Never have I been more aware of the lengths that the Watch Tower Society was willing to go to maintain their donations and their control of us Witnesses than I was at the District assembly in Bismarck ND IN 1975. This is where I began to doubt my acceptance level of the doctrine called the Doctrine called the "Theocratic War Strategy" (TWS). That is, the viewpoint that says it is all right to lie to Jehovah's enemies. (See Aid and Insight under lie)
My wife and 2 small sons and I were at a district assembly of Jehovah's Witnesses in Bismarck ND. I took most of the responsibility for my oldest son (about 2 1/2 years old) so my wife could devote her attention to the little guy. At breakfast I had picked up a roll of rainbow lifesavers for my son. Early in the afternoon they ran out. There was a candy vending machine at the convention . . . and I was saved. The machine was working and stocked and we got a roll of rainbow lifesavers.
The second day at breakfast, I forgot to buy lifesavers in the restaurant. I told my 2 1/2 year old son, "Don't worry, we'll get some at the assembly", but when I caught up with him at the vending machine there was a roll paper banner (that looked an awful lot like the paper on the temporary cafeteria tables) covering the machine held on with scotch tape that was hand lettered with a magic marker that said "OUT OF ORDER". This is a crisis. My little son looked almost panicked when I told him what the sign said. I told him that if the machine was really broke that we would go back to the store and get some candy. He watched with big eyes as I carefully pulled up one corner of the "out of order" sign and sneaked a quarter in the vending machine that I could now see had been freshly stocked. The quarter went "CLUNK" (sounded like someone dropped a manhole cover). Carefully I pulled the lever and out rolled a rainbow lifesavers candy roll.
Hmmmm repeat above.
Oops! Just as the second offensive rainbow lifesavers hit the tray, two Society assembly security officers (convention cops called "attendants") were between us and the "out of order" machine. They physically pushed us back away from the machine with their bellies and said in a rather arrogant manner "The machine is out of order . . . Brother." I said "You are a liar . . . brother."
One said" You wait right here while we get brother Matz."
I indicated I would be rather glad to wait for brother Matz and that I was anxious to hear him explain this lie. Pretty soon they rushed back and asked me my name. I told them and they trotted off again, apparently to see brother _. Pretty soon here they come, briskly walking, back to confront the culprit (me), without brother Matz . They said "Brother Matz said you can use the machine just keep it to a minimum." I was shocked, my son cried, and it was a lie.
I remembered reading a Bible text before this incident and being touched by the way Jesus treated sinners like me and how he treated the children. The way my son and I were treated for driving 400 miles to be with our "spiritual brothers" certainly was not with either love or honesty. This incident reminded me of other similar incidents I had witnesses at Kingdom Halls and assemblies and in my mind I questioned the principle behind these tactics and arrogant way my little son and I were treated by "Jehovah's people".
At the same convention, seated about 3 rows in front of us, a man was trying to quiet a small (about 3 year-old) girl after she had sat quietly for well over an hour. Her cries caught my attention but my eyes were glued on the man. He was being very rough with this cute little girl dressed up like a doll. He would pick her up and slam her body down on the chair. Finally she stood up and he started to hit her on the bottom and he wouldn't stop. I stood up, stepped down to him and he stopped hitting her. I told him if he needed to hit somebody he could hit me or was I too big for him. (This happened during a program lecture) This incident also reminded me of other, way too similar, things I have witnessed at the Kingdom Halls and at other assemblies involving the treatment of children. This almost reminds me of wolf behavior rather than shepherd behavior.
Lifesavers story . . . Jehovah's Witness love and honesty . . . missing
by garybuss 21 Replies latest jw friends
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garybuss
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misspeaches
So true Gary... So many times I have seen a complete lack of love and honesty myself. When it involves young children it is especially disturbing.
I remember at a District Convention where we were waiting at the gates to open so we could get our seats. Well when they did the loving brothers and sisters pushed and shoved like they were at a boxing day sale. One brother elbowed me in the face as I was trying to back my way out of the madness and caused my nose to bleed. It was really upsetting as I was about 20 years old and blood went all over my clothes. It really disturbed me that my so called loving brothers and sisters would behave in such a manner. Also we had to travel to Sydney and I had caught buses and trains to get there so I couldn't get back to our accommodation to change my clothes. It was horrible.
Then we used to have a young couple with the cutest little boy in our congregation. You hardly ever heard a peep from him. Why because I personally believe he was scared of his abusive parents. They would literally tie him to his chair and if he moved a muscle they would beat the crap out of him. This was a 2 year old boy. When I expressed my concern I was told to butt out and leave the parents to raise their children themselves. Spare the rod spoil the child. the usual crap. I just stopped attending meetings with that congregation I couldn't stand to see that being tolerated.
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garybuss
Hi misspeaches,
It's not unusual for us ex Witnesses to have panic attacks and anxiety attacks when we hear a child scream or throw a tantrum. We often have the whole range of post traumatic disorder symptoms when we leave the groups. I believe it's worse for those of us who were abused by Witnesses and abused at meetings.
I didn't notice the anxiety attacks when a child screams until I had children of my own.
I thought the candy machine incident was terrible and it sealed my exit. -
deeskis
thanks Gary, appreciated reading your story in freeminds
seen it happen many times........
to be honest it does happen every religion, association, walk of life.
the difference is that these people are supposed to be "god's chosen ones".......
ha! don't get me started
D
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MsMcDucket
I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder while in the truth. I thought that I was the only one having this problem. I would start getting heart palpitations, choking sensations, visible tremor, and a fear that something terrible was about to happen. I would want to get up and run out of the Kingdom Hall. I thought, I'm losing my mind. I saw a commercial on TV about depression and some study that they were doing, so off I went to this doctor. He said you don't have depression, you have something else. He told me that it could be treated, and he sent me off to another psychiatrist. Do I need to tell you what going to a psychiatrist means to black people? It means you're "psycho", "crazy", "lost your marbles", "missing a few screws",.... But I was ready to accept the fact that I was "crazy" (panic attacks are no fun). I went to the doctor and got treatment (medication). I would always refuse to go to the therapist, though. The witnesses didn't believe in psychotherapy (hmph). I wonder why? Anyway, after that brother spanked my babie's leg that made something snap! I was like, I'm outta here. I didn't go to the meetings anymore. I still believed in Jehovah (tying it to the organization in my brain), which leads to my current predicament...
Anyway, I feel you on the kid disciplining stuff!
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Dune
Good Read. They wont stop you from using the vending machines, just watch you very closely. One thing they hate is when witnesses use the food courts during the conventions. I remember a couple of years ago, i was 10 ish, these teenagers were playing house of the dead and cruisNworld in the food court, these attendants came up and ask for their names and congregations and walked off.
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Confession
Guess I'm still curious as to why they didn't want convention attendees to use the vending machines... Couldn't stand that they weren't getting a cut of the quarters?
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greendawn
Ever since Rutherford changed the emphasis in this org from character development to preaching, the dubs became a collective without any real depth of Christian character and personality. They think about preaching and armageddon not how to expand in brotherly love.
Russell was an occultist free mason but at least he thought more highly about character development. -
TallTexan
Gary,
I guess that was back when they still charged for 'tickets' or just straight cash (I can't remember if the tickets were last or the cash was last) and you weren't buying a fake Egg McMuffin, or OJ, or milk, or whatever. That was money that was taken straight out of Jehovah's pocket and put into the pocket of an unbeliever - shame on you! ;-)
I remember a couple of years when I was an attendent at the Astrodome in the mid-80's and we were told that we should watch the soda machines for anyone buying an 'excessive' amount of sodas....never were given an accurate definition of 'excessive'.....
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aarque
I grew up as a JW in the late 50's and 60's.I remember so well hearing during the meetings slaps, kids crying, and sometimes adults chuckling when a child was disciplined. I remember kids being carried out (one was crying "daddy..no" all the way up the aisle) and hearing them getting spanked just outside the doors. The adults would look on with smirks, smiles, chuckles, nodding their heads in agreement. I remember seeing kids slammed down in their seats by parents. Thank heavens my mother wasn't like that. All she had to do was to give us "the look" and we would immediately settle down, but she understood how difficult it was for a 7-year old to sit through those long meetings. I learned early on to "zone out".