Flipper,
I did not realize your parents are still JW's and that maintaining a definite JW fade is vital to keeping that relationship intact. It would have helped if you'd have somewhere mentioned that here. Because when asking for advice and suggestions it sure would have made a difference.
Folks, this is why so many people become outraged at the JW religion. And anybody with a remote amount of intelligence can understand why.
After being raised as a JW, spending almost all of his life as a loyal JW (as well as ministerial servant for many years), Flipper comes to his own reasonable conclusion that the Watchtower Society is not what it tells its followers it is, and what he believed it was for his entire life of 44 years. (Only true faith, God's channel and mouthpiece etc).
Flipper then fades (rather than formally disassociate) because he wants to be able to speak to his family including parents and children. (Sounds like a pretty good reason to me).
Now, because flipper needs to FADE here (in hopes of having ANY relationship with his parents and own children), this means that Flipper cannot tell anybody exactly why he no longer goes to the meetings and why he thinks the JW claims are bogus bologna salami.
If he tells anybody anything specific, then all one single person has to do is get wind of it (like ex-wife) to take it to the elders and then Mr Flipper will get called into a judicial meeting and interrogated directly by three, 'put the organization first', elders. If Mr Flipper does not go at all, then they can disfellowship him anyway and he definitely loses relationship with parents, relatives and own children. (Not a very good idea to skip this meeting).
If Flipper goes to the judicial meeting (as he better) and during his interrogation if Mr Flipper says he disagrees with ANYTHING WT world teaches, or that he no longer believes they are God's organization, then Mr Flipper will heavily counseled to readjust his thinking and viewpoints to be 100 percent in line with what latest Watchtower teaches. If he does not comply with this counsel then MR Flipper will be disfellowshipped and OUT.
He will then lose all those relationships he is trying to keep alive now.
Now, MR Flipper's sweet (but indoctrinated) daughter wants to 'encourage' her dad to go back to the JW religion. She has shunned him for 15 months already (in her attempts to 'encourage' him back) because he ever so slightly shared something with her that did not put WT-land in the most positive of lights. (Even though what he shared was 100 percent truthful... bad flipper!)
So now Mr Flipper wants to figure out how to respond to his daughter's attempt to 'encourage him' back to the JW world, but he cannot say why he stopped going because that gets him in trouble. If he says nothing at all (which he is trying) then that will probably get his loving daughter ticked off by completely avoiding everything she sent in that letter.
So basically Flipper has been handcuffed and held hostage by the wonderful JW religion that claims it's the only truth on earth today. And then throws in that all other religions and people of those religions are false and doomed to destruction any time now.
His wonderful daughter is trying the good ole (and loving) emotional blackmail approach (just like our stepson is doing to us) top get him back to Watchtower world.
"Yep, if you want any relationship with me at all, then you must go to the meetings first". ( How sweet of them).
So, in a nutshell, flipper cannot tell anybody why he stopped going because he loses everybody.
Flipper has not said anything at all (yet) and has already lost almost everybody he knows including own daughter just cause he stopped going.
Flipper wants to tell his daughter some things that might open her eyes, but then he loses everybody again.
Flipper wants to ignore his daughter's letter but that probably means more of the same as the past 15 months, no contact at all and total shunning and emotional blackmail.
Poor Mr Flipper.
And now you know why some folks just don't think too highly of the JW religion.
Hi Reniaa! Hope you are taking notes.
I was with a couple of tourists on a photo tour last month when they asked me about religion. When I told them I used to be a JW, their immediate response was, "Oh no, that religion breaks up families".
I think they're onto something.
Sorry Flipper. There is really nothing you can do under these circumstances but just be nice. And that will not be enough either.
Vinny
