growing up witness

milligal

I grew up a witness and I never felt bad about my lack of material belongings a.k.a. not having nice clothes in school, it didn't bother me that the other first graders were stuffing their faces with birthday cupcakes and I was in the school library researching fossils; but what DID bother me? My cool cousins. They were 'worldly' so of course they were going to die at armageddon, but they made getting there look cool.

They were grandma's favorites, they went on to join the military (all of them) and complete college-we're talking doctor, pilot, engineer and arcitecht. I felt like the weirdo hillbilly cousin from the hills. I had NOTHING to feel good about. My mother never bragged about us, and took every opportunity to victimize herself at our expense. To this day, I feel like a nerd next to my successful cousins.

Anyone else in this boat? What did you have a hard time with being raised JW?

John Doe

Never sleeping in on weekends, never seeing cartoons (we didn't have a vcr for a long time), questioning the motives of everyone and everything.

milligal

UH! Yes! The dread of waking up Saturday morning and missing cartoons...all I wanted after a hard week at school was some bugs bunny. My kids have it so good.

Robert222

My "worldly" relatives are very successful. More than one have been happily married for many years, have wonderful children, going to college, so forth. I feel like a total outsider and loser next to my relatives. I am also embarrassed to have preached to them yrs ago. Now I'm out of the JW cult and trying to cope with all the lies I have been taught since childhood from the cult.

Frankly it bothered me greatly having no material things while in school, a mother that refused to help support us, a father that was never home, all for the good of the JW church. It bothered me greatly to lose friends going off to college while I sat home with a minimum wage job with most of my salary going to dear old mom laying on the couch.

milligal

Robert; that is an interesting point. My successful worldly cousins have also never divorced-all five of them married later after they had their degrees and are still with their spouses. My witness siblings? Out of nine of us only two remain married to the original spouse-the other seven of us have divorced and remarried. It wasn't just financial hardship, there was a lot of emotional turnoil in our lives.

Carmel

I dam near went down your path, however, luckily I left the borg and became the worldly one of the family. Got my advanced degree, made my mark in my profession and have five brothers that are still painting flag poles or polishing bank floors at night. We haven't had contact for decades but my nephews have come to me looking for work. Since they have no education, I have to send them away empty handed. carmel

StAnn

What did you have a hard time with being raised JW?

I had a hard time with the "knowledge" that my unbelieving father was going to die at Armageddon. As 1975 approached, I couldn't see how everybody could be so giddy that Jehovah was going to murder my father.

Also, lack of ritual. I babysat for a Catholic family and their little girl went through CCD and got first communion and wore the little white dress and the veil. I envied her! We all just went to the KH and sat there, listening to sales pitches. Sure didn't feel like any kind of formal worship to me.

StAnn

OUTLAW

I was a JW Kid..It sucked.........I think I`d rather forget about it.............. Clint Eastwood ...OUTLAW

asimpleservant

Hello, I grew up a Witness but not just any Witness! I grew up a "Homeschooled in the woods" Witness. I got Pioneer hours right along with my mom every single day from age 7 until age 17 or so. I never wanted for much. I had food, shelter and some clothes. Yes I may of looked like Pat from Saturday Night Live for a period in my life but gradually I corrected that issue on my own. Growing up a Witness you are pretty much forced into whatever trade is common in the congregation, normally dictated by whatever brother has the most successful business, (Welding shop, Housekeeping, Garbage Service) You usually go to one of those for about 6.50 an hour and once you prove to them that your not only going to give 110% to them but also in service you'll see 7.50 an hour. At least thats how it was here. This however did NOT excite me at all. I left home at 17 and flew to LA. From there I pursued a job as a private caregiver. After that I got a small degree and held a position as a preschool teacher for a good six years and since I have found myself in the Pharmaceutical business as an Engineering Assistant. If being a Witness and going feet first into the service has taught me anything it was that I could walk into an interview with a solid presentation, a smile and the ability to MAKE them hire me. I smile at the ones here who taunt the Organization as a "Borg" or those who claim it did nothing but keep them shut in. What many people fail to realize is that most of us as Ex-Witness were given the ability and training to walk into people's home and get them to turn over their life, hearts and souls to the organization. As scary it sounds, I see it as a valuable skill. No instead of furthering the interests of the Satanically Driven Faithful Slave. I can use my training in benefit of me. And I have been for many years. So say what you want about how it was so bad when you were a Witness and how out of the loop you were. You didn't see the big picture. You didn't learn the lessons or let the Organization teach you by it's TRUE example. I did these things and I have to say. My dreams were as easy as showing up to an interview with a smile a suit and a briefcase. -Story over.

WTWizard

From what I have seen in the congregations, those in it had a hard time in school. It was all the things they could not do--like worldly associations, holidays, and saluting the flag. And having to learn things that totally contradict science.

growing up witness

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