Watchtower says "BEAT your CHILDREN!"

by UnDisfellowshipped 35 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • UnDisfellowshipped
    UnDisfellowshipped
    The Watchtower Society says that Jehovah's Witness Parents should BEAT THEIR CHILDREN!

    You can FREELY DISTRIBUTE THIS INFORMATION TO ANYONE!

    I got these Quotes from the Amazing JW Quotes Website at http://Quotes.JehovahsWitnesses.com

    I'd love to see everyone's comments on these Quotes!

    The Watchtower January 15th 1954 Issue, Pages 54-62:

    "That brings us to discipline, and forces a facing of that hotly controversial question: to spank or not to spank."

    "Many child psychologists put a "hands off" sign on children, as did one who said: "Do you mothers realize that every time you spank your child you show that you are hating your child?" Jehovah says: "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him." A spanking may be a lifesaver to a child, for Jehovah says: "Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. If you beat him with the rod you will save his life from Sheol." Again, "Blows that wound cleanse away evil; strokes make clean the innermost parts." "

    "Some [children] are more sensible than others; some are meeker than others. A rebuke may discipline them more than a whipping would others who are more stubborn and in whose childish heart may be bound up a more than usual amount of folly."

    "Parents, if this is the case with your child, be patient."

    "If you children have been the subjects of our discussion, it is because you are the objects of our affection. All right, you say, but if you grownups are so fond of us what is all this talk about discipline, and especially spanking? Well, with you children that does touch a tender spot, does it not? But to help us get to the bottom of the matter let us look at the animals that you children love. Jehovah's wisdom is reflected in his creations, so to look to animals for instruction is not to lower our thinking to their level, but to lift it to God's thoughts..."

    "There is no juvenile delinquency in the animal realm, because there are no delinquent animal mothers. They do not spare the paw and spoil the young, but spank to preserve the young. They would die fighting for their young, just as your parents would die for you; yet they spank their young, just as your parents may spank you. In the woods the first mistake is often the last, and if the young animals disobeyed their mothers they would become the main course on a woodland menu and end up in another animal's stomach. So, while it may not be pleasant for them to be spanked, it is better to be beaten than to be eaten..."

    "You parents know what you must do. You children know what you must do. Jehovah knows what he will do. If we obey him, he will do things for us. If we disobey him, he will do things to us."
    -----------------------------------------

    The Watchtower March 1st 1955 Issue, Pages 135-136:

    "How does the Bible answer the problem of juvenile delinquency?"

    "The literal use of the rod in punishing a child may sometimes be necessary; the Bible recognizes this: "Withhold not correction from the child; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die." "
    -----------------------------------------

    The Watchtower February 1st 1956 Issue, Page 95:

    "Modern parents, in this age of delinquent youngsters, can take a lesson from the mother "teddy bear," the koala. When baby koalas "are really naughty," writes Ivan T. Sanderson in his new book Living Mammals of the World, "the mother turns them over her knee and spanks them on their bottoms for minutes on end with the flat of her hand, during which time their screams are soul-rending." "
    ------------------------------------------

    The Watchtower May 15th 1956 Issue, Page 310:

    "Just having our children with us at [Jehovah's Witnesses] meetings, however, is not adequate. Here they will be expected to pay attention and not play, draw pictures or have side attractions. They should be taught that there is a time for things other than play. It may require the rod of correction to impress the necessity for being quiet and paying attention, but, when properly applied, such measures need not be repeated often. Sometimes a young boy of five or six will begin to get restless in the meeting and start fussing, disturbing many. His father, sitting beside him, will try to quiet him. He continues fussing and the father starts to get up to take the boy out. The boy does not want to go-he has been outside with his daddy before and has lost every round. So now junior becomes quiet for the rest of the meeting. Thus we see that when discipline is firmly and kindly applied so as to be remembered, it will be beneficial."
    ------------------------------------------

    The Watchtower October 15th 1956 Issue, Page 637:

    "I decided to set aside time for daily Bible reading. This raised a howl of protest from my boys, ages 7, 5 and 3, as it always seemed to come at their most enjoyable time. After the account of creation they lost interest and the howls grew louder as I turned off the television every night and announced it was time for Bible reading. Many times I sat with the Bible in one hand and the rod of correction in the other..."
    ------------------------------------------

    The Watchtower February 1st 1960 Issue, Page 80:

    "It is an act of love, not hatred or ill will toward the child, for the parents to administer corrective discipline. "The one holding back his rod is hating his son, but the one loving him is he that does look for him with discipline." "

    "...disobedience, stubbornness and fits of anger are the ways of sin and death, and they are bound up in your heart from your very birth. It you want to live under God's kingdom rule, these devilish hereditary tendencies must be forcefully rooted out and supplanted with godly qualities, and the parental rod of correction will help to do this. "Foolishness is tied up with the heart of a boy; the rod of discipline is what will remove it far from him." "

    "There may be rare instances where a child is so hardened in its stubbornness that even the rod of correction cannot drive it out. In the days of Israel parents were instructed by Jehovah to take such a rebel to the city fathers and they, in turn, took the incorrigible one out and stoned him to death. There were no juvenile delinquents under such a system... So also today, ...Jehovah's witnesses can not and will not tolerate juvenile delinquency to exist in its midst."
    ------------------------------------------

    The Watchtower August 1st 1962 Issue, Page 460:

    "...when wrongdoing occurs and discipline must be administered... Some [children] need firmer discipline down low enough and hard enough."
    ------------------------------------------

    The Watchtower August 15th 1963 Issue, Page 497:

    "At times, then, a parent will need to speak to the child by the administration of pain. This pain, God's Word assures us, is not going to kill the child; but it will have beneficial effects, protective benefits for the child, protecting "his very soul from Sheol." "

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost

    I would hardly think that statements and attitudes from almost a half-century ago are an accurate representation of what the Borg's teachings are in the twenty-first century.

    What was advised then may well have been a reflection of the times.

    I'm sure we have claimed the right to change our attitudes too.

    This is drawing a long bow IMO.

    Cheers, Ozzie

  • Yizuman
    Yizuman

    I would hardly think that statements and attitudes from almost a half-century ago are an accurate representation of what the Borg's teachings are in the twenty-first century.

    What was advised then may well have been a reflection of the times.

    I'm sure we have claimed the right to change our attitudes too.

    This is drawing a long bow IMO.

    Cheers, Ozzie

    They don't teach that in their magazines anymore and note the year when they last published it too, 1963. This is around the time of liberalism was born and political correctness started to bloom and grew into part of our society. The WT, as wrong as they are, but not stupid by any means, they saw this coming and knew if they kept teaching this belief in their magazines, liberal cops would be all over them. It would be a matter of time that the news media would give bad press to their false religion and recruitment of new victims (or suckers, however you want to call it) would go down. Thus, the reason why they stopped publishing this teaching.

    But, there is one problem. Even while they do not print this teaching today, Elders from the time period who learned this teaching in the 1950s are passing them down to new generations of Elders by word of mouth. Elders who are in their early 50s who was raised by their JW parents under this teaching and rare some Elders who are in their 70s and 80s are still teaching new generations of JWs verbally and probably are using the old publication quotes in their speeches.

    I can attest to the fact that this kind of teaching is still alive and well when I saw a child having her buttocks being severally beaten outside at the side of the KH building in plain view of me across the street from the church parking lot. The sight of this sickened me. I wanted to beat the crap out of him, but I knew I'll end up in jail and I am just one witness to this brutal act. It would be his word against mine. Plus she was wearing thick diapers, so her buttocks would only be redden and I doubt it would have left any bruises.

    I did wish however had a camera at the time. I do now, I keep one in the glove department and if I ever see this act again, I'll be sure to take pictures of it.

  • justhuman
    justhuman

    Those are old statements back in 50's and 60's so they are not in line of what does the WT beleives today

  • teenyuck
    teenyuck

    I have to agree with Ozzie.....

    Yizuman---WHASSSUP?!

    But, there is one problem. Even while they do not print this teaching today, Elders from the time period who learned this teaching in the 1950s are passing them down to new generations of Elders by word of mouth. Elders who are in their early 50s who was raised by their JW parents under this teaching and rare some Elders who are in their 70s and 80s are still teaching new generations of JWs verbally and probably are using the old publication quotes in their speeches.

    You claim you are not a JW, never have been a JW, however, you "knew" JWs. How can you make the above statement without being a JW?

    Again, the questions:

    What is your JW connection? Were you a dub? Was your family? Was a friend?Tell us why you are on this board, spouting fundamentalist crap and trying to be sympathetic to ex-dubs.

    I can attest to the fact that this kind of teaching is still alive and well when I saw a child having her buttocks being severally beaten outside at the side of the KH building in plain view of me across the street from the church parking lot. The sight of this sickened me. I wanted to beat the crap out of him, but I knew I'll end up in jail and I am just one witness to this brutal act. It would be his word against mine. Plus she was wearing thick diapers, so her buttocks would only be redden and I doubt it would have left any bruises.

    So, you were in a church parking lot, directly across the street from a Kh???? How ODD! Very strange for a KH to go across the street from a building of the great beast. Bad vibes and all.....

    So, you saw a child being beaten and did nothing???!!! His word against yours?! Were you the only one at the "church" you were at? Even stranger. Watch a child being beaten and do nothing.

    Did this happen when you were in your "I beat my mother" stage? Perhaps that is why you did nothing.

    edited: opps, typo

    Edited by - teenyuck on 18 December 2002 8:23:51

    Edited by - teenyuck on 18 December 2002 8:24:27

  • ozziepost
    ozziepost
    The WT, as wrong as they are, but not stupid by any means, they saw this coming and knew if they kept teaching this belief in their magazines, liberal cops would be all over them.

    Sorry Yiz, but that's paranoia. Times and attitudes change, of course, but not for the reason you give.

    I know, I was there.

    Cheers, Ozzie

  • Shakita
    Shakita

    Old statements or not......keeping your children in line (and quiet) during meetings and assemblies is of the utmost importance in the JW world. There are very few children who can sit through a 2 hour meeting, or a 6 hour assembly, without doing what all normal children need to do. That is why in the "real world" alot of churches provide a nursery of some sorts for Mom's and Dad's to go to when junior needs to get up and act like a kid.

    Mrs. Shakita

  • jack2
    jack2

    Yes, times have changed, but isn't it interesting that changing times and attitudes can mean a different 'take' on the same scriptures?

  • Quotes
    Quotes

    I agree that these quotes are old and out-of-date.

    However, I would be interested to learn -- and keen to included at the Quotes website -- if there has been any official retraction/reversal of this policy. If there has not been, then technically this attitude remains "on the books".

    Also, as stated at the Quotes FAQ, the site is a compilation of interesting and/or significan WT quotes, not a place to (necessarily) find current JW beliefs. I feel the quote is significant because (A) it was published in the name of "Jehovah's Channel of communication to mankind" and sold as "spiritual truth" and (B) I know of JWs who still believe that "spare the rod and spoil the child" gives them licence to use the belt, or worse, on their kids.

    Either way, the quote is provided without editorial or commentary, so as always, I invite you to draw your own conclusions!

    P.S. Undisfellowshipped, thanks for the "plug".

  • troucul
    troucul

    I feel old...I was spanked when I was little. I see no problem having spanked my kids. I refuse to let them act out their little tantrums. Now they know when they act up, they know they need to calm down. I don't need to spank them now.

    It depends on the age. When they're 12 and 13, I'll try a different approach, but until then, pain (via a red bottom) is the only language a child understands.

    JUST BRING IT

    Edited by - troucul on 18 December 2002 15:4:45

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