When I think back to my childhood, I get kinda sad. One of my first memories is of my mom dragging me down the stairs of the old Kingdumb Hell in West Allis, WI. I couldn't have been more than 3 years old. The basement was where the bathrooms were and a lot of smackings across the face went on for me. I remember vivedly hearing poor children being whipped with belts for not behaving (sitting still and being quiet for 2 hours) and mothers telling them it's for Jehovah. I remember kids crying the second their parents brought them into the Kingdumb Hell. I remember other kids getting treated better than me because both parents were "in the truth", and another mother with kids (and no husband in the cult) talking to my mom about how hurtful that is to her family. I remember my mom telling my brothers and I that my dad would die soon if he did not come to meetings. All of this . . . . by the ripe age of about 4. I could go on for days, and really should write a book.
I would be really interested in knowing why anyone would ever sign up for this crap. I know the 70's were a different time, but was anyone shocked at how children were treated? Shunning your family and former friends because they were not Witnesses? Giving up holidays for reasons that never really made much sense?
Please share your stories . . .