I was watching my Daughters children last year. Thy were going to vacation Bible school. My Son who is a j.w. asked me to watch his children while he worked. The children wanted to go to Bible school with my daughters children. I had no idea at that time that Bible school would be wrong.The 5 year old was terrified to go in the church because she was told that the devil was in there.My son told me that that is right. I would never stay in an organization where they would tell a child that scary story.
devil in church
by carolbell 6 Replies latest jw experiences
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Matty
I guess most kids find those big gothic churches a bit spooky, but when I was a child, I was genuinely terrified of churches, I thought of them as being like Dracula's castles - full of demons and stuff! I didn't want to go too near one in case a crazy person came out and dragged me in.
On reflection I now know that I was the crazy person, not the poor churchgoers. It just goes to show what you can do to a young child's mind!
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Sentinel
Hello Carolbell,
Your subject really drew me back into some old memories about being a JW, and not being allowed to attend another Church function as a guest, or attend a funeral, or a wedding. I too, was told that it was a haven for demons. So, needless to say, I sure stayed away at all costs. What control they had over me, but then, on the other hand, "those demons" were sure scarry, and they were just waiting for an opportunity for you to show some kind of "weakness" so they could get into your mind and control you. Such bull!
When I left JW's, attending another Church never occured to me, and this was because I put my bible, the only one I had, in a box and hid it away. It was the only thing I kept. I totally threw out all books, literature, etc. I sure didn't want to donate it to Good Will, or Salvation Army. Anyway, I just kept totally away from religious events. I didn't trust any of them, and I thought I was going to die at the time anyway for leaving the org, so it never came up.
When I met my present husband, he tried to get me into his Church, denomination is unimportant. Fact is, I about lost it. We went in and sat down, and I was absolute frightened to death. I began to shake and then to cry. We tried it one other time and that didn't work either. By that time, we had discussed my past in detail, and he never went back to his Church. For awhile, I felt really guilty, but hey, that was his decision. We got married in the Clerk's office of the Courthouse. By that time, we were both done with organized religious dogma.
It's so nice to be free isn't it? Remembering how I used to be always on guard, full of so much worry and stress, is sad, considering how long it has taken me to get past all that.
Thanks again. Will look for you on here.
Peace,
Karen/Sentinel
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giantjason
Heh, Sentinel
Once again I am reminded of some of the things I went through. About 2 years after My wife and I got together(and very soon after her DF). A very close cousin of mine was murdered. My family are all catholics so of couse they had mass in the big church etc. My wife didn't want to go in...I got pissed and basically guilted her in to going in. She was very uncomfortable and as soon as the mass was over she ran out of there. At the time I didn't understand. I feel the same as you now, I don't need anyone to tell me how to love god, my family or myself. It's just not for me. My wife is still torn, she feels the need to be spiritual but doesn't think thats posisble without some sort of"help" form a church or whatever....Man those bastards did a number on her. It makes me so mad because it seems so logical to me. Now(10 8 years later) She doens't have any problem going into a church for funerals, weedings etc. I just remember how weird it was to me when she told me they weren't allowed to go into a church.
Jason
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aTHINKING1
i used to go to a kingdom hall that was previously a church so this explains a lot!!! how dare the elders buy a deeminized church for our pure worship!!!!!! well as long as they got a good deal on it i guess it's alright.
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terafera
Boy do I know what you're talking about. My mom used to tell me demons resided in false temples (aka every church around). I was so terrified that I wouldnt even walk in their yard. Once, my boyfriend (when I was around 15) wanted to wait in the corridor of a church and I was scared the whole time. I remember praying to Jehovah to keep the demons away.
You know, this has affected me to this day. A few months ago I locked my keys in my car and had to walk downtown and find a phone. I knocked on a church's doors and felt my knees get weak. It was just coming near one that gave me the heeby jeebys. And I'm not even a jw anymore!! I guess I've been scarred for life.
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Matty
Debbie, that is just so true!! I also remember seeing nuns and priests and vicars as really menacing because of what I was told about the churches of Christendom being from Satan.
Witness parents have got to realise that children have vivid imaginations, and if you start talking about Satan and the Demons being in churches, coupled with reading them tales from the "My book of Horror Stories" book, then you are just asking for trouble!
I recall dreaming about what I would do in the new order, and one of the first things I remember that I wanted to do was, not to cuddle a lion, but to knock down the local Anglican Church!