Why dont JW's have a youth group?

by In_between_days 33 Replies latest social family

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  In_between_days

  Something that has been alarming to my JW family is the amount of teens ("young ones") that have bailed out of the organisation, never to return.

  They use the excuse, as would most JW's that "Satan is getting them - he knows young ones are vulnerable."

  If you want my opinion, young people are getting far more educated - they are becoming far more broad minded than they were say 10 or 20 years ago. Because of the slow yet sturdy slackening of the "No college" rule, many more young JW's are attending university or college than ever before, and with further education comes more knowledge, more interaction with reasonable and intelligent conversations with educated people and most importantly -use of the internet ("Satans latest tool, as put by a JW I talked to recently)

  Not that I want the WT to actually suceed in keeping it's members, this does bring me to the question of What exactly is the WT doing to keep it's young ones in the org?

  I dont know if I am correct, but from my personal observations I would guess that 60 - 70% of JW leavers (or simply ones that become totally inactive) would be youth, would you?

  I had a discussion about this with a JW and stated that the org has nothing to offer young ones, to which they were quite mortified. ("A paradise earth"?) Even if a JW youth were to believe in the docrines of the org, what reason would they have to stay?

  Many of you may have looked at other religions, ones in particular that have such things as "Youth Groups", are quite sucessful in having teenagers that actually ENJOY the goings on of their religion:

  - Youth meetings are held seperately, taken by an older youth (group leader) discussions are open and talks are relevant to youth.

  - Youth organise concerts and other christian get togethers, interaction is encouraged.

  - All young ones are invited to attend, not just the "Strong ones" in order to encourage everyone.

  Personally, I was amazed when I recently discovered a religion that has teenagers that actually enjoy attending their church services and witnessing. I do not agree with the docrines of this church (I do not with any) yet I see that other religions make an effort to involve their young people, and it's not done in a nazi enhanced way, as you will see conducted when JW elders organise their 2 gatherings a year for young ones that hardly anyone attends.

  This appears to be working for other religions, why have'nt JW's ever considered this? It seems as if they would rather fob the matter off (Satan has them) than address it, or put actions into place to help their situation? What are they scared of?

  My husband put this to a JW recently, who did'nt really know what to say about the matter. My husband said: "Dont you have a suggestion box? Cant you put this forward as an idea"? (hahahahahah)

  Seriously though, id like some feedback.
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  Preston

  I've often wondered myself why certain "progressive" religions have outreach programs with youth groups, men's groups, women's groups, groups for the elderly, and so on and so forth and yet JW's don't. I have a couple of theories:

  1.) JW's have a one size fits all approach toward every meeting, so having a "youth group" would be viewed as disturbing the cohesive atmosphere of the congregation despite that fact that the organization is notorious for cliques and closed circles.

  2.) I also think the society secretely mistrusts young people. I can tell you right now, the teenagers who were viewed as "spritually strong" in my congregation and who later went on to become ministerial servants and pioneers rarely hung out with people their own age. I know I didn't and I became a ministerial servant before anyone else in my age bracket.

  What do you expect from an organization that's run by the geriatric's club, one that tells teenagers to...well...not behave like teenagers, to not enjoy your youth except if it involves a public ministery. Wow....that's my idea of a good time...
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  LDH

  Also don't forget the hardliner JW GB assholes who have no children of their own. They wouldn't know the reality of raising children if it slapped them in the face.

  They will quote the Hebrew Scriptures about how the children of Israel were expected to stand at attention all day...blah blah blah blah....and how the children of modern day JWs should do no less.

  Well, hell, by that rationale, all the JW children should also be married by around age 12, should know how to slaughter goats, and should be privy to seeing some of Jehovah's miracles firsthand, too.

  Frankly, I',m glad they have no youth ministry. The JW youth already have no one in the cong. they can trust with their problems, and for that matter no one who knows what they are thinking, feeling, or believing. Therefore, they might be more prone to go to balanced individuals like guidance counselors or something.

  Lisa
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  funkyderek

  I remember a talk once where the speaker criticised other religions for having Sunday schools, youth groups etc. He then proceeded to demonstrate how "Jehovah's Organisation" provided for the spiritual needs of young people by producing five books for them in as many decades. The irony escaped most people there (as it usually does!)
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  blondie

  PROCLAIMERS BOOK PAGE 245

  
  

  A book entitled The Way to Paradise, written by W. E. Van Amburgh, followed in 1924. It was adapted to "intermediate students of the Bible." For a time it was used at the meetings for younger ones. Additionally, in America, "Junior Witnesses" had their own arrangements for field service. In Switzerland a youth group formed an association called "Jehovahs Youth," for those between 13 and 25 years of age. They had their own secretarys office in Berne, and a special magazine, Jehovahs Youth, was edited and printed on the Societys presses there. These youths had their own meetings and even put on Bible dramas, as they did in the Volkshaus in Zurich for an audience of 1,500.

  What was taking place, however, was that an organization was developing within the organization of Jehovahs servants. This would not contribute to unity, and it was discontinued in 1936. In April 1938, during a visit to Australia, J. F. Rutherford, the Societys president, found that a class for children was being held apart from the convention for adults. He immediately arranged for all the children to be brought into the main convention, which was greatly to their benefit.
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  ashitaka

  It seems like it's just another part of their ' we have to be different from the world' obsession.

  If they do it, we don't do it.

  Kids who are JWs would grow up much healthier if they could socialize normally, even if they can't talk to kids outside their religion. There are so many rules even for JW kids when they're together...no wonder so many of us grown-up JWs are so screwed up.

  ashi
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  In_between_days

  , during a visit to Australia, J. F. Rutherford, the Societys president, found that a class for children was being held apart from the convention for adults. He immediately arranged for all the children to be brought into the main convention, which was greatly to their benefit.

  um.... how?
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  musky

  days, When I was growing up,( 1970's) we had something called the youth book study. It lasted for maybe a year. It was every other friday night. It was geared for young people in the congregation. a ministerial servant was in charge of the study, we all took turns reading the paragraphs. It was held at different peoples homes each time. After the study, there was usually a planned activity( scavenger hunt, baseball, swimming, etc.). I always looked forward to it. I thought it was just a local thing, but I was told it was something the society was trying out. It suddenly stopped. I suppose there were too many problems with it. I agree with you that my life growing up as a witness would have been much better with special activities given to my age group. musky
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  mommy1

  I remember the youth book study. The Moms would get together and study at a different families house. We would have cake and play games outside while the moms talked. Maybe they stopped it because people thought we were having a birthday party.
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  musky

  mommy1, sounds like were talking about two different youth book studies. the one i attended was for young people, like 8-18 age. musky