by rebel8 9 Replies latest jw friends
Around here in fundiedubland, it was considered practice for political elections.
We were not allowed to do it at all.
I had to get a parental note stating I wasn't allowed to participate.
Watchtower Society: Sucking the normal out of childhood since 1881. TM
No,I wasn't allowed. In the fourth grade,the class even nominated me for secretary. And I even won the the vote,but my mother called the teacher the next day,and so I was only secretary for a day.
So,many things came up in school that caused me great stress as a Witness. In kindergarten,I couldn't handle the stress and threw up every other day.
But,the only thing I wish I would have participated in was band. I just didn't think I could,because all the band concerts were either holiday themes or patriotic.
But,then,a younger group of Witness students still were able to receive lessons from the music teacher.
Yet, the congregation was asked to "favor a motion"(which usually was a unanimous accord) about certain financial matters within the hall, through a congregational vote.
Can you say bull?
NOPE
Which looking back was stupid....
Nope, that could be stumbling others and it was a step towards "real' voting and politics.
So I always felt awkward during school elections.
EmptyInside~ So,many things came up in school that caused me great stress as a Witness. In kindergarten,I couldn't handle the stress and threw up every other day.
Same here...only, I peed my pants instead of throwing up... All through Kindergarten and First Grade... A kindly elderly sister in the congregation who used to babysit me and my brother would come to the school with a clean pair of pants for me (leftover from her grandkids) and a dishtowel that she fashioned into a diaper/underwear... The abuse she ended up going through at the end of her life at the hands of her JW family makes me sick to this day. She was like a grandmother to me because my own JW grandmother was an abusive bitch who didn't care about me and my brother at all.
But,the only thing I wish I would have participated in was band. I just didn't think I could,because all the band concerts were either holiday themes or patriotic.
I did band throughout elementary, middle, and high school, as well as chorus... When the real holiday/patriotic songs would be played at the concerts, I'd stand or sit there with either my mouth closed (chorus), or my mouth closed and my instrument in my lap (band). But, during practice, I always played and sang the songs...so I'd feel a part of it all instead of like more of an outcast than I already was. My biggest regret is that I wasn't allowed to do Marching Band...extracurricular...even though in my Junior year, my mom let me join Drama Club after school...weird. Maybe cause it wasn't on a meeting night or something...
As for the class elections, no I was not allowed to participate. We started with them in Third Grade and I was firmly told by my mother that I was not to get involved at all...not even making the required posters for the art project. All through school whenever we had class elections, I was never allowed to participate.
Since there were not any Witnesses in my homeroom or class, I always voted. My best friend was student council president. I was elected to serve as a delegate to a very progressive city wide council that discussed the botched school system rather than proms and lunches.
The Black Panthers and Students for a Demrocratic Society were trying to influence us. I was driven all over the place. They tried to raise my political consciousness as a white ethnic not having the privileges of white Jews and WASPS. I was so dense. In my view, I was very weatlhy and very grateful that I did not have to live in a housing project. They tried so hard.
It is obvious my mom did not care. In fact, I always saluted the flag. Her fear was another Witness knowing about it.
Believe me, it is not a big loss. Proms, dances, field trips, hang outs - big losses.
I am not supposed to but I just do anyways....
As a child I did not know it was wrong to vote in school elections. It wasn't until I was in high school my friend also a JW got in trouble with the elders in his congregation about voting in a school elections. That was the first time I found out that was not allowed. I do understand what all you have experience in school as a JW child. I always thought it was interesting how the children of JW took on the bulk of the self made persecution because of what our parents believed. While the parents would get off scot free. That is one of the big reasons most of the born-ins who are still in and those of us out have alot of bagage we carry around. Totally ADD
Yet, the congregation was asked to "favor a motion"(which usually was a unanimous accord) about certain financial matters within the hall, through a congregational vote.
True only for cultists with penises.
