by journey-on 24 Replies latest jw friends
It terrified me. Remember reading the experiences in the Awake and the Yearbook about Malawi. Brothers and sisters having nails pounded in their feet, the fingernail thing, rape. I guess I was probably 6 or so. Scared the living daylights outta me. People would always think aloud, I wonder when the persecution will start here?
Still does if I let myself think about it.
Yeah, mental rape.
I, too, grew up in the Malawi era and expected that kind of thing. I was very protective of my mother and younger sister, so I frequently dreamed of trying to get them outta Dodge before "they" (whoever they were) found us. "Flee to the mountains" was something I daydreamed about, mentally planning routes, supplies, etc. What I thought we'd do once we got there was pretty vague (I was 17 or so), as we had no camping gear or survival equipment. But, by golly, we have mountains! I sort of envisioned other witnesses showing and forming those stand-up tables and gruel lines like they used to have at assemblies, back in the day.
Like others, I was fairly sure I could hold up, but couldn't bear the thought that they might harm my mom and sis in front of me. I used to joke that I'd rat out all the elders if that happened, but looking back now, I probably would have.
The scare tactics used back then were awful, to be sure, but is it really any worse than teaching little kids that God hands you over to Satan to burn forever with little demons and imps gleefully sticking you with their forks? Back in the day, before studying with the dubs, I attended a Pentacostal church for several years, and that's exactly what they taught in Sunday school, replete with illustrations via their "felt story board" (what people in the early 60's used instead of Powerpoint, I guess!).
Sisowuzzy
Yep, me too, grew up during the Malawi situation with the threat of persecution hanging over my young head every minute.
They're just nuts.
Images of soldiers carving their initials in my chest (another Malawi-inspired vision)...thankfully most of the panic would go away when I got out of the Hall.
I would be terrified if I heard helicopters overhead. We had literature hid in our piano. I just knew I was going to be taken from my parents. They always said if it was between Jehovah or us, they would choose Jehovah. Nice cozy feeling huh? Mom's been true to her word though. First time for everything.
momz
I dont remember being hugely scared - I also got the idea it was this great priviledge and stuff...
I also remember being told at the hall to pray for the brothers in Rwanda and in Greece and to this day I cannot hear the word Rwanda without thinking to myself "...and please help the brothers in Rwanda and in Greece..."
I too grew up in the "Malawi era". Those experiences we had to listen to as children were really bad and did not always make sence. I was afraid and didnt really know of what. Plus the many demon stories and the picture of satan as a giant lion...
They really damaged our childhood!
I thought it would be kind of exciting - living in the hills, no meetings or door to door stuff. I was however, very afraid of nuclear war - skin peeling off and bleeding gums apalled me.
Sisowuzzy said:
The scare tactics used back then were awful, to be sure, but is it really any worse than teaching little kids that God hands you over to Satan to burn forever with little demons and imps gleefully sticking you with their forks? Back in the day, before studying with the dubs, I attended a Pentacostal church for several years, and that's exactly what they taught in Sunday school, replete with illustrations via their "felt story board"
I think the difference is the way JWs make THE PERSECUTION personal to them alone. Other churches might teach about the devil and demons and fiery hell, but it's a GENERAL concept. THE PERSECUTION that JWs talk about ALL THE TIME is focused on them alone, and as a child, you fear that you might be snatched out of your home at any moment because THE PERSECUTION could start at any minute and it's reserved for JWs only.
It's a terrible way to raise a child, imo.
Of course, my mother had an un-natural obsession with the concentration camps in World War II. We watched Purple Triangles once a week for the year it came out. I had nightmares Nazis were marching down my street (why they would choose to take over a small town in Rhode Island makes about as much sense as the plot line to Red Dawn) and I would run into my back yard to hide.
