Saturday, February 24, 2007

Family tragedy

Yesterday I received an e-mail from my father which told me that my grandmother is dead. I accept the fact that she was old and that it is natural that she died. She was over ninety years old and very sick lately, so in my mind it is better for her to be dead and without pain than live another year or two on this earth in agony. Cynical? Not really.
What disturbed me most was the message that followed afterwards. My aunt (my fathers sister) did not tell anybody about it and planned to bury her in secret.

The thing is that my aunt Luise (Luiza in Lithuanian) belongs to the Jehovah witnesses or whatever that is. I have no problem with people who follow any of the religions even though I am not religious my self, but I do have a problem with people who accept only the ones that belong to their own religion.
My aunt has been Jehovah's witness for about 10 years (approximately) and she tried to pull me into it too. She found a husband for herself in her community and her life improved tremendously. Because she was the one that still lived with my grandmother (the family made an agreement that she is the most suitable to look after her mother and therefor later on the property will be all hers) she tried to pull the poor woman into it aswell. My grandmother was a lifelong Catholic and did not want to change her religion and that's where it went wrong.
My aunts husband started abusing the poor woman, she got sick, beaten up etc. My aunt banned her brother's and their families from entering the house, as we are all wicked or something like that.
The last time I saw my grandmother was five years ago, she was ill and did not recognise me. We were never really that close.
Now I am shocked because my aunt buried my grandmother according to Jehovah witnesses traditions. I feel some disgust because she humiliated my grandmother after she died. My father (who is also not religious) attended the funeral as a neighbour informed him (as I mentioned earlier Luise tried to bury her mother in secret), and he is torn. It was his mother there, dead humiliated like it wasn't bad enough that she was humiliated for the last ten years of her life.

My aunts daughter Victoria (Viktorija in Lithuanian)got married a year or so ago, I wanted to send her a wedding present but nobody knows where she lives. My father has told me that he heard that she ran away from her mother and married a man who did not belong to Jehovah witnesses. I hope so for her as she is a nice girl.

In a way I feel guilty. The last time I was in Lithuania I did not visit Agota (an old fashioned form of Agatha in Lithuanian), my grandmother. I remember her but I have not shed a tear for her as I believe she is better off now.

The whole point of this post? Pointless.
I am not intending to stop people from joining Jehovah's witnesses or whatever they are called, all I am asking for please do not humiliate or abuse people who don't follow your religion whoever you are. Because religion should teach you, to be kind and nice to everyone you love, and to be friendly with everyone you know. I don't need a God or a Bible to tell me that. I believe in goodness in everybody even though I am not religious.


6 comments:

Pam said...

Religion can be such a nasty thing! It is most humiliating that your aunt imposed her religion onto her mother in such a cruel manner.

I think it's important to hang on to your belief in the goodness in everybody...although I know that can be challenging...especially when you've experienced this kind of humiliation.

The best revenge? Live well.

Anonymous said...

(((((Carra))))))

I am sorry that your aunt and her husband, acted very inappropriately. But that is not how Jehovah's Witnesses are taught to act. I have many relatives that are not Jehovah's Witnesses, yes I have shared my beliefs with them because I love them, but ultimately it is there choice and it is between Jehovah and them. I still treat them with respect, visit them and include them in functions of our family. We are taught that our life should also give a silent witness to those around us and it should bring glory to Jehovah. It is not for any Jehovah's Witness to judge, that is Jehovah's job. It is an obligation on each of us to share with all of mankind the good news about Jehovah's Kingdom and what it will soon do for mankind. We desire all to want to put their lives in harmony with God's standards so they can benefit from the reward he has promised.

I hope you and your family's hearts heal from this tragedy. And again, I am so sorry for the actions of your Aunt and Uncle.

Anonymous said...

I believe she is in a better place now. And you've got yourself another guardian angel my dear.

Lotus Reads said...

I'm so sorry you lost your grandmother, Carra, but like someone else said, you now have another guardian angel watching over you.

We have Jehovah witnesses coming to our door all the time. They are so persuasive and persistent. I long to close the door on their faces but I cannot bring myself to be rude. Now, that I have learned to identify them by what they wear, I just don't open the door to them anymore.

CG said...

Pam, yes it is definitely nasty to impose ones regiligion onto another, we are born free and we choose ourselves what we want to believe in and what not.
Denise, I am glad to hear that it is not normal to act like that or a Jehovah's witness, please do not take me wrong (anybody) I am not against a religion (any of them in fact) as it does make some people better and also makes their life easier. I am agreed with you if there is a God it is his right to judge and nobody else's.
Nurse, yes I do believe she is in a better place now too. In fact I am sure she is somewhere, where there is no more pain and no more abuse.
Lotus, thatnk you very much, yes I might have another guardian angel but I know people who need them more than I do. Our familly is looked after and that is good enough for me.
With opening the door. Oh dear I am just too polite, when I lived in Lithuania I reached that point where they used to come everyday, by all means believe but please do not push me because I will rebel. Finally I told them there is no way I am going to a meeting and gave them all their books back.

I could write a whole book on this (religion)...

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