As I recall, the closest we ever got to "fun" was when there was an actual party and all the games had to have some sort of Bible theme to make them justifiable.
Fun family study? Tolerable?
by Gopher 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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purplesofa
I tried to have studies with my kids structured the way the society suggested.
we rarely had them.
i doubt they were fun for the kids, cuz i hated them myself.
purps
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Gopher
I think the WTS promoted an "expectation" that the parents would conduct a study, knowing that few families really did it regularly.
It seemed like another means to control and induce guilt. "Are you having a regular family study? Is your family progressing spiritually?" And of course there were some families that put their best put forward and reported that they were doing just fine !!
Meanwhile, the WTS has no real youth programs. It just puts out an occasional irrelevant book with admonition for young ones, and throws all the responsibility on the parents unlike other religions which actually take an interest in their youth by involving them and having special, contemporary programs that might actually interest them.
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snowbird
"Are you having a regular family study? Is your family progressing spiritually?"
I well remember those questions. The super-theocratic family heads would look all smug and complacent. I would feel lower than a dead dog on Flatwoods Plantation Road because, try as I might, I could never get my oldest daughter interested.
Now, those ones who thought they were doing everything right have to live through the agony of seeing their good little JW kids doing time for drugs, robbery, prostitution, et al. I often wonder what their thoughts are.
Snowbird
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misanthropic
Ours was always like pulling teeth. My dad took it so seriously and it never failed for a family fight to break out, or someone would get the giggles and usually that was started by my mom misbehaving...lol.
The one hour study we had for the Watchtower usually took more like 3 and no one ever looked forward to it. -
Gopher
I didn't know so many JW families had fights / arguments break out at their weekly study. Maybe that would have made our boring sessions more interesting.
The WT never addressed the issue of conflict within families especially at the weekly study. They want to pretend it never happens.
Why even have a study if all that's going to happen is fighting? Oh yeah -- it's pressure from the organization to HAVE THAT DAMN STUDY no matter what.
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Gopher
MisA --
The one hour study we had for the Watchtower usually took more like 3 and no one ever looked forward to it.
Sorry to hear about that, I'm afraid it happened with some faux-spiritual JW fathers.
But super-long boring studies are a sure way to irritate kids and drive them away from the organization! And doesn't the Bible say "Fathers, do not irritate your children...."? Lots of these family studies look like they did nothing but irritate.
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Bobbi
My poor mother tried so hard. I actually feel sorry for her about that.
My sister and I made it so hard on her. We did the watchtower and mom would get us to read the paragraphs. That was easy for me but my sister is a poor reader and it was really hard on her. She always ended up in tears and mom would get even more stubborn and get the dictionary out if we didn't know the definition of a word.
I have a vivid memory of my sister lying upside down on mom's bed with her head on the floor yelling "I HATE THIS".
Mom gave up.
Years later my dad tried to get it going again. Sunday morning, I would get home from work at 9 am, grab a cup of coffee and my books and sit in the livingroom. We didn't talk but we all sat together and underlined that days study article. I actually enjoyed that time with them.
Bobbi (realizing she does have some good memories) -
purplesofa
Meanwhile, the WTS has no real youth programs. It just puts out an occasional irrelevant book with admonition for young ones, and throws all the responsibility on the parents unlike other religions which actually take an interest in their youth by involving them and having special, contemporary programs that might actually interest them.
I think this is a huge weak arean in the WTS. very sad
purps
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FlipThis
my sibs and I made it really really hard on my parents.
If I had it all to do over again, I'd go back and make it even harder :)