The other day my mom and dad called ( My mom called a few minutes ago... ) and I have been thinking about sending them a letter in responce. Please give me your feedback.....
I am writing to let you know that I find your actions to be very confusing. I have been trying to understand why you would spend years shunning me, only to call me from time to time wanting to know why I am not in your life and to tell me that you miss me.
The answer to the question of why I am not in your life is very simple: You are shunning me. You have rejected me and pushed me out of your life.
I have never shunned you. I did not leave you or reject you. I terminated my association with a publishing corporation in New York. Are you really unable to see in your mind the difference between a publishing corporation and yourself? In a response from the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society that I got regarding shunning, they stated that whether or not you shun me is your own personal decision. I sent you a copy of this letter in the past. Did you not read it?
You have always been the ones to shun me. I spent four years trying to keep a relationship with you only to be repeatedly turned away. You even ejected me from Joy?s wedding after inviting me. On top of that I was not even notified of Gene?s wedding until well after the fact. These are very hurtful things that you have done to me. Do you really believe that you will ?win me over? by treating me in such an abusive manner?
I keep trying to understand your actions and motives, but I am still at a loss. You tell me that you miss me, but then you ?slap? me. You say that you strongly support everyone?s right to freedom of religion and speech, even bragging about all of the court cases won by the organization of Jehovah?s Witnesses in support of these rights. However, when I attempt to exercise these very same rights that your organization fought for, I am instantly rejected and shunned. This is very confusing to me, not to mention hypocritical.
I would love to be a part of your life and see everyone I grew up with and be a part of family gatherings. All you have to do is stop shunning and pushing me away. All you have to do is respect my right to freedom of religion and speech, the very same rights you fight for and enjoy. Do you seriously think these rights belong only to you? I respect everyone?s right to enjoy these freedoms and have relationships with many people of all sorts of faith and those of no faith. We all may have different views and beliefs, but we all still enjoyed each other?s company and friendship. I now see many of them as my new family since being rejected by you.
Basically it all comes down to this: Stop shunning me, or stop asking me why I am not in your life. Doing both at the same time really is quite absurd. It is all up to you. Will you stop discriminating against me because my beliefs regarding religion are different from yours, while at the same time crying foul about discrimination against Jehovah?s Witnesses? Do you see my point? You cannot cry foul when you see discrimination against you while at the same time discriminating against your own son. I am amazed you did not know this.
The next time the Watchtower Society tells you about discrimination that Jehovah?s Witnesses are experiencing around the world, I want you to think about how you are discriminating against me and spiritually abusing me because I am not a member of your religion.
I remember when I was growing up I was always being told stories about how Jehovah?s Witnesses have been threatened, even with their lives, if they did not renounce their faith as Jehovah?s Witnesses. The stories would speak of how wrong it was for people to harass and threaten Jehovah?s Witnesses simply because their beliefs were different from other peoples. What you have done to me is no different. You have informed me that unless I renounce everything I believe in you will shun and reject me. This makes you hypocrites.
As I said before, I would love to be a part of your lives, but it is you who are pushing me away and punishing me because I am different from you. I did not leave you? you shunned me.