I decided to chose a religion that my whole family besieds my brother who isnt biological to me but is to his sister and parents who now wont even communicate anything like surgeries or if somone in my family is in trouble. My brother is open minded to my religous views but now is put if he stays in communication with me then he loses all communication with his bilogical family. He tells me he is on my side 110% and forget his family. I know what family means to him and to me it means no ones comes in between. I feel like the in between person because i am not the bioloigcial one. Should i stop talking to him so he can be in part of his bioloical family?
136326
Keep talking to your brother,he seems to be the only person in your family acting like a grown-up!You are entitled to your beliefs and he is your brother,losing him would be like losing an arm,so keepthe lines of communication open and hopefully your parents and sister will come round,good luck,stay strong.
324471
I am sorry about your cousin, and I am sorry that you got some really insensitive (and immature) answers. Honey, the very best thing you can do to draw close to God is to talk to Him. I have 35ish years experience, so I know what I'm talking about. Its not always just roses in anyones life, but knowing God, and letting Him walk you through the tough times, helps you to see and smell the roses, when all you can feel are the thorns. Talk to Him just like you would talk to anyone else. There  are always going to be back stabbers and such, and there will be people who may call you nuts. That is because they don't have that relationship, so they cannot know what they are talking about. Don't listen to them, keep seeking Him. Matt 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." NIV \nThe person above is right about getting yourself a Christian friend to help you. I don't mean someone who will be a gossip, I mean someone who truly cares about you and your relationship with God. Even if you can't join the youth group, God is with you anywhere. And your relationship with Him doesn't depend on location.\nAbout your mom, I used to have a really bad relationship with my mom until one day someone told me a lot of stuff she'd been through. It helped me to understand why she was the way she was, and to let go of my hurts. Maybe you could talk to her?? And listen to her?)\nAbout your brother. No one has the right to hurt you. He needs to know that you are going to your parents, and if they can't stop it the authorities will. I'm sure your pastor can help. The "and stuff" part bothers me. Don't let him continue. YOU have rights as a Human being.\nMay the peace of God which passes all understanding, anoint you and keep you everyday. (Not a quote, but the real verse is Phil 4:7, another verse for you Psalm 37:4 and that one is true. Not at first, but in these later years, I can think of something I want, and a lot of the time God just kind of puts it where I can find it.) No one can convince me that He's not REAL and the GREATEST -- I know Him. See you in heaven someday.
252729
Ok I completly understand what both you and him are going through cause I have been there and done that, therefor my advice to you is if you really think and feel you love him try to understand his point even if you don't agree or like it very much. What it sounds like he is doing is avoiding having confrontations with his family and you. The less they know the less they will nag at him, they less they nag the better mood you will see him in. Think of it in a positive way he just wants to avoid problems between his family you and him, besides its also a healthier realationship for both of you, never know he may be thinking of taking the relationship a step higher and want to move in together in a few months and when he does he will drop the bom on them, just keep your eyes open at all times giving everyone and anything the benifit of a dought. Good Luck and take things easy enoy your time
303114
Oh Honey I so understand! I have 2 sisters and 3 brothers...the older we get the more we seem to fall away from each other. from an astrological point of view, when one turns 27, it is when the First Saturn return happens....it is at that point that EVERYTHING changes, such as I moved and had a child at that age. I know you love her as a sister, although it is difficult to deal with someone who is consistently negative. YOU are the one here with the presence of mind and the awareness.\nTo be aware is to be responsible....they say in Buddhism...tho raised a catholic, many other things apply.\nMy recommendation is to keep your distance from her, keep your cool....and compliment her good deeds and at the same time....never raise your voice. she sounds troubled...perhaps she is unhappy with herself. It is NOT about you!You are NOT abusive.....she is mourning something, either what she has had and lost, or what she so desires and doesn't yet have. take it easy and try  to NOT sweat it. i still have one sister who will not speak to me. It seems sad, but just because we are related, it doesn't man that we take abuse from our siblings. I wish you the best in all of your endeavors.....Be Well!!!!!!!!!!
149074
Religion isn't what comes between family members. Family members come between family members, while using all types of reasons and behaviors for doing so.... it could be politics or money or control or whatever...\n\nIt isn't about the subject at hand, it's about how we decide to relate to one another. It's about how we decide to respond to another, how we decide to treat the other person.\n\nIt is also about how we decide to be treated by our family members and how well we communicate such.
241830
Drop it now. It will not end happily. Some of these people are naive beyond belief. If you and he actually believe in your religions rather than just adopting a label, then your love will not survive! The conflicts are too deep and too pervasive.
478009
dear favordby, I am deeply sorry for your bad experience.  I know we both know that for a person to be disfellowshiped they basically were not repentant. Unlike Christendom, pure worship needs to be clean.  However don't lose hope for your relative, many times they realize their course of action was not a wise one. Disfellowshiping is a form of discipline, and Jehovah disciplines those he loves, all of us fall short from time to time. If you feel like the friends at the hall are treating you different I would suggest confronting them about it; I think they need to know how you feel and what you have been going through and how it has effected you.  I am sure once you open up to them you will find that they really are and will be there for you. If you want to talk further, you may also email me.
662772
it is too bad that your family makes you feel that bad... faith and religion is something between God and People and no one can judge other person for it.\nif you need to move do so and let them know that you are going to what city and also let them know that for a while you will not give them your # but you will call them once a week.\ndo not cut your connection with them.\nand may be you can call them form a payphone \ngood luck
69795
Oh, I really feel for you. It's very hard to face this sort of situation.  If you know where he lives, send him a letter telling him exactly what you have told us; that you love him and miss him dreadfully, that you miss his friendship and him being in your life.  You don't say how old you both are, but if he was quite young when this happened it may be that he is regretting his hot-headedness (you might find that out when you establish contact with him, but not initially), and he may later welcome the chance to get back in touch with the family through you.\n\nBut if you want to contact him, you need to make it plain that if he doesn't want contact with his parents, that's regrettable but perhaps understandable, but it isn't his relationship - or lack of it - with them that bothers you, it's the relationship between the pair of you that you want to heal.  However, you will also need to be very careful about your own relationship with your parents.  It could hurt them dreadfully if they find out that you have been in contact with your brother, and hurt people tend to lash out.  It may be that your brother felt very hurt if you seemed to take their 'side' rather than his in whatever happened when all you were trying to do was mediate, or just got caught in the crossfire, and he lashed out at you.\n\nJust spend some time putting your thoughts down on paper, don't condemn him in any way at all, and tell him you will always love and miss him.  I hope it all works out well for you.
556268
I think you should be honest with your brother first, out of respect for him. If he doesn't give you his blessing, you will be disrespecting him to continue. Whether or not you care about disrespecting him affects whether or not you should continue.
488511
Chances are good that you succeed.i know that this is kinda challenging.But if she truely love you and care about you she would be determined to break the barrier of religion.its upto her to decide whether to hurt you or her family.she will make her choices.all what i suggest you is to stand by her always.just be there for her.I suggest you to respect and support her decision.if she wishes to not hurt her family by marrying you then please support her.or if she chooses to marry you and leave her family behind you are obliged to reconnect her with her family.Good luck to the two you.hope you succeed.
25418
It's a big problem. The fact that this person has cut off all contact with family and friends is a danger sign of cults; they want their message to be the only message that members experience, and thus they tell their adherents to break contact with their former life and associates. You may want to get an "interventionist", a social worker or counselor who specializes in such extreme cases. \n\nThis is a time for caution. If you overreact, and try to force her hand, she will respond by retreating even further from you and your family. It's like telling someone who is agitated to "calm down", that only makes them madder. Try to maintain contact, and try to be as open and accessible as possible; do lots of listening, and try not to tell her what to do. Work with the rest of your family to try and stay in touch with her.
357426
Is religion the reason that your parents don't accept your relationship? If so I would sit down with each set of parents separately and come to some sort of agreement. Many family are multi-denominational, get involved in both churches. If you need to divide your weekends every month in order to fully appreciate both families beliefs and ideas then I think that would be a very worthwhile thing. \nTo be sure that the barrier between the two of you is religion I would start with speaking to my mother about it. Take a moment when it's just the two of you and have a heart to heart. \nTake things slow, decide what is most important to the two of you and go from there. No one can decide another person's destiny.\nGood luck!
517310
Sweetie I'm sorry to hear about yoru loss.  I would like to encoruage you to get some place by yourself for a few miniutes (maybe even the abthroom) and just ask God to strengthen you right now an dto help you to be strong in dealing with your family.  U cannot  stop people from experiencing what they are going through, u just have to be able to let them know you are there for them and be helpful as possible.  And when you go back to the main area where your family is I encourage you to just whisper a prayer to the Lord that he comfort your family esp. those that are taking it the hardest.  As I have typed this I am praying fo r you and the Bible says where 2 or 3 oare gathered in his name he ( God) will be in the midst. And when God is in the midst ANYTHING can change.  God Bless, u, and my condolences to you and your family.
29438
Amen! to what ab72756 said.\n\nIf you care, put God aside for a moment, and talk to your brother. See what is in his mind. Support him. Be by his side.
601242
dont pressure him but let him know that you think you're ready to spend the rest of your life with him and that you guys have 2 beautiful children.  he should know what to do and what's right especially when you guys got saved.  good job on that, it feels good to have god doesn't it?!  best wishes for your family's future!!
545187
She needs to know her family loves her, is there for her, and that there IS a reason to live. But you can't make up that reason for her. She needs to find her own reason! It sounds to me like she needs counseling, not religion, especially if she's an atheist. You don't want to totally upset her and judge her (which is what you're doing - imposing your own beliefs on her).\n\nAdded: If my sister pulled the Jesus card on me while I was on my death bed...