Why I'm Not Calling My Family Now


I have been thinking a lot about family and friends that have chosen to disconnect from me. My emotions are pulling at me to reach out and make sure they’re all right. Of course, I know they either wouldn’t talk to me or they would preach to me if I called. Still, I really want to hear that they’re all right.

One realization keeps me from checking on them: this is their test of faith. Whether I agree with it or not, to them, their relationship with God is on the line. I'm sure their emotions are telling them to call and check on me too. But, there is ingrained training that tells them I am an evil apostate. This is a test to see who they love more: me or their God. That puts an incredible amount of pressure on them at a time when they feel their life is at stake. 

It’s like a Rorschach test. They see this as the end of the world, while many see this as a time to pull together and help. They see God’s judgment coming upon mankind, while the majority see it as a time to reflect true love. They are in an impossible situation.

I will never forgive the organization that has created this psychological torture. This shunning policy is just another example of how a group that claims to represent the epitome of love harms its members. I will not add to the pressure my loved ones are under.

When we get to the other side of this tragedy, when they can take a mental breath, that’s when I’ll let them know how much they mean to me. That’s when I will tell them how happy I am that they are still alive. That’s what I’ll show them what love really means.

When things calm down, many active Jehovah’s Witnesses will be massively disappointed. This looks like the culmination of world events they’ve been waiting for their entire lives. When this is over, they’ll look for real answers. I hope they’ll look into the organization, its leadership, the scandals, and the damage that has been done to current and former members. This might turn into an exodus that could be a huge blow to the religion.

The organization has set up its own fall. I don’t need to do anything to push a person into seeing reality before they are ready. Current members that are truly honest with themselves will see what’s going on when they get over their disappointment.


So, as much as I want to call my friends and family, I’ll wait. I’ll let this crisis reveal things to them. Then, I’ll be here, ready to help those that want to disconnect from the organization. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Am I An Apostate?

Image
When someone consciously leaves the Jehovah’s Witness religion, they are called an apostate by the organization. This derogatory term is used to describe someone that has rebelled against God. Even questioning the organization can earn someone the label of an apostate.  To the average JW, apostates are the worst people on the planet. They are described in JW literature as “mentally diseased”. Satan is called the original apostate and those that chose to leave the religion are called his children. They are seen as a threat and a danger to one’s spirituality. This is how they are described in one JW reference work: “I n the Christian Greek Scriptures it is used primarily with regard to religious defection; a withdrawal or abandonment of the true cause, worship, and service of God, and hence an abandonment of what one has previously professed and a total desertion of principles or faith ." I wasn’t sure how I felt about being called an apostate by members of my forme...
Read more

JWs, ExJWs, and Suicide

Image
This is going to be a longer post than usual because this is a subject that needs a lot of attention. I am very concerned about the lack of psychological support for people coming out of high-control religions. The adjustment process of finally thinking for yourself can be very disorienting. It is intimidating, invigorating, frustrating, and fascinating to have total freedom for the first time in your life. Unfortunately, it can be so overwhelming that some have chosen to take their own lives. I know about this problem from personal experience. I have known nine people that have committed suicide. I know of more but these are nine people I knew personally. It should not be possible to know nine suicide victims. Other than being my friends and family, the only common denominator between them was their association with the Jehovah’s Witness religion.  I have started to meet ExJWs from all over the world. As we get to know each other, the subject of suicide seems to come u...
Read more

Political Unrest

Image
Politics has been the toughest nut for me to crack so far. Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught to remain neutral to all politics in the world. No matter what the situation, country or problem, we were not allowed to get involved or even have an opinion. I walked through the world with blinders on and thought that someday God would step in and solve all mankind’s problems. Of course, he would have to destroy 99.9% of humanity to do it but, I somehow felt that was a small price to pay. Now that I’m no longer subject to “magical thinking”, I realize that there are real issues that must be dealt with by humans. I have to find a way to get involved and form opinions I’ve never had before. Needless to say, today’s political climate is probably the worst time to learn about this subject. It is confusing and frustrating for everyone, much less someone that has never paid attention to this area before. I am fiscally conservative but, I feel that everyone should be allowed to live life as...
Read more