Did you suffer from not saluting the flag in school as a kid?

by Sea Breeze 37 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Beth Sarim

  Child indoctrination is abuse. Simple.

  Having to uphold your parents beliefs. Because you had no choice of what you were brought up in.

  Abuse. Plain and simple.
• 

  carla

  As a ubm I can tell you I suffered immensely! You have no idea how damn embarrassing it is to be at a school function with old guys wearing their Korean or Vietnam hats/vests next to you and your jw sits on his ass while the only people who are sitting are those in wheelchairs. My kids would be in school functions and could see him in the bleachers, sitting. Yes, hundreds of people and they could find their jw dad sitting on his ass for all of our community to see. I used to try to scoot as far away as I could like I wasn't with him. Only so far you scoot over when the entire town is there.

  I suppose I shouldn't complain, then came the times that he wouldn't go at all and missed out on seeing his kids in plays, band, etc..... still pisses me off.

  As you can see I still suffer to this day the shame and embarrassment
• 

  no-zombie

  The problem here is that, the Governing Body has turned the WatchTower movement into an American centric religion, and as such have formulated its rules accordingly. But America is not the whole world. For example here in Australia, our views on nationalism and how we express it is completely different. As a result most Witness youths (me included) never had much an issue over the flag or the National anthem.

  But like DesirousOfChange said, you always get those few who insist on making a point of things, on both sides of the fence.

  
  
• 

  TonusOH

  I was fortunate that there was usually one or two other JW kids in my classes early on. So I wasn't the only child who sat at his desk as everyone else stood, or who was asked to wait outside in the hallway while the rest of the kids recited the pledge. It wasn't traumatic, at least it didn't seem so at the time. But I did become a quiet kid who mostly tried to stay in the background, invisible.

  I don't remember if other kids asked about it. For the most part, they probably thought we were wierd but didn't care much. I am pretty sure we weren't bullied for it. This would have been the mid-70s, and it was a different America from the 40s, 50s, and early 60s.
• 

  road to nowhere

  Half assed checking my shirt buttons posture. Tried to be in the back. Then went out at recess to play army. Younger brothers benefited from the antiwar movement.

  I learned the pledge, including the why's thereof. More than a lot of puppetsdid. There is an undercurrent of anti American sentiment instead of neutrality

  Do aussies still hold high regard for the king?
• 

  StephaneLaliberte

  There was a kid, a tough and strong kid, who's grandpa died in a war, I don't know which. Anyways, when he saw that I remained seated for the national anthem, he told me to get up or he'd kick my ass. I told him bluntly that even if he'd threaten me with death, it still be seating. I also said that he should be quiet as he was, himself, lacking respect for the national anthem by talking while it played.

  Somewhere during class, he told me that his grampa died at war. I told him that his grampa died for freedom, which included my freedom not to stand during the national anthem.

  He said he's still beat me up anyways. So, I spent the next two weeks running away from him after classes until he finally let it go.
  
  As for the teachers, they weren't all nice, but they usually didn't push it as word got around that some teachers had been suspended for lacking respect in this regard.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Once again, JWs were just ahead of their time.

  Or is it that "taking a knee" is preferable to just remaining seated?

  
  
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  blondie

  I grew up in a military family and it was not a big deal. We didn't even have to stand up, we could sit quietly while the others did it. My father (a non-jw military man) went to bat for us saying the country he fought for believed in freedom of religion, and said so much to the base commander. So no problem. A very unusual experience I know. Once we were at an event when the audience "asked" to stand up for the pledge, we did not, but my father did, the people behind us making nasty comments. My father (in uniform) stood up and turned to them and said, "this is my family, I have fought in 3 wars to protect their right to respectfully practice their beliefs." Well, those people sat down and shut up.
• 

  road to nowhere

  DoC

  Taking a knee is an anti American sentiment, not neutral. Like burning a flag. The argument of worship and the flag being sacred is at least partially correct. Respecting others beliefs is what standing shows.

  I fly the Bonnie Blue and Gadsen in protest.
• 

  Sea Breeze

  Blonde, your dad is correct of course.

  But, I doubt he would agree that he fought in 3 wars to allow JW parents kick their questioning teenagers out the house on the street and shun them.

  Kids have basic rights too.