How about at work, a coworker celebrating a birthday and have to refuse a piece of cake and trying to give an intelligent reason why i could not eat it. Always looking like a fool over a piece of cake, like it was a matter of life and death.
Embarassed at school for being a Witness - Did this happen to you?
by Witness 007 51 Replies latest jw experiences
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Poztate
Scully got saved by the worldly kids!...that's great but weird how you had the same experience...teachers are not meant to touch you.
Teachers used to "touch" you all the time. I was standing in the hallway at school one morning while the anthem was played and prayers were said. (it was a long time ago) I apparently was not standing quietly enough for a teacher who was walking by. He grabbed me by my shirt and slammed me into a locker. He seemed to have a special hatred built up for witness kids. At assembly's I was not allowed to stay at the back but had to remain with my class. If it was the luck of the draw that my class was seated up front then you really stood out when remaining seated for the anthem. I left school before I graduated and went on to an entry level job. A lot was due to the pressure at school but also we (JW) knew that the bad old system of things only had a few short years left and pursuing an education was a worthless endeavor. Doing pretty good now but no thanks to my witness upbringing.
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greenhornet
I remember in gym class, someone stole my gym shoes. My parents got me new ones and my dad wrote on them "Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal" I was really embarest.
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AnnOMaly
Me and other Witness kids were made to sit with our backs to the class in religious studies - so humiliating. We had to bring our own WT literature to read. The teacher had such contempt for us - you could feel the hate. And it was totally unnecessary. What she taught wasn't 'objectionable' even by JW standards (I used to listen in sometimes). A couple years after I left school, one JW family let their kid do RS. I heard the teacher changed her attitude and was totally charming to this JW kid.
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Layla33
Actually no I never was, although I know some that were - I was different, cool because I was an enigma. I just never much followed the whole JW thing in school, I guess I learned that duality young - that was my time to be whomever I wanted, no I never saluted a flag or sang the national anthem, but I made it known it was because I was "forced to" because of my parents. I went to school with a lot of different types of kids/religions, so it wasn't that big a deal.
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StAnn
I remember being very disappointed when the WT changed the view about the national anthem.
They changed their on the national anthem? When? I need scans!!!!
Ditto to everything everyone else said.
In my case, I fell head over heels in love with a boy at my high school. My very first love. There was no way I could hide it from the other JWs in my school because he just didn't "get it" that he was forbidden and wouldn't remain low key! Interestingly enough, none of the other JWs "turned me in" for having a worldly boyfriend. However, the stress of knowing I was doing something "wrong" and that others knew about it and might tell on me at any time was very hard to endure.
The most embarrassing thing that ever happened at school~in retrospect~is when I gave my junior high school science teacher a copy of the Evolution book. Oh, what he must have thought!!
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flipper
WITNESS 007- I had an embarrassing moment when I was 8 years old. I had to lead the flag salute at an assembly while standing on the stage in the school cafeteria in front of 500 kids and parents. I said, " put your hand over your heart, and then said the first words " then put my hand by my side and had to endure everyone else saying it - while I stood on stage like a statue trying to be faithful to a God I did not understand. All at 8 years old. Didgusting
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Velvetann
Annointed D thanks for sharing your experience with this.
I thought I was the only one who suffered like I did. Now to hear that they don't have to make a spectacle of themselves anymore. I didn't know that. Now I am mad too.
The other kids in the congregation went outside of the room when they did the anthem and lords prayer, at least their parents were thinking about the kids feelings. those kids didn't get heckled like I did. They were in another school to and a lot more of them.. What a childhood we had.
Velvet
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Annointeds Daughter
Greenhornet- You won with yours! That is hilarious! My parent didn't think of that one!
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loosie
I didn't get to much flak in school. I just stood up for the anthem with my hand by my sides. no problem.
Now in high school during biology class the teacher was teaching evolution ( this was in the late 80's). I tried to give him some mags on creation. he said I don't want to read that crap.
Now when my daughter was in grade school (before we were out of the org) we told her she can do what she wants, draw xmas trees, black cats and jack o lanterns or whatever. She even dresses up for halloween. Now that we are out I even take her trick or treating and buy her christmas presents and throw her birtday parties.
But she has made up her own mind in jr high not to salute the flag. Not for religious reasons, but because she doesn't want to. there is a jw girl in her class who recites the pledge of allegiance. The teacher makes a scene if the kids mumble or don't use the right hand over their heart. I told me daughter that she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to and if the teacher yells at her I will talk to the teacher. Then I was told I was the coolest mom ever.