for "born-ins" (page 2)

Mandette

Oh yeah the "Paradise Lost" book! HORRIBLE! Scared me so bad. And later the Revelation book with the computer images to make everything even more distinct. And I could really imagine my face on those dead and dying in the pictures. And that's still something I'm working on to get over!

I thought that the police were going to come yank me out of bed. Funny how now I have best friends that are cops! And you know something? They don't even think about the religion aspect.

My imagination was very good and very active! Worked wonders on my fears and guilt. OH and I am an elder's daughter so that was even more fun too. Have to be perfect now!!

Mandette

StAnn

Yep, same memories. We wrote letters to officials in the Malawian government on behalf of the persecuted JWs.

I remember a sister, Kay Maxwell, being on stage giving demonstrations about being out in field service and changing your appearance between houses so that if the householder called the authorities on you after you left your door, you'd be hard to find. She'd wear a reversible jacket and carry various colored scarves in her bookbag to put over her head as she went from door to door. Seems like she'd take of the jacket sometimes and tie a scarf around her waist to change up her appearance.

Yeah, as the fall of 1975 loomed, I was terrified.

Also tormented by the picture of Jezebel being thrown to the dogs in the Paradise book.

What a family friendly organization!

StAnn

Mandette

StAnn and BB

Too funny! The cops I know aren't that stupid!! GEEZ! And the JW's aren't that smart!

Here come more memories thank you very much BumbleBee! Worrying what I'd do if my parents were hurt in front of me.

OH yeah and what would we do(sarcastic) if Armageddon came when I was in school. My imagination ran absolutely wild!!!!

Mandette

B_Deserter

All those accounts of persecution did nothing but frighten me to no end! They didn't "strengthen" my faith at all. I didn't think about those specific things you mentioned but I did think about how I would be tortured. I even had a dream once where we were executed by hanging from our wrists in razorblade-lined handcuffs The blades would cut into our wrists and blood would spill out everywhere. It was in an arena and it looked like a rodeo. All these graphic stories of being tortured in the holocaust, then they'd say to NOT BE FRIGHTENED! Yeah, right!

iamthewolf5562

oh yeah, that stuff....

I couldnt spike my hair, couldnt watch ren and stimpy, TMNT, simpsons, or other shows i wanted to. had to get up every frickin sat morning for service instead of cartoons, had no friends, got spanked for drawing during the meetings and not paying attention, got punished for falling asleep in meetings, had everything i told my dad and others about what i liked and wanted to do with my life shot to hell, be it play football, be a doctor, fly airplanes, etc. all because the ideas of going to bethel and pioneering were constantly shoved down my throat. and of course i'd get the question of, "dont you want to please god?":)

I remember one time, i told my dad i wanted to find a cure for cancer(i was big into discovery channel, and i'd watched some special on it) and he told me that wasnt a wise goal, and that i should concentrate on saving people forever. I was EIGHT!

it's all good though. cheers to those born in!

amama2six

Yes, I remember the fear and nightmares...no fun whatsoever. Thinking back now, though, it's funny how we weren't allowed to watch horror movies or violent cartoons, yet the stories were were told through the meetings/materials created a far worse imaginative scenario in our heads than any Hollywood producer could make up. At least I can watch a horror movie and not have to think, "That's going to happen to me!" *shudder*

LearningMore

Yeah. I've mentioned this before elsewhere. I was pretty obsessed with the Holocaust as a kid. I read a lot of books about it, and tried to imagine how I would handle it if I were in a concentration camp. SCARY. As B_Deserter said, they would tell you all these things, then tell you not to be afraid. Please! Of course, then you felt like you weren't faithful enough because you WERE afraid.

mouthy

Now look what you have all gone & done!!!!!! Made me feel guilty again, I did all that to MY kids
Oh how sorry I am. I did it to my grand kids also.
I am sending this on to two of my grandkids ,hoping they will know I am SOOOOOOOO SORRY!!!
Granny Mouthy Grace Gough ( I was not born in though

BizzyBee

I couldnt spike my hair, couldnt watch ren and stimpy, TMNT, simpsons, or other shows i wanted to.

The bastards!

Seriously, I grew up with all those fears, and nightmares. Every loud noise - I thought, "Armageddon!" I knew I could not hold out under some of the tortures my little mind could envision. I think in some ways it had the effect of making me want to give up even trying - I was doomed anyway. Dreams of the future were for other children, not me. What a way to grow up!

Lady Zombie

I'm a born-in from 1970. Since Armageddon was supposed to come in 1975, the Paradise Lost book was my picture book and lurid details of birds eating eyeballs of those who died in Armageddon was common dinner time talk.

I remember being in constant terror of Jehovah squashing me if I didn't behave 100% of the time.

for "born-ins"

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