The Spanking Hall?

by WTWizard 29 Replies latest jw experiences

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    Children in the Jehovah's Witness religion really have it hard. To compare, look at other churches. Most of them have Sunday school, and this is geared to children that are not able to really comprehend the deeper things. They have simple activities, and they usually have to sit quietly for about an hour. There are activities around for children to play with in most churches. And after, they have play equipment for the children.

    Compare with the Kingdumb Hells. As a toddler, one will have to get dressed in a suit that means they cannot get dirty (what else is second nature to toddlers?). Then they have to walk past those beautiful flowers and plants, right into the Hell. If it's raining or there is snow on the lot, they are not allowed to play in the puddles or snow banks. Instead, it's right in the hall.

    Once in the hall, they have to tag along with their parents. Running around in the hall is strictly prohibited. They may or may not be allowed to mix with others of their same age group or those who take a legitimate interest in them. Instead, they have to walk like miniature grownups. This can last as long as half an hour.

    Then the meeting starts. Now, it's time to sit still. But first they have to stand and sing that awful s*** that is called "music". Prayers follow, and then the talk which is directed at the mature audience. Subjects like how there is going to be a massacre in the very near future are common. Most of the children are not able to comprehend any of it. Of course, they are not able to read the Bible at this stage, especially the big difficult words. Some may be provided with pens and scratch paper, but the parents will be hounded if they supply any distractions. Those children must then pay attention to the material that is too advanced for them. Falling asleep is not allowed: often, the parents will get out the wooden spoon to beat those children for falling asleep or for getting fidgety.

    For the next hour and 45 minutes (save for the break to stand and sing the other piece of Kingdumb S***), the children are supposed to sit quietly in their seat and pay attention to the program. More theocraptic minded parents will often quiz them after; this happens especially after the summer assemblies. By comparison, most grade schools do not expect children to sit still for more than 50 minutes at a time.

    Now you'd think after this time, the children would be allowed to play after. NOPE! They have to stay with the parents and basically follow them. Running or playing games are not allowed in the Kingdumb Hells. And this can be another half hour. If the father is a hounder, it can be even longer--as long as a whole hour or even more! And then there is often service immediately following, so there goes the whole day! Most churches are done for the day after the session is finished. If it's an evening meeting, bedtime is next (usually long gone; most meetings let out past 9:00 PM and sometimes 10:00 PM and even later on school nights.

    I have heard the many threads on sexual molestation of children in this organization. This form of abuse is worse. By preventing the children from playing, you cut off any development of a Friday night essence (which is the activity that they would be preoccupied if there was nothing to do and infinite opportunity). Little children do not get bored--they find, or make something to do. But the Witlesses effectively cut this off. Often they get bored at the meeting, so they make something to do (this is when the fidgeting or doodling start). And then they get pulled in the back room to get beaten with that damn wooden spoon (congratulatons Blondie, for busting that spoon on that other thread).

    This kind of abuse is inexcusable. Physical abuse can break a bone. Sexual abuse can break a trust. But this abuse breaks the whole spirit of the child. And, unlike sexual or physical abuse, this abuse affects every single child that is raised in the "truth". That is why it's so dangerous and must be abolished: someone who comes into the "truth" at an adult age has had their primary development, but children raised in it are deprived of it. They know only spankings and beatings. They have to sit still all day. They have no time to play. And they grow up to be non-thinking drones that are not capable of surviving outside this cult. To me, this is the worst form of child abuse I can think of.

  • nvrgnbk
    nvrgnbk

    Yup! I'm still getting over that $hit. And I could be a grandfather in five years.

  • Tuesday
    Tuesday

    While I agree that preventing a child from playing, having to sit still for hours on end, and even if they're good but not paying attention smacking them around can kill a child's spirit, I don't think it's worse than sexual abuse.

    My sister recently told me a story about how when I was 3 I was quietly sitting on my mother's lap during the meeting and I was playing with one of the books, one of the elder's told her to give me a spanking to get me to pay attention. It kind of opened the floodgates of repressed memories about all the spankings that were dealt out in my hall. It's pretty crazy. It strikes me as stupid, in that situation a 3 year old won't know why he's getting spanked, if they could equate with anything it would be "So if I sit on my mom's lap during the meeting I'll get slapped, better not do that again."

    The scripture says spare the rod and spoil the child, I think thats a bunch of BS. You can't punish a kid for doing something wrong without explaining why it was wrong, or even worse if it's not anything that's really wrong to begin with.

  • WTWizard
    WTWizard

    As I see it, there is no worse form of child abuse than killing the child's ability to create value. And making them sit for hours on end with a spanking or worse threatening if they do anything is a sure way to do that. Besides, sexual abuse affects only a percentage of children, but this killing off of the spirit affects every single one of them. Both are bad, and both occur in the organization.

  • unique1
    unique1

    I don't agree that it is WORSE than physical or sexual abuse. It is completely different.

    But this abuse breaks the whole spirit of the child.

    But, yeah, now that you mention it, I relate to that. I got better QUICK with age. Maybe that is why I am such a pleaser. My therapist points it out on a regular basis. I have to please people to feel good about myself. Wonder where that started? Just read your thoughts above. I had to please to not get punished. So simple but I didn't see it until now.

  • MR. BORN AGAIN
    MR. BORN AGAIN

    I agree with the statement that "the spirit of the child is broken".

    I found myself a few weeks ago getting "stern" with my 6 year old son at church. He was coloring in his coloring book or playing with his gameboy. One of the older ladies at church had to tell me to cool out, everything was fine...he's only a kid. I wasn't spanking him or anything but I guess that old JW attitude rose up in me

  • DJK
    DJK
    Yup! I'm still getting over that $hit. And I could be a grandfather in five years.

    Yup! I am a grandfather. The abuse didn't stop at the kingdum hall, when I got home I was also strapped with the belt. This went on for years.

  • Adolfius
    Adolfius

    Just a slightly different point of view. I was brought up from birth exactly as you described. Sitting still, getting spanked, having all sense of fun sucked out of me for the whole duration of the meetings. However, I'm not convinced it's done me any real harm...(please don't all attack me at once for making this comment).

    I get the impression from a lot of ex JWs that ANYTHING the JWs do must be wrong and evil, and as an ex JW you have to do the opposite.......almost out of principle or some sort of rebellion. Actually, disciplining children is essential. I know two other families that are ex witlesses and they were so against the discipline as issued by the witlesses, that they took the opposite approach with their own children and hardly give them any discipline at all. Both families now have completely uncontrollable children/teenagers/young adults. The children have no self discipline, do not know how to act around other people, expect everything to be given to them on a plate. In short they are totally and utterly unprepared for the real world. Their parents have done them a massive disservice and let their children down by not disciplining them.

    I absolutely agree that to expect children, especially toddlers etc, to sit thru such boring and complicated crap as the 5 meetings a week is a bit much. Hitting a child for getting restless or not "paying attention" is wrong, but is it really as bad as sex abuse???? I have no nightmares or lasting suffering for getting the odd whack for not "behaving" myself. I suspect if I'd been molested I might be in a slightly different place right now.

    Just my thoughts, please don't lynch me.

  • 95stormfront
    95stormfront

    I thought about all these things when I opened my fornt door a couple of saturdays ago, and there was this kid, couldn't have been more than 5 or 6, dressed as a bus driver with a suit and clip on tie on a gorgeous saturday morning presenting a well rehearsed presentation to me about how evil the world is.

    I looked at the guy he was doing D2D work with a look that conveyed my disgust at him being a major league prick for having this great kid out there slinging Craptower garbage instead of having fun enjoying his youth, before telling him that my wife was a witness and that I'd already heard everything they could possibly present.

  • Nowman
    Nowman

    Unique 1,

    Hmmm...I just realized I am a people pleaser too, it makes me feel good inside...Hmmm....

    Nikki

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