UPDATE: telling my parents I dont believe in God

by filip 37 Replies latest jw friends

  • filip
    filip

    my parents have noticed my negative and sad attidude lately, whenever were going to the meetings or studying and so on. But they just think that I am negative and sad in general. I dont think they think that its spesifically because Im being dragged to the meetings.

    So lately we have had a lot of "serious" talks, because theyre worried for me. And all the time theyre asking me whats bothering me and why Im sad.

    They even ask me directly if I still want to come to the meetings, if I want to be a JW, if thats why Im sad.

    In this case, would it be good idea to tell them anyway, since theyre actually asking me directly? Or just lie and say its because Im going through a difficult period now as a teenager and blah blah blah...?

  • Jez
    Jez

    Always be honest with your parents. Living a lie/leading a double life is torturous to your soul and always causes more problems than it solves.

    Jez

  • Dustin
    Dustin

    Hey, I always hated going to the meetings too. Do yourself a favor, and quit going to the meetings right now. If I could do it all over I would have quit right away. Don't let the JW's tell you the end is coming. They've always said that. Instead tell your parents you don't want to go anymore. They'll get over it. Stop wasting your time doing something you don't want to, and enjoy your teenage years like I wish I would have.

    Dustin

  • filip
    filip

    uhm- Dustin, good points, I wish I could do that. But as I has posted a many topics before, what if they just make me study and go to the meetings and do field service much ore than before if I told them. A lot of people in here have already said that thats what most likely going to happen...

    but what about now, where theyre actually asking me directly? As Jez said, its tearing me up inside to live a doublelife. Mentally I dont think I can handle the pressure much longer...

  • SixofNine
    SixofNine

    : As Jez said, its tearing me up inside to live a doublelife.

    Well, think your way past that crap right now. You're not "leading a doublelife" ferchrisake! That is a witness term, and even if it has some small merit for the jerk-off pioneer sister sleeping with her boyfriend, it in no way applies to your situation.

    What you are, is a young person stuck in a difficult situation, but not of your own making. A slight bit of duplicity on your part is nothing compared to the monumental lies told by the organization, so don't sweat it. Sure, it's natural for an honest person to want to be totally upfront, but do it on the terms that will benifit you most. If that means taking the next three years to let your parents "get it", take the time. If you can find a way to do it now, that's cool too.

    But lose the guilt now. Guilt is mostly just about us humans being drama queens anyway. ;-)

  • lonelysheep
    lonelysheep

    When I started studying, I was told to raise my daughter 'in the truth', and that if she one day said to me, "Mommy, I don't want to go the meetings anymore", that I should not force her to go. I was told that was a responsibility as a parent. This was 5 years ago, though. So it makes me wonder if there was a 'new light' shed in that aspect (between you and my kids' births).

    Basically, raising her in the borg was the best I could do as a parent, but even if she was 9 and told me she didn't want to go, then she could stop attending.

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    Filip,

    I don't think your parents would insist on field service if you tell them you don't believe in God. Meetings and BS (Bible Studies, I mean) is another matter.

    I guess it is worth a try. Speak to them calmly, gently, without any provocation. You don't want to hurt them, you want to be honest with them. If you feel they are hurt you may tell them that you need time to think it over by yourself...

    Take care.

  • Nocturne
    Nocturne

    filip,

    This is really a tough call. On one hand like you said, your parents might just freak out and try to force you to do more for the "truth". On the other hand, the fact that they're asking might be a sign that they realize that no matter what they do, you might not want to be a jw, and they're ready to accept that possibility.

    but what about now, where theyre actually asking me directly? As Jez said, its tearing me up inside to live a doublelife. Mentally I dont think I can handle the pressure much longer...

    Although I was an adult when i told my mom I didn't want to be a jw anymore, I still felt the same things as you do. At the time I quit, I was still quite dependent on my parents, and I thought that it might be a possibility that I might get kicked out of the house. Towards the end of my stint as a JW, the same thing was happening to me as living the doublelife was starting to take it's toll on me, it came to a point where I couldn't handle it anymore. But my mom was also noticing a big change in my personality similar to the way your parents have noticed a change, and on many occasions, my mom asked me if I still wanted to be a jw. During those times, I lied and said yes out of fear and guilt.

    The point is, at that time I made the decisions on what I thought was best for myself given the situation. I can't tell you what to do, especially in a situation like this. You know how your parents are, and when it comes to something like this, it's almost a wild guess as to how they're going to react. The only thing I can tell you, is to do what you perceive is best for yourself given your situation. Good luck figuring out what to do.

    Nocturne

  • logansrun
    logansrun

    I totally concur w/ Six on this one. It will take an emotional summersault at times, but that's the way to go.

    Bradley

  • Dustin
    Dustin

    Filip, I'm not going to tell you what to do. But, I ask you this how can they "make" you do anything? Now I'm not saying you have to be a complete jerk to your parents. What I am saying is you have a right to make your own decisions. It will suck at first when you tell them that you don't want this anymore. Hell I was 25 and my parents acted like they could make me go. But if you stick to your guns, and show them you really don't want to be a JW there's not much they can really do. Yeah, they might try and punish you. But like a good friend of mine used to say "What are they gonna take away your birthday?" (no JW pun intended). Do you want to waste your time leading a double life? Or do you want to tell the truth, and end your JW slavery? I know it's tough. But I wish I would have lived my teenage years as a non JW.

    Dustin

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