Why is the Watchtower Society so cruel to teens?

by RULES & REGULATIONS 69 Replies latest jw experiences

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  XJW4EVR

  Thank you CoCo. As I re-read my post, I was struck by the anger that I still have towards this Org. I thought I had moved past that. Evidently not. It's funny that this thread and Wanderer's thread on a related topic brought up a lot of the anger & resentment that I have evidently stifled. I chose to remember the good times, and not allow myself to deal with those emotions of my past.

  I can relate to your friend. I always felt the pressure of always having something "better" to do. That nothing I did outside of the Borg was ever worthy. I did find it funny that my dad, and a number of the Elders had no problem with their weekly round of golf during the summer. One time I asked my dad why he and the other elders could do that, and never be questioned about t, and he said that during those times they were discussing "congregational matters."

  I guess, my dad was not the general "good guy" I want to remember and portray him as.
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  Amber Rose

  Reading this post is getting me angry, looking back on my teen years too. It is unbelievable how stupid the WTS is. They set the kids up for failure from the very first step. They take away all the fun things to do like join Brownies, make them look like goof balls for sitting during the Pledge of Alligance and not voting for student council and sitting in a classroom by themselves during pep-rallies. Then they are punished at holidays by being the only one who doesn't get any candy or a cupcake for birthdays.

  They ask the kids to make a lifetime commitment at puberty. Because as everybody knows, puberty is the time in a person's life that they have the best the clearest thinking and has learned all of their important life lessons. If a kid is past 15 years old and not baptized he might not be a good influence on the other kids, so the pressure is doubled. So now you have a bunch of kids who have nothing to do so of course they are going to do dumb things. But that is the point of being a kid! Acting like a kid! But not for JW's. One dumb thing could spell your destruction, or you have to face the humiliation of a JC. So you have these kids filled with guilt and they haven't even done anything wrong.

  Every convention and assembly they complain about how many young people are leaving the orginazation. And the only way for them to survive this old system is to pioneer. But do they ever tell you how to support yourself and buy a car and burn gas 70 hours a month on a no-skill, minimum-wage, part-time job? More guilt. Jehovah is not happy with you because of you selfishly work full-time to buy unnecessary food, and clothing and auto insurance. This is why the kids leave!

  Sorry, that was a bit of a rant, I feel better now. Thanks.

  -Amber
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  KW13

  i think as teens we are 'super' aware of what other people think of us and it bothers us. Also teens are vulnerable with all sorts going on, school, real life and then growing up. Being hit with stuff from the Society is big for a teen.
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  XJW4EVR

  Amber is right on target. They take away everything and give you nothing. They take the lives & innocence of the young with their anti-blood transfusion stance & their protection of pedofiles. They take your youth. They take your joy. Worst of all they take your family.
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  angelus

  Do you guys hear yourselves!!! You have been so miserable in your walk with the Jehovah Witnesses, and as a saved Christian, dedicated to Christ, everyday I am happy, my prayers get answered, I have more than enough food, clothing, money, etc. because God takes care of me for being faithful to His Son, Jesus Christ, and walking His path! Maybe it's time, time to give up this religion, and just go to Jesus, ask forgiveness, and He will give it all too you, Peace of Mind, Comfort, No Worries, etc............why continue to be miserable, when you can be happy on a daily basis............with no strings attached! If you don't know the way, I will help...............Peace be with you.
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  sir82

  I have more than enough food, clothing, money, etc. because God takes care of me for being faithful to His Son, Jesus Christ, and walking His path!

  Wow!

  Quick, call the UN! You've just hit on the solution for the hundreds of thousands starving in Darfur & North Korea!

  Hurry! Lives hang in the balance!
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  XJW4EVR

  Do you guys hear yourselves!!! You have been so miserable in your walk with the Jehovah Witnesses, and as a saved Christian, dedicated to Christ, everyday I am happy, my prayers get answered, I have more than enough food, clothing, money, etc. because God takes care of me for being faithful to His Son, Jesus Christ, and walking His path! Maybe it's time, time to give up this religion, and just go to Jesus, ask forgiveness, and He will give it all too you, Peace of Mind, Comfort, No Worries, etc............why continue to be miserable, when you can be happy on a daily basis............with no strings attached! If you don't know the way, I will help...............Peace be with you.

  No offense, Angelus, but you have no idea about which you speak. Read my story if you want to find out.
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  carla

  Angelus, have you read any of the stories here? How about here? http://www.silentlambs.org/
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  fullofdoubtnow

  Do you guys hear yourselves!!! You have been so miserable in your walk with the Jehovah Witnesses, and as a saved Christian, dedicated to Christ, everyday I am happy, my prayers get answered, I have more than enough food, clothing, money, etc. because God takes care of me for being faithful to His Son, Jesus Christ, and walking His path! Maybe it's time, time to give up this religion, and just go to Jesus, ask forgiveness, and He will give it all too you, Peace of Mind, Comfort, No Worries, etc............why continue to be miserable, when you can be happy on a daily basis............with no strings attached! If you don't know the way, I will help...............Peace be with you

  Angelus, welcome to the forum

  You may not have noticed, but most of us on here are ex jws. We araen't actually miserable now we are away from the wts, and as for your claim that your christian faith makes you happy with no strings attached - bull$hit! There are no religions without strings attached, they are all controlling to a degree. The wts is more controlling than many, wanting to be in control from cradle to grave, which is why they push young and even pre teens into baptism. Once they've blackmailed them into baptism, they have some authority over them, which they ruthlessly apply when any of them step out of line.
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  Reefton Jack

  I would have to agree 100% with everything said here (except angelus - I don't mean to be rude, but you know what you can do with your religion!)
  
  Lady Lee's remark, though, I can particularly identify with
  i.e The WTS doesn't believe in childhood.
  
  I resent (with close to a white-hot intensity!) many things that the WTS has done to me:
  - But right at the top of the list by a long shot is the way that they prevented me from having proper life with my family.
  
  For reasons that Lady Lee and others have already mentioned, JWs are not a Family Friendly religion.
  
  Still, what else can you expect from a mob that puts numerical increase ahead of everything else:
  - including the welfare of its membership.
  
  Stevenson, in his book "1975 - Year of Doom?" summed it up fairly accurately when he stated
  "No other religious group demands so much of its members, in return for so little."
  
  
  Jack.