How powerful were our mothers as JWs?

by restrangled 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  restrangled

  Newboy started a wonderful topic about JW Fathers, but thinking back my mother had more power. Her entire family was JW's and had amazng influence through the years, including over my elder father.

  Her own mother was a convert during Rutherford's early years out of the 7th day Adventist religion. My mom and her brothers and sisters were some of the ones that wore the plackards that Religion was a snare and a racket. My mom was going door to door when they used the phonographs with speeches.

  My oldest Uncle served in WW2 as the younger ones went to prison. They were called "Yellow Bellies" and as a small girl my mom was told by towns people that if her yellow bellied brothers ever showed their faces they would be killed. She watched as her brothers were picked up by the FBI in big black cars... they drove way out of sight so that her mom did not see them handcuffed. The problem was, the smaller kids ran after those cars and saw their older brothers shackled in the dirt road.

  She was tortured over flag saluting and so was her nearest brother.

  All these things engrained in her the JW mentality....something that cannot until this day be reasoned with.

  Her influence....when she married my father he was under tremendous pressure to be what she wanted him to be as far as a JW. He went as far as he could and finally gave up...(all covered on the other thread).

  My mom is now 73....still as firm as ever....and still trying to get her kids to come back.

  So how influential was your JW mother???????????????

  r.
• 

  OUTLAW

  ReStrangled..My mom wasn`t powerful..She was simply,a "Bully"..I received at least 2 black eyes from that bitch,as a kid..When she dies,she will go to Hell..Not as a Punishment..But..As a Job Promotion.....She will show Satan how to run "Hell",for real!..Satan must be crapping his pants!!..LOL!!...OUTLAW
• 

  ex-nj-jw

  My parents were 1st gen JW's. We didn't have alot of pull in the borg, but my mom was less than a loving supportive wife. I don't even think they like each other, but they are still together. She was very bossy and played the favorite's gave with her children ( I'm not a fav).

  Still a firm, stern JW but only by the book when it's convienent to her.

  nj
• 

  nvrgnbk

  At making me feel bad about myself?

  Very powerful!

  LOL!

  you Mom!
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  momzcrazy

  Growing up my mom played the supportive elder's wife role. She helped older ones, kept the house ready for the bookstudy and meetings for service. She ignored when Dad was throwing my brother into the wall and beating us with belts, hangers, etc. She kept forgiving him for his many "friends" at work. When dad was out of town we didn't go to meeting and she didn't study with us. We liked it when dad was out of town!

  Now, after marrying and divorcing a "worldly" man, she is as active as she can in her hall. She is best friends with the prominant family. She doesn't know about my leaving yet, I was the last holdout of her kids to stay. I just get to hear her concern for my sister and her hoping she'll come back to Jehovah soon. So I think, in a way, she is more influential now than growing up.

  momzcrazy
• 

  pratt1

  My mother had an unbeliveing husband, but she was a pioneer, so she had a lot of clout in the congo. Even to this day, my mom is still considered the "pillar of stength" in the congo.

  At home she basically ruled the house and made me play favorites between her and my dad. She would say at the drop of a hat that my dad was going to be destroyed and I had better listen to her or the same would happen to me.

  I think that being a dub, made my mom feel like she was the "spiritual head" and thus she was not subservant to my dad.

  She was sumbissive in areas she wanted to be, and when it was against her wishes, she became the head of the house.

  It amazes me that my dad stayed married to her for all these years.
• 

  restrangled

  I know for a fact most households were run by dominant JW mothers.....keep telling your stories.

  These are now the women whose husbands have died, and they are gifting the society the old man's hard earned savings when they themselves die....you know.....they need a new "head" so they listen to the elders and the "slave".

  Please tell your story.

  r.
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  flipper

  My mom was and is a very classy, sensible, comical, intelligent lady. Love her a lot. Can you tell ? Even though dad has been an elder for 52 years in the cult, he has even many times given her credit for helping him out when it comes to reasoning on things. My mom always joked that although dad was the head, she was the neck that turned the head! Hilarious, but very true, and for my dads sake very good also ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
• 

  justhuman

  not much
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  brinjen

  I grew up in an all female (can't you tell? ) household with my mum and grandmother. In our house, it was grandmother who ran the place. She was recruited after hearing Rutherford's 'Millions now living will never die' talk. Very nasty, abusive woman she was, I can't recall her ever saying something nice to me or ever feeling a bond with her. Yet looked upon from the congregation as a "lovely, spiritual woman."

  It's taken me years to get over her, looking back now at her behaviour I truly believe she suffered from Schizophrenia. I think I can finally say I forgive her.