would you let your child associate with Jehovahs Witnesses? (page 5)

minimus

I would let my child associate with JWs only IF I knew they were going to corrupt the Witnesses.

Rod P

What makes this so difficult an issue to decide is:

1) You do not want to use your child as a pawn in an adult "game" or "power struggle".

2) You do not want to set a 'bad example" of intolerance towards members of your own family (like your own mother), just because she and others are being intolerant themselves, like JW's are. Children learn by example. What example are we setting for our kids?

3) On the other hand, you do not want your child to be subjected the rules and outside influences of an intolerant religion, especially when you are not there to see what is going on and what your child is being subjected to, so that you can intervene or terminate it if it is going on.

So, the way to handle this, in my opinion, is to allow the visit, but only if you can be present the whole time. That way you can avoid the traps of 1) and 2), while safeguarding your child from 3).

When I was disfellowshipped with 3 daughters, and my wife was JW, I drove her to all her meetings and let her study with the kids when I wasn't there. I thought I was being fair and open-minded. I soon discovered that the JW's have their whole minds and hearts and agenda set on converting your children to "the truth" in a way that by-passes or gets around you. To them, you are the obstacle they must somehow circumvent. Then the next thing you discover about your flexibility, is that if you give an inch, they will take a mile. It is all take, take, take, while you are expected to give, give, give-in. Jehovah will bless them, while you stand condemned before Jehovah. That's exactly how they see it and believe. It is all about manipulation and control, not Love and Understanding and Compassion and being close to family members.

All the best in your decision. Just keep your eyes and ears wide open all the time, and always be present at this stage of your child's live.

Rod P.

Es

yeah im with elsewhere i would want to come and supervise what went on. es

crazyblondeb

Letting your child go would be like handing her over to the DARK FORCE & Lord Vador!

Then we'd have to find Yoda!!!!!

Would you let your child go into a group of people, knowing that somewhere lurks a child molestor?

That eventually they'll look for a way to turn her against you!!

Aude_Sapere

No way. No how would I allow it. It's teaching your daughter a terrible lesson. When they are ready to behave civilly and associate with you, then consider including your daughter. At one point my mother considered kidnapping my niece. I was horrified. Those people have done stuff like that before, I would not put it past any of them to do so again. If you are not accepted as her daughter, she does not have a granddaughter. So sad really. -Aude.

Terry

Censorship always backfires.

We act out of information. Only experiencing things informs us directly. The job of a parent is to frame the context of things. Why? When you put something/anything off-limits you create an aura of mystique about it and human curiousity compels an intellegent investigation.

The context is what creates the identification. By helping a child see what context each thing is in you give them the tools of thought necessary to decide what to do in each SPECIFIC situation.

Fire is dangerous. Really? No. Uncontrolled fire is dangerous. How do you control fire? In what context do we use/avoid fire. See the difference?

What am I saying?

People everywhere have some pocket of peculiar or strange belief. Being able to see a person within the context of their whole life well-lived (or otherwise) gives us the necessary information about them to deal with them. In other words, we don't judge a person SOLELY on the basis of their most peculiar belief. We treat them in terms of their actions in practical matters too.

It is important to give a child a sense of where fantasy ends and reality begins; ESPECIALLY AMONG ADULTS.

Barney the Dinosaur is a person in a silly costume.

Jehovah's Witnesses are often ordinary people inside a silly costume too.

Except....

the guy who plays Barney KNOWS he isn't really a dinosaur.

But....

Jehovah's Witnesses think they have the only true religion and really are testifying in the court of public opinion about an actual invisible friend!

A child that can learn to distinguish such things as a genuine advantage in life.

I wish I had known the difference!

Terry

Sunspot

I can only support the view that you should make it clear that you will allow her to visit---ONLY if you can be there.

It gives you the edge you need to feel comfortable, but not letting her be tossed to the wolves, so to speak. It will show your willingness to be agreeable yet be cautious, as I'm sure JWs would do the same if the situation was reversed.

Let us know what you decide and how it goes....

hugs,

Annie

vitty

They WILL start telling your child you are bad or naughty for not being Jehovahs friend and not going to the meetings. They WILL tell her that you will die if you dont go

Is that what you want your child to hear ???

My sister tells her son ALL the time that Jehovah will kill his daddy if he doesnt go back to the meeting (he was DFs )

She thinks its great cos her small son panics when they cant go to a meeting.........I know its cos hes terrified of being murdered at armageddon as was I when I was a child.

You must never allow them to be alone with your child, YOU can explain to her why they dont talk to you, in your own time and way

Goodluck

JW83

I agree with the majority gut reaction - NO - but Flower has made some good points. I let my mum get away with reading from the Bible Stories book to my 1-2 year old for a few months (?), until my mum left the borg. I figured that I'm the parent, & I can always explain it to my daughter by rolling my eyes & saying 'yes, silly stories!' Fortunately she was young enough that it didn't matter, and then my parents left. On the other hand, I would be extremely concerned about letting a 2yo out of my sight with a bunch of people she doesn't really know - it's an age factor, not just an indoctrination factor.

Good luck with it!

flower

They WILL start telling your child you are bad or naughty for not being Jehovahs friend and not going to the meetings. They WILL tell her that you will die if you dont go
Is that what you want your child to hear ???
My sister tells her son ALL the time that Jehovah will kill his daddy if he doesnt go back to the meeting (he was DFs )

Just because one JW does something does not mean they will all do it. That is coloring the entire group of people with one brush and we all know they arent all the exact same in their actions all the time otherwise none of us would be out.

Teaching our children that they cant be around family members because their beliefs are different than ours is no different than what the witnesses are doing! I dont think we should try to predict what this posters family is definately going to do before they even do it. If we start judging people before they even do anything simply by their religious beliefs they are no different.

would you let your child associate with Jehovahs Witnesses?

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