I was reading the February 15, 2003 Wt which had an article on page 23 entitled "Do Not Leave Your Child's Heart To Chance." On page 26 under the subheading "Even From Within the Congregation." The Wt overlords say: "Although your teenage child appears to be in good spiritual health, inside he may be struggling with a divided heart. For instance, Megan faced worldly ideas stemming from other youths who came to the Kingdom Hall:
"I came under influence of a group of young ones who saw Christianity as boring and as an obstacle to having fun. They said things like: 'The minute I am 18, I will leave the truth,' or 'I can't wait to get out.' They shunned young ones who said anything to the contrary, calling them holy ones.' "
I personally don't feel it's right to mock others, but there is a good reason why so many youths are leaving the Watchtower.(not the truth) Nor do I feel that teenagers should have carte blanche to do whatever they want, but all the kids want is to have a normal life.
Think of what it must be like to be a Witness in school. You are not allowed to salute the flag. You can't celebrate Halloween. You can't celebrate Thanksgiving. You can't celebrate Christmas. You can't celebrate Birthdays. The JW kids have few friends because all their schoolmates are viewed as worldly. Our children end up feeling alone and isolated. They feel like freaks. Why should our children be martyrs at the expense of their well being and at the expense of their happiness.
Hey Watchtower. This is what it is all about. The kids that you put down only want to lead a normal life and not feel like freaks. Having the desire to leave you Watchtower, does not make these kids evil. They couldn't help being born into this religion. They had no choice. So, why should they feel that they are rejects because they don't want to be part of a religion that was forced on them.
I remember how bad I felt that my kids were going through these things at school, but I thought the end would come and relieve all of our suffering. Year after year I waited and the end never came. In the meantime, my children were robbed of the normal childhood that they should have had. I know that they felt like freaks and outcasts. Knowing that I believed you Watchtower and enforced your beliefs, thus causing my children unnecessary pain, cuts very deep. You no longer have a hold on me Watchtower. My remaining children are going to live a normal childhood, free from Watchtower machinations.
I would like to hear from those of you that grew up in JW land. How did you cope in school? What got you through your Watchtower indoctrination? How are you doing now that you're free from the borg? Are you still resentful over a lost childhood? I offer my deep and heartfelt apology to my children for the way you were raised. I hope that anyone lurking that may be heading into a similar situation, pull yourself away from the Watchtower if you don't want a life full of regrets.
Mr. Shakita