by Simon 55 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Born in. My parents said they wanted to know more about the Bible. Sadly, they didn't catch on that they had to read hundreds of multi-colored books to explain what the WT said the Bible says.
It was just before WWII, and they were in the Great Depression. They thought the world was ending soon, and they were suckered in to those crazy promises. **sigh** Half my family still believes in those promises sooooo many years down the line.
Fascinating topic!
Look at how many adults are hung up on not admitting that their parents had "standard issue" human failings.
Speaking for myself, one look at my 'rents (I've been told that's the "hip" term for "parents," and it saves TWO LETTERS) and an examination of their life events lead incontrovertibly to the conclusion that YES, my parents were idiots!
Want more proof? Read my posts.
My mother was the idiot who bought the JW sales pitch.
Through the years I've analyzed her in absentia (she won't talk to me, and I gladly reciprocate). Her dad died when she was just entering her teens. She was the apple of her daddy's eye, and his death left her in the custody of her crazy inbred hillbilly mother and her older unkind brothers. She was sexually abused within a year of her dad's death, and soon fled north to join her older married sister who did provide her with some sanctuary. But sanctuary doesn't prevent a person from making a whole bunch of brand-new bad decisions, and she did. Instead of seeking knowledge and wisdom, she decided she "knew it all" and sought good times and parties and such.
That led to an unwanted pregnancy (Hi there!) and a lousy marriage, yoked to an undisciplined man who felt trapped and directionless. His favorite excuse was that everybody always lied to him.
When his new bride told him about how she was the victim of sexual abuse in her early teens, he slapped her and called her a whore. Mr. Nice Guy.
One day a couple of liars came to her door and told her that her daddy was going to be resurrected. Soon. VERY SOON. Quick! Study the Bible with us!
She couldn't read, so those nice Bible grifters taught her how to read and how to tell her husband that his family's church was Satanic.
He listened to their crap for a while. Everybody always lied to him. Then he tried to murder his bride. Failed at that. Split. Everybody always lied to him.
He's dead now. When he died, I took pleasure in reminding her that according to the Faithful & Discreet Slave, soon he would be resurrected too. THAT almost drove her crazy*, and she had to have one of the lying grifters promise her that he would not be resurrected.
I'm just glad this idiocy isn't hereditary.
*Seriously. The thought of this abomination (my father) benefitting from her Lord's ransom sacrifice CONSUMED her for several weeks; it was nearly the only thing she could talk about with any Theocrat. It was like watching a cat chase it's own tail, on a spiritual level. PRICELESS!
Yep my mom started studying with the jws after they taught her that Christmas was a pagan holiday. Yep left a decent Christian church started studying with them and the world wide church of God. Both groups were teaching the end was going to come in 1975. My mom and dad denied they ever thought the end was going to come and this was being pushed in 75 but ironically my mom got her mother in the cult and she was baptised in the summer of 1975 .
I think the reality was that with her studying with two groups pushing the same message that she surely New about 1975 and was in a hurry to get her mom in. Then when nothing happened her memory just got all bad and she can't recall.
Through the years I've analyzed her in absentia (she won't talk to me, and I gladly reciprocate). Her dad died when she was just entering her teens. She was the apple of her daddy's eye, and his death left her in the custody of her crazy inbred hillbilly mother and her older unkind brothers. She was sexually abused within a year of her dad's death, and soon fled north to join her older married sister who did provide her with some sanctuary. But sanctuary doesn't prevent a person from making a whole bunch of brand-new bad decisions, and she did. Instead of seeking knowledge and wisdom, she decided she "knew it all" and sought good times and parties and such.
That led to an unwanted pregnancy (Hi there!) and a lousy marriage, yoked to an undisciplined man who felt trapped and directionless. His favorite excuse was that everybody always lied to him.
On the surface it sounds as though you may be judging her a tad harshly.
Another born in here.
It seems to me that people become witnesses for several reasons.
one, to replace a family environment that they are missing. Maybe they've been abused or suffered some form of neglect and the witnesses come along with their love bombing and voila. Instant family.
two, they've suffered a recent traumatic life event of some sort and are vulnerable and looking for answers. Any answers.
three, they like to be a big fish in a small pond. Joe the window cleaner never gets to boss anyone about at work, but at the meetings he can walk tall and be admired.
There may be more, but they don't have to be an idiot. Not necessarily.
Landy, you probably know better than I do. After all, you weren't there.
I think your number three applies to you. My windows are a bit soiled. Will you do them again, please?
Landy, you probably know better than I do. After all, you weren't there. I think your number three applies to you. My windows are a bit soiled. Will you do them again, please?
Did you miss the 'on the surface bit?' mr touchy?
no problem - send me your address and I'll pop over and do them. I'll warn you now though my prices are high!
This has been a fascinating read.
I'm born in; 3rd gen. My maternal great-grandparents were in back in 1914 waiting for the great big A to happen. Then nothing. She had my grandfather and he never gelled with the JWs. He married my totally cray-cray maternal-grandmother and she jumped on the JW crazy train. 4 kids later and they divorced when my Mom was 12.
Fast forward: He got custody of 4 girls in the 1950's!! She (crazy grandmother) disappeared and my Mom got suckered in by the JWs going door-to-door by a neighbor lady in 1968.
My Dad was nothing. We never went to church. We did birthdays, Christmas (I was only 4 when she joined) and that's all I recall. Then I was in kindergarden and I was told I couldn't say pledge to the flag or sing happy birthday etc.
Dad got baptized and became an MS. Then he wanted out and got himself DFd. All within 10 years. He was gone.
We got stuck with Mom and she is still in. Ardently, I might add. I just received my mailed Watchtower and Awake mags yesterday. Puke.
I would call my parents, all my aunts on my Mom's side and their spouses, idiots. They all joined for the 1975 rhetoric. They all had various reasons (looking back I see what, etc) for wanting "Paradise", however, when it didn't happen they could have walked away. They still had friends on the outside. Now? Way too late. They are locked in. All their friends and associates are JWs. And kids. And kids of kids. Except me. I'm the Apostate.
I'm sure The Donald would find this thread fascinating also.
He probly thinks any parents who haven't got a million bucks to give their kids are idiots or parents who were stupid enough to be born in Mexico are idiots.
Don't worry what goes around comes around and the next gen of kids will turn around and blame you for ruining their lives one day and you get to be the prize "idiot."
I know a few hard-core families that got sucked in after ww2. The things these men went though and saw, they were really attracted to the pacifist angle of the WTS.
Of course there was no such as PTSD in those days. You either got lost in alcohol or religion.
My story is in the late 60s and early 70s my family (grandparents) were part of the United Church of Canada. It use to be the biggest denomination in Canada.
Then it took a real liberal turn. First termister abortion was OK, having gay Members, gay ministers etc etc.
My uncles were turned on to the WTS because they were hard asses about the Bible.
All those ruined lives over good intentions.
