Born ins..Were You Forced to Be a JW Growing Up? (page 4)

besunny

My mother started studying when I was 4 and was baptized soon after, my father soon followed and gave up a the career of his dreams for the Truth,,,anyway I had no choice in going to meetings and participating in Theocratic School and service,,the one thing I totally refused to do and my mother did respect is that I refused to go out door to door in the neighborhoods around my school,,how freaking imbarressing is that!! my mom thought she was doing the right thing by guilting me into it,,she wanted me and still does to have everlasting life,,after all armagedeon is right around the corner,,they felt they were doing the right thing and I totally respect that,,,I just wish at this point in the game we just could of been the normal American family,,with holidays and such,,we missed out on alot of good family times...

Black Sheep

This is actually a very good magazine for kids.

They should hang on to a copy for when the parent oversteps the marks laid down in it.

They can use it to know what the parent is supposed to ask them so that they can prepare in advance.

E.g. "Son: I find them boring, that’s all!", is what Dad is expecting and he has a plan to deal with it, so just don't throw him that one. Instead, the kid should ask a simple question that has a simple answer that the parent doesn't like, but might not have had to face up before. If the parent gets confrontational, out comes the magazine, page 19,

"Be careful, though, not to let the discussion deteriorate into an argument" .....

Be patient with him. Employ “all long-suffering and art of teaching,” just as you would with someone outside the family.—2 Timothy 4:2.....

Father: [calmly].... etc..

ziddina

Hah! Funny you should mention that technique, Black Sheep!!

I tried that with my family - using the self-same guilt and fear tactics that they used on me - turned them right around and used such tactics back on them...

That's when the violence towards me intensified...

Got so bad that I called an elder from our house, one time... Parents grabbed the phone and fell all over themselves telling the elder that I was "mistaken", was "imagining things", etc...

The elder - to his credit - didn't buy it, and they were both given a "counselling" session soon after...

At least it made them behave, for a while...

They became masters at presenting the "proper" face and appearance, in public...

I'm glad I DA'd when I was 30, and wish I'd had the resources and support to have DA'd when I was 9 years old... Wasn't baptised yet, but desperately wanted OUT, anyway!!

Zid

Black Sheep

If they get violent, run to a neighbor. Call the cops as well as an Elder.

Let the whole street witness the cops arresting Dad for trying to beat up his kid because s/he doesn't believe some old fools in Brooklyn.

Parents have to learn to behave themselves too.

144001

I was born in, threatened with DA at age 15, and out immediately therafter, but never DA'd. Dad was an elder/PO who gave talks at district assemblies. Dad was a highly educated man who spoke well, converted many, and was loved by most people he met, in and out of the Kingdom Hall. I hate the WTBTS for stealing my childhood and my father from me.

I think I was lucky to get out when I did. . I hated every minute of my time as a JW, so when they threatened me with DA, I told them to go ahead and do it. My dad was a very prominent JW who was politically powerful, so they never DA'd me, despite their threats.

I still see some of the JWs from my congregation on occasion, and I still have one JW friend, who has since become an elder.

As I read the other stories, it almost brings tears to my eyes, as the stories are similar to mine in many ways. I guess that's what brings many of us here to this forum. Only someone who was born in can relate to what I went through as a kid. My significant other was never a JW and although she has been exposed to some of this weirdness, she really has no idea of what it was like for me as a kid.

Broken Promises

Same for me, although I was allowed to be 18 before I was expected to be baptised.

But to be a Witness was not optional. Not unless I wanted to say goodbye to my family forever.

punkofnice

My parents were brilliant with me. However, their zeal for the watchtower lie did mean I wasn't allowed out with school friends and I grew up friendless.

We had to 'study' the watchtower as a family every Saturday.it was a feckin' drag. I thought it was what Jar Hoover wanted though as I trusted that my parents had made an infallible choice with being watchtower slaves.

It doesn't surprise me that this sh1t is printed in the PUBLIC edition. Meanwhile in the 'STUDY' magazines we have 'mentally diseased apostates' that the 'Jehu Elders' should be able to 'slaughter' if it wasn't for the pesky laws of the land!

nugget

The watchtower is very subtle and the way children are drawn into the organisation is clever. At the point when they are old enough to consider baptism youths may feel they have no choice but to conform whether they truly believe or not.

When no other religious viewpoint is discussed objectively and exploration of other faiths is discouraged then how is presenting one religion as the only option a choice?

When a child is isolated from everyone outside the organisation by the restricted lifestyle then the only place where they can make friends is the organisation. The only outlet for their ambitions and talents has been the organisation.

When a child is restricted in education and encouraged to work part time and pioneer then they are less likely to be financially independent and are tied to parents for financial support. This is often dependent on the parents approving their life choices including choice of religion.

All the publications aimed at children emphasise the wickedness of the world, dependence on the organisation and that their wishes are irrelevent. These teachings are reinforced over and over again

Family and friends are held hostage, children who choose to walk away whether they are baptised or not risk being shunned and becoming virtual orphans having to rebuild a life. This takes an amazing amount of courage.

This seems like being forced to me.

3rdgen

Nugget, you gave a perfect description.

ballistic

Mentally forced, cult mentallity.

Born ins..Were You Forced to Be a JW Growing Up?

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