Can I withdraw a Disassociation?

by Woman know your place 21 Replies latest jw friends

  • talesin
    talesin

    Woman,

    I don't see any way out here, except the ones already presented.

    I have lived with the curse of DF all my adult life, and it is so hard to lose one's family. It is indescribably painful at times. However, it has been worth it to be able to live my life honestly, and in freedom.

    One thing I have done, is let family members know that I am here, and if they either change their minds about associating with me treating me in a loving fashion, or leave the 'lie', I will welcome them with open arms.

  • Woman know your place
    Woman know your place

    That's a good point talesin... I write to my mother and brother regularly to keep them up to date, and I always say that no matter what I am here for them, and also send cheques and presents, as my mum doesnt have much money. I hope that they see that my life is good and that I am a good person.... I send them details of various chaity projects I'm involved in, and the help I've been able to give people... maybe, just maybe, they might see that there is more out there.....

  • talesin
    talesin

    Woman,

    I was your age, well 20, when DF. Now 46. FINALLY, my nephew that I barely know is fading, although we are not in touch (he's hiding out from them), and I have connected with some long-lost cousins (now apostates) with whom I was really close as a child.

    It's all worth it. Keep on enjoying your life, and never give up hope. Just don't let it be your main focus. Your brothers will ALWAYS be your brothers, the JWs can't take that away from you. They are young, and life is long. In the meantime, choose your friends wisely, and they will become family, too.

    OMG, I am gonna be late for work. A pox on this board! :D Bye!

    Edit,

    J/K about the pox, I really am late and this place is soooo addictive!

    and, I forgot to say WELCOME TO THE BOARD!

  • confusedjw
    confusedjw

    There is no question you are in a hard spot and I wish there were an easy answer. I'll try to think of one.

  • Erich
    Erich

    woman know ...

    Hi. When I read your story I felt a cat came up from my stomach..

    Dont let your head hang down. There will be a positive outcome, believe me!

    With all my best wishes and prayers

    E.

  • Woman know your place
    Woman know your place

    Thanks talesin, confusedjw and erich...

    At least my brother know I love them and that no one can ever stop me loving them.... an I will not mess up my life so that the elders can use me as an example to my brothers!

  • Mary
    Mary
    I always say that no matter what I am here for them, and also send cheques and presents, as my mum doesnt have much money.

    OK, your mother barely speaks to you unless it's absolutely necessary, she won't let you see your brothers and you're sending her cheques and presents??! You gotta be kidding me! And she doesn't see anything wrong with shunning her daughter because you don't believe the same exact things that she does, but she has no problem accepting money and presents from you?? And YOU don't see her hypocrisy in this?? If it were me, I wouldn't send her one more dime. I'd send her a letter saying that if she feels you're such a bad person, and has cut off your association then why is she accepting money from you? Shouldn't the congregation, her "true" family, be looking after her needs??? Perhaps she'd think twice about the lousy way she's treating you if you cut off the money supply.

  • jgnat
    jgnat

    The first problem is, with a staunch JW like your mother, there may be nothing you can do to sway her. She is so afraid, if she hears you are reinstated-but-inactive, she may still instruct her children to shun you anyways because you are "bad association".

    The second problem is, the elders are not as motivated as you are to restore family relationships. You may end up grovelling for a very long time, only to have the "carrot" moved out of your reach. By the tone of your letters, you sound like a very headstrong and opinionated woman. In other words, a really neat person to know. ....and somebody the elders are terrified of. Are you sure you could keep up the charade for months, years?

    If I were you, I would continue to work over the source of the shunning, your mother. Do your best to soften her up. Never, never, never bring up topics of religion. If she can allow a small amount of contact without her congregation finding out, you will have won.

    Perhaps a modified approach from what Mary is suggesting might help. Perhaps a tearful letter explaining how sorry you are that you have been such a failure to her, and how it must pain her even to receive the small gifts and money from time to time. In order to stop causing her any more pain, offer to stop sending these gifts and money from this oh, so disappointing daughter.

  • desib77
    desib77
    I faded and some JWs ignore me as though I was DF anyway.

    This is the same with me. I faded and have been personally judged by all members of my old congregation. They didn't have to hear that I was disfellowshipped or disassociated to decide for themselves that I wasn't worth talking to.

    People here have given you a lot of suggestions. IMO, it really isn't worth all the effort in coming back just to leave again.

    Welcome to the board!

    Desi

  • Woman know your place
    Woman know your place

    Hi Mary?. I just feel that being bitter or mean will just reinforce to her that I am a sinner?. If I act mercifully and kindly towards her, she cannot accuse me of being unchristian?. And she does need financial assistance. She doesn?t talk to me because she thinks she is doing what is best for me?.. I love my family and I know they are just horribly misguided? they don?t want to hurt me?.

    You are right jgnat, it would be hard to keep up the charade, and reinstatement would really be an act of desperation?. I guess it would be hypocritical of me to go back and then lie about my intentions, as the reason I left was that I didn?t want to pretend to be someone I wasn?t or to follow a religion I had serious doubts about?.. and Desi, good point that my family might choose not to talk to me anyway

    I guess this post is as a result of a picture of my bother on the net, he won something at school, and he has grown up so much I hardly recognized him? it just stirred a horribly aching and sadness inside me.

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