My father wasn't an elder. However, he did enjoy applying the "rod of punishment"... In his case, it was his hand, a belt, a stick, a broom handle, shovel handle, whatever came to hand. I've even been punished with a length of Romex electrical cable, that was handy...he folded it to a handy length, then applied it to my legs, buttocks and back. And there was a folded length of barbed fencing wire that came easily to hand when I was around 9 years of age. I was the eldest of 5 children, so basically I can say I caught the worst of his punishment. He started with me when I was right around two weeks of age. Our home was a tent with wood walled sides, located not far from a logging camp in the Blue Mountains of Northeastern Oregon. His reason for spanking me at such an early age, as he's stated several times over the years was that after I had a spanking, I'd go to sleep much sooner. The spankings and beatings continued until I was just months short of my 19th birthday! I was helping him carry a heavy water heater downstairs into our basement to install it, and slipped, nearly loosing my hold on the water heater, causing a scratch on the exterior of about 6"...When we got the water heater in place, he turned around and struck me in the chest with his fist, knocking me across the room, with me ending up on my butt. When I regained my senses enough to get up, I advanced on him with fists doubled and warned him that it was the last time he was to use any sort of punishment with me like that, as I would kill him next time. Two weeks later after an assembly at Portland, Oregon, 1959, he told me he should give me $20 and a blanket and set me on the street there in Portland!... Two weeks later I moved out, and have never looked back. We have maintained a relationship of sorts, and he has apologized for his behavior when I and my siblings were young, but it's left an indelible mark on all of us. Not only did he punish us kids, but during my younger years, I saw him turn my mother over his knee and paddle her behind till she sobbed with pain. On at least one occasion, I think I was 5, I advanced on him with my little hands doubled up, telling him he wasn't going to hurt my mother. I was backhanded under a table for my attitude that time. My father became a witness when I was roughly 10 years of age...in all those years, the elders kept themselves out of our family affairs, although I know at least one elder, the father of my best friend knew of his cussedness.
How many here were mistreated by their "elder" fathers?
by hubert 31 Replies latest jw friends
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dido
Reading these stories makes me feel sick to my stomach, i find it hard to believe that this goes on, but it just gives me more confidence that i have done the right thing leaving! Infamous have you ever tried to find your real parents?