My story growing up as a JW ........

by WingCommander 9 Replies latest jw friends

  • WingCommander
    WingCommander

    JW Kids = "Children of the Corn"

    Growing up as a J-Dub, I have seen all of the special treatment most JW kids and elders kids recieved in general. While, no you were not allowed to celebrate holidays, etc, being a JW child meant you could do no wrong. It also meant you go presents throughout the year for good behaviour, just because, etc. In this way, you didn't really miss anything around the holidays. :)

    But JW kids are special little brats to their unsuspecting, neive, dufos parents. Because even though they are perfect little publishers at the meetings, field service, etc, that is where the end of the "good example" ends. Because the second they are out of sight, they are usually running around doing much more worse things than any "worldy" children did. I feel this was to even out all of the time spent kissing parents, Elders, CO's, & Pioneer's A$$ES. Growing up and going to school was bad enough - having to tend to putting out fires about your religion, than you have other JW's who are making trouble, picking on you, etc. I lost track of how many other JW teens I saw smoking, "flaunting their worldly possesions", flirting, flat out screwing, doing drugs, drinking, etc....and their parents hadn't a clue!! And even if you told them, they sure would call you a liar, an apostate, and would ask where your 2 witnesses to the sins were?? So in perspective, JW kids are like the kids from the movie, "Children of the Corn." They have complete and utter control of their parents, and can manipulate them to however they like......all because they are, "good pioneer examples and good association" whom would never think of doing anything wrong, or sinning. Even as a child, I found that aspect utterly repulsive, that no one got punished for anything. My parents were tough, my father was a former drill sergeant in the Army, so there was no "getting away" with anything in my family. But lord, if you were an Elder's child, your behind did not stink one bit!! Especially the 13 year old whom was put in a 4th grade class, and decided I was his favorite 10 year punching bag for a year during recess. (he was held back due to his father's business that caused them to travel.) My parent's pictures of my brusies, and the fact that many children witnessed my beatings meant nothing when the meeting was held at the Kingdom Hall to discuss my "disturbing accussations" against this new elder's son. Of course, he was not at fault, I somehow provocted him, brought it on, or it was just 2 guys "rough-housing." I left that meeting with tears in my eyes and my parents left it feeling how screwed they were and disillusioned with Judicial CRAP!! That was the end of my innocence. I went in there thinking good would come of, that things would stop, and all these mere men did was take up for a scummy elders asshole son, whom everyone knew was the worst of anyone.

    So everyone reading this, for God's sake, if your child is associated with a JW, or if you are a member - don't even let your kids hang out with other JW's.....take if from one whom grew up as one - IT IS HELL. And if your child ever has a problem with one of them, you might as well take your complaints, worries, etc - and SHOVE THEM UP YOUR BUNGHOLE! Because the other parents, elders, or anyone else isn't going to care, they only stick up for themselves and their kids. I urge you, any time something REALLY serious is involved, like the daily beatings I took from someone 3 years older than me - just call the police. At least than you can file charges. JW's are USELESS when it comes to discipling their own children. But oh yeah, they'll make sure and see to it that YOUR kid gets punished!!

    Just my story.....................

    Wing Commander

  • PurpleV
    PurpleV

    It's ironic.

    When I was 9 we moved to a new neighborhood. Of course the first thing I did was scope out other kids in to play with. I met a girl my age up the street and we started playing.

    Of course it wasn't long before SOMETHING came up I couldn't do (Halloween, whatever.) Next thing I knew, my new pal's mom had called me into the kitchen and started grilling me on my JW beliefs. She said she had to make sure that her daughter did not have "bad association." "We are Episcopalians and believe in Jesus," she said.

    Funny, I became an Episcopalian in later life. I'll never forget that experience.

    A "worldly" person making sure I wasn't "bad association" for her Christian daughter!

  • CoonDawg
    CoonDawg

    It also meant you go presents throughout the year for good behaviour, just because, etc. In this way, you didn't really miss anything around the holidays. :)

    Must have been nice. I kinda always felt that the 'dubs were a haven for lots of chep bastards that didn't want to buy stuff for their kids. Guess maybe it was just my dad.

    CoonDawg

  • freedom96
    freedom96

    I am suprised at how many postings have talked about the JW kid, and how they got away with everything, and were worse than many "wordly" kids.

    I too grew up as the son of an elder, and I'll tell you, no kid got away with anything in my hall. Not me, nor anyone else. My dad was not the bully elder in our area, but kids were too scared to do anything.

    The kids I grew up with for the most part were some decent kids.

  • Xander
    Xander

    Hmmm...well, maybe in your neighborhood.

    I went to a few more or less rural congregations (not small, oh no, rural congregations would pull 150-200 publishers at a meeting!).

    Nope, us kids were ALL strict JWs. We even felt guilty and confessed to elders of sins when we did stupid things like saying 'You too' to someone when they offered a 'Merry Christmas' (remember, that's a sin kids, you're supposed to say "Thanks for the sentiment, but we don't celebrate that pagan holiday" or somesuch).

    Et al.

    No, all the JWs I grew up with were uber-JWs. Later on (as in, last few years), my brother started hanging around w/ some JWs from 'the city', and they were much as you describe. But not the kids from the country, oh no!

    To me, those are the hardest to crack (out of the org, that is). They get to live the worldly life as fully as any worldling (well, damn near, anyway), but still are 'good' JWs. They just don't seem to see the hypocrasy of it.

  • Mary
    Mary

    Growing up as a Witness sucked - we were excluded from EVERYTHING that was fun......although our elders tried to fill in the blanks with having costume parties that were a scream, 50's dances and picnics and parties for the young ones, Headquarters soon put a stop to that. Costume parties were banned because "Would Jesus go to a Costume Party"? Also, any parties were to be kept small - nothing over 25 people, because then the chaperones "couldn't keep an eye on everyone"........basically, everything that was fun was banned thanks to the assholes at the top.

    Although my family doesn't "officially" celebrate XMas or other holidays, I get both my parents birthday cards (plus my one sister) and I buy Christmas gifts for all my apostate friends and some co-workers.........

  • ugg
    ugg

    "SHUDDER"

  • RandomTask
    RandomTask

    Id have to say that in my experience, it varied from case to case. I knew some elder's kids that got away with murder and some who were so jumpy they would go crying to their dad if they dared to say something like "hell". Got in trouble for seeing a rated R movie with my friend because he just had to tell his dad. By the way he was 19, I was 20 and a MS at the time. Did not appreciate being talked to by the PO.

    Basically though I did see a lot of "double-lifing" going on with almost all JW kids I knew growing up. When they were away from their parents they were totally "worldly". There was even this entire section at our district conventions that was a notorious hangouit for all the young JW's to flirt with each other and so forth. It was all such a freaking lie. No wonder when I got out most of the kids I knew growing up no longer attended meetings. There is a huge age gap at the kingdom hall, you will usually not find very many between 18-30 anymore.

  • caligirl
    caligirl

    I grew up as an elders child, and if anything my behavior was scrutinized even more closely than others. I did see other elders kids getting away with everything, but I was certainly not on that list! But then again, I rarely did anything that I needed to "get away with." I can relate to being the one blamed for what others did wrong though - my brother and I both experienced that.

  • MsJam
    MsJam

    I married a man that was raised a JW.He was much like the kids you have described who are leading a double life. It's sad that everything becomes a NO-NO it only makes it so much tempting. The way they have to hide and cover up,makes them masters of manipulation. Which in time only makes them better as they age.What interesting adults this makes...in an organization that boasts of being so honest.I have learned from first hand and how they manipulate and twist situations to their advantage.

    Unfortunatly I used to be one of those parents that had to have perfect once told children. I shudder at the thought of how I treated my children.And also for the way I allowed them to be treated.Thank God I snapped out of the trance and my children are able to lead normal(well what is normal really?) lives.No longer do I want or expect ROBOT children.

    I'm sorry this happened to you.It's always sad to hear of how we has humans try to dominate and demean eachother. Your experience will help others...thanks for sharing.

    JAM

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