by flipper 47 Replies latest jw friends
I think it's safe to say, being raised JW SUCKS big time!!! Either you are a good little dud or you are rebelous. Either way you eventually suffer depression, regret, feel like an outcast whether it's from the JW's or school mates.
I wouldn't raise my dog JW!
nj
I was born into it, my parents converted way before I was born, so unlike my older brothers and sisters, I never knew what it was like to celebrate anything, always feeling like I didn't fit in with the other kids in grade school, I remember even feeling sorry for those poor kids who were going to die in armageddon. I remember once I had to do a book report, it was suppose to be on a book from the library, my parents made me do it from the My Book of Bible Stories book, my teacher didn't accept it, all the kids laughed at me. When I was about 12-13 I started not feeling like I was a JW, I didn't care. I think you either buy in to it, learn to cover your tracks and just look like your a good dub, or totally rebel against it. Guess which one was me?
Like a fish (or mammal ) out of water. I didn't fit in with most of the kids at school. There was a total of 5 witness kids at my school. Two of them were the anti-social type that picked their noses and wore filthy clothes, the other two were the the self-righteous kind that told everybody they were going to die (very soon) at armageddon. I didn't get along too well with the kids in my congregation either. They said I wasn't spiritual enough, I never showed enough enthuisiasm for the twoof.
I used to wish I'd been born to a different family. That I could go live with my non-dub Dad. I hated having to go out three nights a week, plus the studies, door to door work. I too had thoughts of suicide before I reached my teens. I fantasised about leaving as soon I was old enough, then felt guilty for having those thoughts as it meant I would die at armageddon.
In short, the WTBTS robbed me of my childhood.
fedorE
Often wished my father an Italian catholic wouldnt have answered the F****ing door and get manipulated by some other Italian Jws ...back in the day....Toronto in 1968 or so..but being Italian we often got away with a lot in school..like playing football and a little wrestling....., but while the class was celebrating christmas stuff we isolated ourselves and felt embarrassed a lot-at least i did.....once i had to go to this girls house in service who was in my class..she answered the door and I just stared at the ground and on Monday...all i heard was "hey i saw y ou on Saturday"-----BUT WHO CARED i thought they were gona be dead any day now.....everything that embarrassed us was put on the back burner cause the end was so close. So i would say embarrassed is how i was feeling.
Hated most of it...I cursed both sets of grandparents for joining this wack-case group in the 1930's. Both my parents were dyed in the woold JW's my hypocritical father [in his 80's] is still an elder in good standing in Vancouver. This despite the fact that he has alienated himself from my son, who dutifully followed him around every Sat morning pushing literature on all at the subways. Now he woun't return my son's calls as I , the dad , are out DF'd and an embarrassement to the family. To make it worse Teddy Jaracz is a close relative in this wack-nut family i'm in. In the spring I ran away to Hawaii and Japan for a few weeks just to lose the whole bunch of them.
I hated being a JW in school.....no b-days, x-mas, just more meeting, meetings , meetings etc.....and then SERVICE!!!
I used to have to work in service with this old Polish guy who used st stick his foot in the door as it was closing and then proceed in a loud voice to tell the householder that they would DIE if deh don LOOK to Da Bible!! It sucked and I wouldn't wish this on anyone......letalone kids. OUTLAW you have it right that our fucked up parents had NO IDEA what we had to go thru in school.
Kirk
Thanks everybody for your kind thoughts! We all sure have learned a lot! Hilanj- Glad to hear you survived and are going to college. Keep up the good work! ex-nj-jw- Isn't it weird that getting good grades wasn't that important to j-dub parents? I tip my hat to you that you went through nursing school & radiology school! Be proud of what you accomplished! mimimimi- I look at it like you. At least my son will get a better education than I did. My parents pushed me to progress in the alleged "truth" . But since I've told them, what good does any of that do to help you earn a living? They don't know how to respond. Keyser soze- I can relate with not doing sports and running into school kids out in service. It sucked. They'd ask me why I was wearing a tie? Changeling- Ditto, it sucked!! R.F.- I could never go to school basketball games or football games either, or other extra activities. Sandy- Glad to hear you went to community college. I think a lot of people felt lack of ambition like you because we were told armageddon was coming, so why bother? Bastards! Outlaw- Yeah, most of us were repressed. I would sneak away with my girlfriend somewhere to handle the pressure! Mrs. Jones- So glad you raised your kids non-witnesses. Animal- Yes it was limiting wasn't it? Sara Smiles- Glad you got an education! Jaguarbass- I know how you feel my friend. I'm 48, and know I'm gonna be cleaning toilets in my janitorial business till I'm 90 probably.Be glad you got out inyour 20's, I was 43 . But they told us armageddon was gonna bring an end to it and make things better. They lied. DJK- So sorry you felt suicidal at one time, glad you've recovered and moved on. Wizard- It was always hot at assemblies.I'd prefer a dentist chair to being raised a witness too.Dragonlady- Ditto my feelings too. BFD- Sorry your mom wanted you to be a martyr. They try to make us endure thinking we'll get rewarded. I have'nt seen a reward yet, have you? Agent Smith- Pretty cool you went ahead and had a birthday anyway.Even your parents weren't interested in your grades? What gives with these witness parents anyway? Darth Fader- My son feels as you did. He was baptized at 13 under pressure from his self righteous mother, then he got out at 18 and we are close. Worldly Andre- Glad you got out young. Didn't waste any more time! Rebels unite! Brinjen- Sorry you weren't able to live with your non-dub dad. I too got burned out dealing with self righteous people. Now I'm a fish swimming happily in "worldly waters" ooh too cool!! Peace to you all, thanks, Mr. Flipper
Alternated between feeling left out, and feeling like a self righteous little prick.
I was raised from the age of 4 to be a JW. It was 1950 until I got married in 1962 at the age of 17.
During the 50's things were very different in the organization. I participated in school activities. I had friends in other congregations that were school officers, cheerleaders, sports stars, etc. Most of them are all still JW's too, so where is the harm?
I honestly didn't feel deprived in any way. I could do pretty much whatever I wanted to do at school. We had a large extended family and everyone was a JW. We had family gatherings all the time.
I didn't go to college by my own choice. My father was a doctor and really wanted me to get an education. I wanted to get married and have babies. I have no regrets.
For my kids, it was much different. Everything, almost was a "no........you can't". Lots of missed opportunities. I have many regrets for their lives.
Hello folks, Mr. Flipper here. Sacrificial loon- Yeah, I felt like a ping pong ball too with the vascillating emotions it put you through as a teenager. On the one hand you wanted to do everything the other kids did, but on the other hand you knew if you did some things you'd lose your family. So why do ya think kids sneak around and do stuff? Make out, sex, party? They know the thinder of the gods will come down on them, that's why! Mulan- Yes I know what you mean about regrets with your kids. I have a 22 year old son who thanks me for allowing him the freedom to get out of the cult when he did at 18, he's glad I did too. But when I've tried to talk with my 20 and 19 year old daughters, still witnesses, they say,"Well Dad you raised us to be witnesses so do you expect us to get out of it now?" Sometimes they spellbind me with that, and I don't know what to say. They never learned any critical thinking skills so it makes it hard to talk with them. If I try to say something they will be like," Dad that's apostate thinking". So what do you do? I'm open to suggestions! Love my daughters, just can't reason with them! Peace to you, Mr. Flipper
When it's all you've ever known, it's not horrible. You actually feel proud to take a stand for Jehovah God.
