[Faith-talk] Questioning Our Beliefs

[debby phillips via Faith-talk]

Hi Brandon, these discussions always end up mostly being hurtful 
to someone, which is why I rarely take part.  I understand the 
Church's perspective regarding marriage, but wow, family acting 
unloving and nasty is really hard for me to stomach.  My 
grandmother on my father's side was a JEHOVAH's Witness.  I 
totally disagreed with her beliefs, and we wrote to each other 
for an extensive period, each trying to help the other to 
understand and, at least on my grandmother's part, and probably 
mine too if I'm honest, a desire to convert each other.  I 
finally wrote to her and said that I wished to end the 
discussion, because I was afraid that at some point we might 
attack each other and I honored and respected her too much to do 
that.  I told her that I loved her, and still wanted her to be 
part of my life, and that we might have to agree to disagree.  
She was fine with that.  Whenever I returned to my home town, I 
would go visit her and have lunch.  We would talk about all kinds 
of things, and watch TV together.  Sometimes we napped together 
too.  Lol.  It was very sad for me when she died, and I still 
miss her.  I wish I could call her like I did sometimes.  I got 
to talk to her the day she died.  It was odd, my mom and two 
brothers, at different times that day, and without consulting 
each other, visited her, and I felt this very strong urge to call 
her, so I did.  That afternoon I took a nap, and dreamed about 
our family the way it was when I was a little girl.  I woke up 
and not long after that the phone rang and it was my mom telling 
me that she had passed away.  Wow, not sure why I shared all 
that.  Sheesh! Sorry for telling you my life story.  Anyway, I'll 
end by saying that I believe God was more pleased with my desire 
to love and honor my grandmother than for me to keep trying to 
convert her.  I can only be obedient to the Lord, and not 
question what others do.  This may sound odd to you, but the more 
loved I feel by the Lord, the less I feel that I must win every 
dialog.  Hope that makes sense.  It's not how I used to be.    
Peace to you and your wife,    Debby