JW Family, How Do They Drive You Up The Wall?

by Celtic 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  Scully

  Without a doubt, the two things that bother me the most are the hypocrisy and the negativity/fault-finding.

  Remember how every so often the service meeting featured a demonstration on how to conduct a family study? Well, more often that not, my family was always the one that was asked to do the demonstration. The only trouble was, we never actually HAD a formal family study like the demonstration required, although I know it got reported. After a while, I refused to participate in those demonstrations.

  Hypocrisy is something you can find pretty much everywhere you go, so I'm not singling out the JWs per se for it. I see plenty of it at my place of work, too. However, the difference is that my co-workers do not claim to be "God's spirit directed organization" or "God's chosen people". Nor do they expect me to think the way they do or else prepare myself for eternal destruction sometime real soon.

  The other thing that gets my bee in a bonnet is the annoying habit my parents have of never acknowledging anything good or positive, or any accomplishment other than their own. Conversely, if I've spent a whole day preparing for a visit with them and cooking a nice meal, they won't say "Oh this pot roast just melts in my mouth!" but they will comment if the mashed potatoes are slightly dry. I have taken my parents to task for this on occasion, and it was quite humourous when they came to visit last time in December and there was a great big Christmas tree in my living room. Hubby mentioned something about the gingerbread house being a bit crooked and my mom piped in with "You really shouldn't be so critical." A few minutes later she noticed there was a tiny little stain (about 1/16th of an inch in diameter) on the carpet and said "I thought you said the carpeting was new." <eyeroll> We DO have three children. Inside I was ROFLMAO, knowing she was just DYING to bite our heads off over the Christmas tree.

  Aside from that, there are other things that I'd rather not discuss here that would probably blow my cover if my family ever happened to find this board.

  Love, Scully
• 

  teenyuck

  Blacksheep, rather than cut and paste your whole write up, I will just say, I AGREE! You said exactly what I would have.

  Since coming to this board, I have been having more and more nightmares about being a JW and being at the KH or Assembly Hall. I have been waking up crying. While joining this DB has been very helpful, it has brought up some really painful things. Things I choose to forget or ignore for years. I am now remembering them with a vengeance.

  I am on the brink of writing a letter to my mother and telling her what I think of her and the borg. I really need her to understand and think about the ramifications of her joining the borg 35 years ago. She needs to accept that the borg influence was the determining factor in her divorce, my sister's miserable existence and many other things. Saying she is being persecuted is insane.

  I have heard unbaptized cousins say "I'll see my father again in the new system." (Huh?! They must realize that since they are adults and never really gave themselves to Jehovah, they don't have a sno-balls chance in hell) "Wait on Jehovah-every thing will be better in the new system." It makes me sick. Not being baptized has allowed them to lead semi-normal lives. They have the perks of not being shunned and the life of a worldly. Their families treat them very nicely...in spite of being NWT thumping believers.

  I am in a "I despise the dubs" mood today...bad dream this morning.
• 

  teenyuck

  I forgot to add: if there is a hell, all my dub relatives deserve to be there.
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  bay64me

  I think that all this business about "the putting on of the *new* personality" just totally promotes hypocrisy FULL STOP
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  jgnat

  My JW honey is far more afraid of what the local WTS congregation thinks of him than Jehovah. Which is kind of funny, considering that the congregation cannot read his heart or see where he goes, while Jehovah can. Perhaps he knows instinctively that the congregation would be far less forgiving than Jehovah would be? I believe this is the root of a lot of the hypocricy.
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  gumby

  What drives me nuts besides being shunned?

  Seeing the yellow highlighter pen and the watchtower being quickly underlined on an early Sunday morning.

  Hearing phone calls about a talk they have a part in.

  Making arrangements for service on the phone....."what are your plans" ....blah, blah

  Seeing her getting her gear and leaving for service and coming back talking about where they ate.

  Why does all this bug me?

  Because I know it's all a vain waste of time.... and they don't know it.

  Edited by - Gumby on 20 August 2002 20:24:17