A long long time ago my Grandmother heard a knock at the door ....

by gorgia 33 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Gayle

  Wars leave many having PTSD to some degree or other. Then, for JWs to come to the door, stating God is bringing in a New World very "soon" with no more wars, for some that is a strong 'hook.'

  My dad had been in WWII at 19 yrs old and was a POW, under the Nazis. His plane was shot down, but crew landed safely in France, but then under Nazi control. He got very ill in the camp with strep, no antibiotics, and went down to about 100 lbs. Fortunately, U.S. got there. But I do think he had PTSD, which put him in a vulnerable spot to listen to JW message in 1953. It seemed in California during that time, many were Vets.

  He was of the most adamant of JWs and raised us 5 kids in it to the letter. We all left JWs by mid 80s. He was disfellowshipped for apostasy.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  My GREAT-Grandfather is who first bought the books from the Bible Students, although my grandmother was the first to take the "plunge". So if you count from my Great-Granddad down to my kids-- that makes FIVE GENERATIONS one-hell-of-a big overlapping generation in the Troof.

  Doc
• 

  gorgia

  Thanks gayle & desirousofchange. All the posts reaffirm what I thought. Such singular experiences of hardship, & JWs there ready to pounce. Another sad part of this is that the ones doing the witnessing probably really believed what they were preaching too, they would never have imagined all the heartache down the generations their little intro was unleashing.
• 

  Bangalore

  Welcome to JWN,Gorgia.

  Bangalore
• 

  mouthy

  Welcome to the family. I am the Grandmother on board.

  I was the young war bride that opened the door to the JWS after coming to Canada from England
  I lost my first child in the bombing of a buzz bomb when she was three days old.

  Of course I listened to the "lies" they told me & was soon under mindcontrol...
  I needed friends & they became mine, I worked hard after I was 'dunked"
  & became the ROBOT!! they created in me.

  So happy your free!!!!Its great to now independently think
• 

  cantleave

  Welcome!
• 

  St George of England

  WELCOME

  A very familiar tale I am sad to say.

  My parents were contacted just after the war and were very soon baptised. How could they resist with the paradise SO CLOSE. In fact it was so close I would not have to attend school in the old system! Needless to say it was all a load of twaddle and I am now an Old Aged Pensioner who knows he will not live forever but has nearly used up his four score & ten.

  My parents are in their nineties and still waiting confidently; I am stuck in due to wife and family but that's another story shared by many here.

  George
• 

  cofty

  Welcome georgia.

  I was only second generation.
• 

  gorgia

  Thank you Bangalore, mouthy, cantleave, George & cofty, its been wonderful having people reply. Its so comforting knowing there are people who understand.

  I'm really looking forward to posting my thoughts & experiences in the future.

  gorgia x
• 

  rebel8

  Yes, a strikingly similar story in my family. I wish that knock never came.