Do you think a JW childhood is abusive?

by Konrad West 66 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

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  Robdar

  The difference is that, to fundie christians, god isn't just the vengeful record keeper of the ot. He is also jesus, who loved and hung out w sinners. Thus, fundie christians actually have a different god than do jws. Jws do not even recognise the kind, loving jesus as their mediator to the vengeful god (ok, they do in prayer, but that's all. Wt doctrine says he is only mediator to 144k). R&f jws are not christains. They are wt org followers. The org is their is their mediator w the wt god.

  You make good points Satanus.

  PM me if you want. There are things I don't want to say on the board.

  Juni, will do. It will be in a few minutes though. My cats are staring at me-- demanding that I take them out for their afternoon walk. Then I have to feed them. Then they will take a nap. That will give me a little more time to chat. I just wanted to acknowledge your post since I will be away from the board for about 30 minutes.
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  TresHappy

  There are some strict funadmentalists out there; I think their lives could be worse than being JW's. At least when you're a JW; you could listen to music. My fundamentalist neighbors won't let their kids listen to anything, except the sounds of chores and preapproved religious music. Their oldest daughter just joined the military to get out of the lifestyle; she's off in Iraq fighting a war and actually enjoying it. She is sick of being the babysitter and pseudo Mom while her parents are making up new more rules...
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  Satanus

  Rob

  Perhaps the wt headquarters has become a sort of god to many jws.

  S
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  Robdar

  Rob

  Perhaps the wt headquarters has become a sort of god to many jws.

  I think that's true, S. For the life of me, though, I can't figure out why they would do that... So much slavery....

  I guess these people find free thought to be a sin or something. Either that or they loathe themselves and have a strong need to do a little penis worship. Was it you that remarked in another thread that the Watch Tower could be considered as one big, honking, phallic symbol?
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  greendawn

  If the JW ideology is toxic for adults how much more it will be for children, yet most of them, as we hear more than half, see through the nonsense and leave.
• 

  Robdar

  yet most of them, as we hear more than half, see through the nonsense and leave.

  Well, there's only so much abuse you can take, dontchaknow.
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  jwfacts

  My parents try to justify bringing me up in this religion, by reminding me how lucky I am to have two parents who are still together etc. Other comments here show that there are people worse off.
  This should not be used as justification for abuse. It is like a demeaning alcoholic father saying, 'at least I didn't rape you, you should consider yourself lucky'.
  Rather than justification that things could be worse the WTS needs to wake up and look at how to bring things to an acceptable level.
  In regards to the comment that it is ok if it is true, that too is a very narrow view. The reality is that all means of evil has been done in the name of religion, 'in case it is true.' People were burned alive at the stake for being witches. Thankfully people had the sence to wake up and say this is not acceptable, regardless of whether or not there is some small chance that it is true.
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  Mulan

  Mine definitely was NOT abusive. I had a great childhood, wonderful large extended family. I didn't lack for anything.

  But that was the 50's and 60's.
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  Konrad West

  Certainly there are healthy and unhealthy parenting methods, but my focus is more on the doctrinal aspect and its effect. I'm sure that some JW parents are very excellent parents, but the doctrinal requirements mean that their children are still affected.
  
  Parents who use doctrine as an excuse for their behaviour would probably damage their children if they were Catholic, Anglican, whatever.
  
  I'm not saying that JWs is the most damaging, I know there were a few kids who were evangelicals who had it stricter, but I think from posters' comments it's pretty clear that it's not good for kids.
  
  I think for me it stopped me from developing proper close relationships with others, as the instant friendship relieves the need to work very hard at getting close to people. I'm also finding that it makes dating weird, as you're taught to go straight into serious relationship (the road to marriage), so keeping things casual at first is a little tricky.
  
  How did it affect you?
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  jwfacts

  Don't tell me you are scaring women off on the first date by telling them you can't hold hands unless they promise to marry you. lol
  I find that I have a lot of internalised anger at discovering a lifetime of deceipt.
  I also have no boundaries, I really can't see anything wrong with doing anything provided it does not hurt others too much. Even people brought up as athiests seem to develop boundaries during the teens and 20s.