Why dont JW's have a youth group?

by In_between_days 33 Replies latest social family

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  minimus

  They are concerned that somebody might get confused with the Nazi youth group.
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  ladyelk12

  my father married a jw who already had two kids. my step-brother and step-sister were both younger than me and somewhat lackadaisical about their religion. they were always reluctant to go to kingdom hall and had to be dragged to meetings. then the day came that my step-sister matured and was all of a sudden the most holy person in the world. i asked her why she was so uppity and she told me it was because she was going on a trip to NY to Bethel or wherever. i asked her why she got to go and she said that she wanted to help the wbts out. i told her that a 13-year-old couldn't do much and her response was that "all jw's are equally responsible for ensuring that their religion held strong." what next, a four year working at the wbts? they're kids, let them be kids while they still can! and for pete's sake, if they want ot go to the beach instead of going door-to-door, let them witness at the beach. my 9-year-old step-brother went door-to-door in a suit for 5 hours on a hot august day. i say- "send them to the beach and let the grown-ups be the adults"
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  OrbitingTheSun

  I think you bring up a very good point about the state of youth in the organization. As an inactive 19-year-old, I know first hand how lacking youth resources are. One thing I noticed, in particular, is that a lot of young people in organization dont trust each other. Everyone is afraid that what is said in confidence will be spilled to the elders and they will get disciplined for normal teenage behavior. This lack of trust among peers makes it extremely difficult for young people to feel involved an interested in the welfare of the congregation.

  I couldnt care less about whether or not the organization attempts to solve this problem. I personally prefer that young people leave, as I did, and avoid being draw in by the latest Borg tactics. What I do regret, however, is that fact that so many families are being torn apart by the lack of support for adolescents. I have a number of friends who have lost close relationships with their parents and relatives simply because the congregation and organization failed them when times got rough. Then, being raised in such an exclusive and suspicious religion, many of these youths are afraid to turn to outside resources for guidance as well.

  It saddens me that many young people will go through pain as a result of the organization. But hopefully this mass betrayal will show them the truth that has been hidden from them for so long and eventually they will grow to be strong independent thinkers.
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  lauralisa

  BTTT because I'm dazzled by Orbiting the Sun's brilliant first contribution to this forum....

  Welcome, and looking forward to reading more from you

  love, lauralisa
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  In_between_days

  As an inactive 19-year-old, I know first hand how lacking youth resources are. </P>

  Obiting the sun, amen to that and welcome to the board.</P>

  <P>I dont know about anyone else, but the JW youth situation in Australia is extremely dire (But good for us)

  I
  <P>They are dropping off everywhere, and the only releif that the JW's desperately cling to is "It's satan - it's proof of the time of the end - it's the internet ensnaring the young ones"

  LOL
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  dsgal

  My 16 year old son always wondered the same thing.My nephew would talk a lot about the youth group at his church and what they were going to do on the weekend (basketball,bus trips,movies)but the witnesses did not have anything like that for youths.All they are supposed to do is get out there in field service and get that time in!Oh,some of them would go bowling or get a basketball game up every now and then,but he was never invited.As a matter of fact,neither of us were ever invited to anything because we were'nt in the "clique".We finally got tired of all elitist bulls**t and got our unwanted @$$e$ out of there.We both left with heavy hearts and to this day we have'nt gotten over it.
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  The Alchemist

  The reason there are no youth groups is because of the bureaucratic nature of the Society. Whenever any problem happens in the congregation the Elders report it to the Society. If this happens enough the Org. makes a ruling. They got rulings on all kinds of things including social gatherings of youths. At one time there were Witness skating parties held at the local ice and rollor rinks. My sister met a guy there, a worldly guy!! She has a nice daughter as a result of this. It was right after that the Society sent the letters to the elders.I don't think it was my sisters doing but youths will be youths everywhere and I am sure there more than a few problems. So the Societys thinking is that it is better just to make a rule and stop all gatherings. The problem is for the Org, is that it weakens their social ties. Most JW youths leave when they become of age. My sister did
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  Thirdson

  I grew up in a JW family and I remember that everything that was organized for young people was stopped after a short while. To be a JW is all boring meetings and no fun. No wonder most of the kids I grew up with left the "troof" not long after reaching adulthood. I was late but eventually joined them.

  In contrast to my experince, my son is going on a church sponsored youth trip to southern California in a few days time. They will be working on various projects including house renovation and work at a center for recovering alcoholics and drug users. They will also be working in Mexico on a project run by the Catholic Church. The purpose of the trip is all about growth, spiritually and, as community members. Although there is work involved there will be lots of fun activities. They are staying close to the beach, where most evening activities will be taking place and will be visiting Disneyland. In addition, a number of local clergy have invited the group to their homes for BBQs etc.

  The priest/youth minister (unlike JWs, many churches have clergy assigned to a family or youth ministry) leading the trip is a former US Army Ranger and Police Officer. I don't think he stands for any nonsense yet at the same time he is very kind and caring. I was really impressed by his organization of the trip and thoroughness of the preparation details discussed in an hour long meeting with parents, volunteer leaders and youth last week.

  I have enough doubts of my own to expect my son to join a church. However, I think he sees that to claim to be Christian means more than sitting in church one or three times a week and means more than going around selling magazines door to door. Like most of the 20 young people (aged 14-17) going on this trip, my son lives in an affluent suburb. Working in other communities, with other denominations, with the poor, homeless and those suffering from substance abuse I think will teach more than 100 sermons can and certainly more than a thousand Watchtower Studies ever could.

  Thirdson
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  barry

  I was brought up an Adventist and they have a youth group called Pathfinders, and go on weekend trips and camps also because of my interest in gliding I once held a week long course to learn to fly where 5 out of 7 went solo in the week. The minister who organized the week wanted to strart a Church gliding club and the Church even supplied a pilot that flew the tug plane. The Baptists also have programs for there youth and as a young person Many times I went with my Baptist friends to their programs.
  Barry

  Edited by - barry on 5 August 2002 4:39:26
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  NWNomad

  OKAYYYYYY.....

  This is my opinion... (Opinions are like butts, we all have one, and they all stink.)

  I was forced into the organization when I was about 6. That was the first mistake of my life, and I had no choice concerning it. Children should not be allowed in ANY church. A human child is the most impressionable animal on the face of this earth. A child does not in any way need 'Religion' in his life. An association with any religous sect is merely forcing the beliefs on that child. I know, I have been there, I have done that, and my life is destroyed.

  Children need GUIDENCE, not Religion. Children need GOD, not prophecy. Children need LOVE, not the bible. No matter which way you look at it, the bible was written by man, either through translation, or greed, the bible was written by man. If it were written by god, why are there so many different translations? Why do the Catholics use one particular translation, the Jehovahs Wittnesses another, the Mormans even have thier own? What's up with that? If it were indeed gods word, would they not all be IDENTICAL?

  I have never had the pleasure, and honor have having my own children. From what I have seen, it sadens me greatly to think of what I have missed. I would gladly give the world to have the opportunity to raise a child. The joys, the pleasures, the dis-appointments, and the aggrevations must be special.

  Children learn from the people the love the most, their parents. Parents teach them the difference between right, and wrong. What is good, what is bad. Alost nothing a parent can do is wrong to a child. To a child, their parents are their heros. As a parent, the responsibility of the welfare of the world is on their shoulders. When a child falls down, and scrapes their knee, do they run to the preacher? No, I bet they run to mom, or dad. Why? Mom, and Dad can fix anything, rather it be a scraped knee, a broken toy, or a broken heart, it is always Mom, and Dad they run to, is it not?

  Children are taught by the church that if they are bad the go to hell. WHAT? How could any person in thier right mind threaten a child with torture in a firey pit? The authorities will aresst you for spanking your child, but you can tell them they will burn in hell for an eternity if they don't do what the bible tells them? Which is worse? Mental abuse, or a good smack on the ass? HMMMM... Well let me think about this for a minute. We are the persons responsible for teaching the children of this world what is right, and what is wrong. We teach them how to cope in this world. We teach them how to reach their goals, and find their dreams.

  I am very shy, very timid, and lack the ability to socialize. I am very inverted, and angry inside. I hatemyself at times, and if I am not hating myself, I am hating the world, or someone else. I am very polite, and will give my last dime to whoever neded it. I get sick to my stomach when I hear of the pain suffered by others. I have been laughed at because I LITERALLY can not hurt a fly, I catch them and put them outside.

  SO, what's my point? I grew up in this religous sect, cult, whatever you want to call it. I was a JW. I could not play sports in school, because it was competitive, and the others were bad association. NOW, I am not a competitive person, I let people walk all over me, I do not now how to compete for what I need. I could not associate with anyperson outside the 'Kingdom Hall', you know the lecture, bad association spoils useful habits. Kiss my butt, how is that for bad association. I don't understand how to communicate with other people. I was dis-associated when I was 17. I am now in my 40's, and have not seen, nor heard from my family in 20 plus years. ALL of my friends and family are associated with the JW's, I kid you not when I say ALL. Can anyone out there tell me what it is like to spend 22 years alone? Making brief friendships, and brief relationships with persons looking for something that has been gone for so long? I have no family, I have no friends. I am psychologically retarded as to how to build a relationship.

  Just in the last few days, thanks to a person named Dawn, in Florida, have I realized, there is indeed a youth group to help the youth of the Jehovahs Wittnesses, or any other religon. You can locate your local professional in the yellow pages under 'PSYCHOLOGISTS', I am going to call first thing in the morning. You can not fathom how tired I am of living like this.

  Well, enough ranting, thanks for listening....

  Laters....

  Nomad

  Follow your heart, it will guide you on your journey to your dreams.

  The Nomad