Siamese: We Waved to Our Grandchild—And the Police Were Called

My wife and I were Jehovah's Witnesses for some 40 years. Several years ago, we made the difficult decision to disassociate from the organization. That choice came at a heartbreaking cost. All of our children and grandchildren remained members of the faith. Once we left, we were cut off entirely. We were no longer allowed to see our grandchildren.

Because we were discouraged from forming friendships outside the religion, we found ourselves completely alone. Adapting to our new life outside the organization was incredibly hard. Financially, we were also unprepared. Like many Jehovah’s Witnesses, we were told that the end was near and discouraged from planning for the future. We didn’t invest in a private pension. Now we struggle just to get by.

One of the most painful moments came when we saw one of our grandchildren and simply waved. That small gesture resulted in the police being called on us. Eighteen months ago, my wife was diagnosed with lung cancer and had to undergo a major operation. Our son lives close to the hospital and heard about her condition. Still, he did not visit. Not even once.

There is so much more I could say—but I hope this small glimpse helps others understand the pain and injustice of mandated shunning.