I can't believe what I just heard from a child!

Lo-ru-hamah

I was outside today while my son and his cousin were playing. They were talking, you know, little kid stuff, toys etc. Then I overheard the cousin ask my son if he goes to the meetings. My son said no and then the cousin comes to me and asks if we went to the meetings. I said no. Then he got this horrified look on his face and said then you don't love Jehovah. I said, yes we do love Jehovah. Then he said, well you have to go to the meetings to learn about Jehovah and show you love him. So, I asked him what he knew about Jehovah. He said, well, he is strong. I then asked him who is Jehovah's son. He said, I don't know.

What is truly amazing is that at such a young age they start the judging process based on little or no knowledge at all.

I knew that it was just a matter of time before I would need to stop having my son associate with this part of the family. I just didn't realize that it would happen so soon.

Also, the look of confussion on my sons face during this questioning was saddening as well. I would hate to have him start questioning our, my husband and mine, decisions so soon.

Can anyone offer suggestions on how I should handle this? They are just little kids. But I can't help but worry that they will try to convince my son that we are wrong and that he should be going to that God forsaken place.

Loruhamah (dazed and confused)

daystar

Yeah, it's well-known that it's best to start the brainwashing at as early an age as is possible.

flag

explain to him that religion is a very personal decision and that you are still investigating to make sure you are in the right religion.

Scully

You can tell him that in the Bible, we are told to "make sure of all things", "test" what we are being taught, and to read the Bible carefully to be sure we are doing what is right. That's what God wants people to do, and that's what you're doing. Ask him if he thinks Jehovah would be happy if we made a mistake and worshipped him incorrectly.

Of course, you can be certain to expect that your son will repeat that back to his JW cousin, and then you'd be in hot water with his family.

jgnat

Ask him directed questions on how he feels about God and life. Like,

"Do you believe God loves everyone?"

"Even the kid who sprayed orange juice on your shirt last week?"

"If you were God, what would you do with the kid who sprayed orange juice on your shirt last week?"

"How does God show His love for us?"

"How can we show our love for God?"

"Do you think everyone has to go to a meeting to know God?"

You might be surprised how much he'll figure out on his own.

rebel8

asks if we went to the meetings. I said no. Then he got this horrified look on his face and said then you don't love Jehovah.

"Nephew, love is something you feel, not something you do or say. Jehovah can read our hearts, so he knows we love him. Jehovah tells us to be good and to be happy, and we are very good and very happy."

looking_glass

My favorite story was from a woman I use to work with. At the time I was an active JW. It was right after Halloween and she had gone to her son's preschool. She was hanging out and she saw this little boy, so she said "hey little boy what were you for Halloween" and he screamed at her "HALLOWEEN IS PAGAN AND JEHOVAH HATES HALLOWEEEN" he burst into tears and took off running. The woman was mortified that she made this little kid so upset. So she tracks him down and apologizes to him for upsetting him. His follow up response was classic "but Halloween candy is okay". She asked me what the deal was with Halloween and why this kid freaked out. To this day, I can picture this kid freaking out and the look of total shock on this woman's face. Hysterical!

Don't you just love a religion that freaks kids out at such an early age. No wonder we are all nuts.

greendawn

I would say that the JWs are being very old fashioned by using the name jehovah that even the apostles did not use and that the name of Jesus is the one mostly used by Christians.

And that there is no need to attend JW meetings or any meetings for that matter to show love for god.

katiekitten

Its pretty sad when kids come out with evidence of blind brainwashing.

Apparently when I was about 4 or 5 I told my grandad he would be disfellowshipped because he smoked. I clearly had no concept of jurisdictions! Anywho, I also had no idea what I was saying, and I didnt lose much sleep over thinking that the boy would snuff it at armageddon, although apparently I told him that too.

I would tell your son everyone believes different things. Its what I tell my daughter now when her grandparents take her to Kingdum Hall, and when her dads wifes parents take her to catholic church (which I AM NOT happy about). Because she is not exposed to anything too much, she has cobbled together her own belief system that owes more to what she feels intuitively, that to what people have tried to teach her.

KW13

"but Halloween candy is okay".

not daft lol

I can't believe what I just heard from a child!

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