Today at the KH, Hopefully opens my wifes' eyes

by DaCheech 66 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  lonelysheep

  P.S. 5 months ago I attended my cousins wedding in a "worldly" church (we are JW's and my wife/children attended too). No one there made any comments to my childrens habits

  That's because they know it's a little baby, and have other things to worry about then bothering the people there. I grew up attending different churches and had never heard of a mandatory back room until the first time I went to KH. I was a new mother at the time and was ready to sit up front with my sleeping infant, but wasn't allowed to. (Why on earth did I stay?!)

  P.S. #2: my child was snoaring so low, that the brother could not figure out, until he "bothered" 4 others.

  So the snoring obvioulsy bothered him, and only him.

  P.S. #3: I told my wife, and she agrees that we are not going to go to tonights meeting!

  Good. Let your baby be a baby at home. I'm guessing this does open her eyes at least a little bit.
• 

  jgnat

  This is why regular churches have baby rooms and children's Sunday School downstairs that are geared to their ages. The adults enjoy their boring service, and the children get to holler out their favorite Christian ditty.

  But then again, I'm biased, being a veteran Sunday School teacher and all.

  I suggest that we tell all young Jehovah's Witness mothers to stay at home and enjoy their young ones where they can run and jump and play to their heart's content.

  Matthew 9:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
• 

  Legolas

  he found my infant snoaring!.

  LMAO!!!!!!
• 

  Odrade

  why on earth would an elder who "understands," cater to the militant ones in the congregation that insist that babies should be utterly silent, and who glare at any child who creates a "disturbance?" What would be wrong with, just once, an elder saying to a complainer: "What the child is doing is normal, and natural, and not really a problem. You need to learn to put up with these things lovingly." Every mother in the hall, (except for the "old" ones who obviously abused their children if they behave that way,) would thank you for being supportive.
  It's another symptom of this organization's total lack of regard for mothers. Even a childless sister is better off, because at least she can be expected to pioneer. But if you are a young mother, do not let your children make a peep, even when they are sleeping, because someone will bitch about it, and the nearly always, the elders will not support you.
  And the really pathetic thing is that, even after leaving, there are still many elders who think that type of behavior (from the adults,) was perfectly okay. After all, they were disturbed. No wonder so many pressured parents still remove their children to the back room and beat the hell out of them. This is where it starts. No tolerance for normal childhood, highest value placed on absolute silence. The elders are responsible for letting this attitude continue, and very few of them do anything but enforce the silence so they don't have to listen to a few complainers. Has anyone EVER heard a local needs talk on not throwing a fit if some child makes a peep at the meetings? I haven't.
• 

  TooOpinionated

  Three cheers for Odrade!
• 

  Enigma One

  Of course these same parents would be counseled if they left the infant home with a babysitter.
  
  Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.
  
  Come on....like there is really any "spiritual food" being shared. The meetings have always been boring. You could miss a years worth and not miss any new spiritual food.
  
  I'm with Odrade on this one.
• 

  daniel-p

  "to single out issues like this as "evidence" that JWs are unloving or hate kids is just plain silly. Any church, organization or social gathering is going to have some methods for keeping order that are bound to piss off a certain percentage of the attendees."
  
  - Well said.
  
  
  
  
  
  No elder in his right mind would give a talk about this. Raising children has become an ultra-private issue, as the mentality of "it takes a village to raise a child" has long since been replaced with super-defensive attitudes about child-rearing. In my experience, the only time I have ever seen the attendant ask a parent to remove their child from the auditorium was when the parent was deaf and their child was screaming so loudly that it was impossible for the speaker to continue. This went on for a good minute before the attendant plucked up enough courage. Believe me, NO ONE wants to go ask a parent to take their child to the back room because of noise disturbance - and when directed to do so by a superior it SUCKS.
  
  I can't believe how many people take things so personally - even in such a small matter as this. Why do parents have to be so defensive when their children are not behaving according to the particular social conventions at hand? If its not the JW meetings, its going to be something else - restaurants, theatres, public places, etc.
  
  Please, just don't say this is all "proof of a lack of love in the organization." I'm not trying to defend the JW's, believe me... I just think this is a little rediculous.
• 

  PoppyR

  How can I possibly not know what I'm talking about if I'm directly affect by a silly parent that would rather disturb dozens of people than sort out his/her child with a simple nudge and a stern talking to if they are being really naughty?
  
  THis is what I was talking about - parents getting too precious about their little angels

  Funny thing is we are in total agreement on this. But this is NOT what this thread is about, it's about the judgemental attitude of a nazi type attendant to a snoozing baby! And I'm sorry for my attitude, but you DO have to have experienced this to understand how it affects you. I used to get to the meeting absolutely desperate for some love and warmth, having spent all day dealing with two babies and a less than coping husband. Anyone who has been in this position understands, those that dont have labelled it 'estrogen' next thing we know they'll be asking me if it's time of the month...which is a classic chauvanistic reaction when a woman is putting across a valid point but clearly it must be just her hormones because she cannot possibly have thoughts and emotions that are genuine. I thought this attitude was very outdated, clearly not.

  So do you think a simple nudge or a stern talking to was what this baby needed? Or maybe the brother that complained needed a nudge and a talking to and a 'get a life' reaction..

  The thread is about lack of love at the KH and also total lack of understanding about what children need to grow and flower. Not about badly behaved children, who I think we'll all agree, need to be dealt with in whatever LOVING way the parents think is appropriate.

  Poppy
• 

  Van Gogh

  Can we have the vote now?
  I'm all for snoring babies during the meeting - would seem kinda soothing to me (perhaps we could all join them then).
  And no, I don't even have children.
• 

  Lilycurly

  I vote SNORE! Very appropriate for such boring meetings.