTACHE MANY HERE GO THROUGH. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN? OR GRANDCHILDREN? I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE EXTREME PAIN MY FRIENDS HERE EXPERIENCE.

BE THANKFUL EVERYDAY FOR THAT BLESSING R!

JUNI

south african beef

Interesting thought from you Greendawn. I've never looked at it that way before. My father was bought up in the protestant stronghold of east Belfast and I know that to this day there are divisions amongst the Witto's there as to which side of 'the divide' they come from Anyway, my dad (who has been an elder ever since the elder arrangement started) and my super spiritual mum have totally shunned me - we have not spoken for well over 4 years. On the other hand, my wife Bubble's parents are of Greek Cypriot extraction. Ok they don't come round to our house but Bubble does go round to theirs. and her mum texts her quite regularly. In fact if she hasn't been round to their house for a while they get quite upset. I thought they were perhaps being spiritually weaker than my mum and dad, but perhaps it just is a different perspective arising from a different background. Thanks Greendawn. SAB

wonderwoman

*It kind of reminds me of my parents. My dad says he knows all the problems with the Society but he LIKES being a Witness and he says it's still the best way to live [even if it's not the truth].*
Sounds like my mom. She knows some of my beefs with the org, tries to understand, and always ends the conversation with " well, we're stilling living the best way." I wish she'd wake up and smell the coffee. She is young yet and has so much to gain. Maybe someday.

A conversation with my Mom.

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