by dustyb 21 Replies latest jw friends
friendships outside the WTS. Although I was in the WTS, my dad was not a believer so mom could not stop me from having "worldly" friends.. but they could never be cultivated deep deep, because there were always things I couldn't do..
I was asked to be in two of my girlfriends weddings, a special honor, but of course I couldn't be in a wedding, in a church, I couldn't even attend... I always felt bad about that..
and proms..
and dating.. normal dating..
Christmas;I remember looking in the Eatons window looking at the mechanical santas and reindeer
My sister pulled the santa stores beard off my mom thought that was great
Birthdays :Who am I to deserve a cake
Easter, I love those cream filled eggs,no easter in our house,we had the happy Memorial
Halloween well at least we had good teeth
Thanksgiving we should be thankful to go out in the service and especially be thankful for the watchtower
New Years Imagine looking forward to a new year,we should be looking forward to god killing everyone
Valentines. No having fun allowed imagine the sin of cutting out paper hearts
Never join the YWCA/YMCA must be evil if its fun
Prom Why did you even want to graduate dont you know gods going to kill everyone
Sports day. get your exercise knocking on doors
We as former Jehovahs witness children have the priviledge of knowing No joy or wonder or expectations or excitement of waking up Christmas morning
We as former Jehovahs Witnesses children dont understand how we could be so important as to have a day set aside for us
I think we missed out on just being kids
I missed out on the holidays, yes, and the school "camaraderie".
I missed out on the high school athletics "camaraderie" I was too busy "pioneering". Drugs were never a concern. I would never have eexperimented with them.
The friendships, well, that is more complicated. I did have many JW friends, I suppose we had our own theocratic "camaraderie" ,so I did belong to a social circle within our little sheltered JW world. I was never without friends.
Problem is ; none of those old JW friends will ackowledge me ( much less speak or socialize with me) now.
My wife grew up very liberal Catholic. She still has ( among many friends) the same cirlcle of friends from grammar school. These girls have shared much friendship through the years and always have reunions and laugh about all their experiences growing up and just have fun.
I missed out on that.
Do I feel like I really missed out? sometimes, maybe. Do I feel like I learned from my JW childhood and has it helped me become a better adult and father? Yes.
I must admit, the Jws helped me stay on the straight path:
As a Kid I missed out on:
Drug Addiction
Stealing
Poor grades in School
Hanging out with Gangs
STDs
Some of my non-Jw family were not so lucky........
Well now it isnt only being a dub that let you miss out on things. Sorry I am going to upset some of you ( not again Grace) I was raised with out T.V (Wasnt any in my day) Lots of nights I had no bed to sleep in because the bombs were dropping in England. so we slept in the subway!!! Only had 4 ounces of sweets a month (Rationed)by the government. ---------- 1 Orange a month, ...when I was 11 I was shipped of to Wales so had no parents for awhile-because all the kids in London had to be evacuated...Then after months of being there I was sent back home then when I was 12 I was shipped off again to Devon.until I was 14 didnt see my Dad for two years ( my Mum once in two years) ----- 1 bannana a month,... no lights all over place because of the black out...NO clothes to buy - like stockings , because they too were rationed... ---- so just think how fortunate you are to have had what you did... So alright spit at me... I think with all the W.tower did to you all ( I am so sorry for you all to have had missed out ) there are many,many others all over the world that have suffered more ....
No, you didn't upset me at least Mouthy...I am a realist and I totally understand your point. I haven't had to live in poverty ever in my life and I have always had many luxuries compared to others in the world...
I guess I am angry not necessarily because I missed these things but because I didn't do them based on some false pretenses made up by a religious book company. Plus, I (and the majority of former JW kids) really have a problem socially adapting to the world around us...that is something that just shouldn't of happened but it did. So, I do get angry thinking about these things but you have to keep things in perspective and not get bitter...
I agree Cypher!!! So glad i didnt upset you! I thought I would get a lot of nasty replies but I guess folks are respecting my age ( artful biddy aint I -using my age as a "cover" lol???? ___Shows what a nice bunch we have on here ((((CYPHER Hugged)
Wow, Mouthy, you raise a very good point. Thank you for sharing, and helping the rest of us "sots" smell the coffee.
You are absolutely correct in you comments; compared to what you have described, none of us have a thing to complain about. The sad thing is that today, in the 21 century, there are still children who suffer as you have described.
I hope that now, you have glutted yourself on chocolates, oranges and banannas, and have bought yourself more clothes and stockings than you can possible wear!...(and a mattress large enough to harbor just a few bed mates!)
Frank ( of the very materialistic class)
I love Galaxy's responses
when he said
Easter, I love those cream filled eggs,no easter in our house,we had the happy Memorial
I guess I laughed at this one. because it is not satiracal.. but TRUE..
Does anyone ever remember a more HAPPY occasion than the memorial.. LOL
special k
Special K
Great sarcasm!
The Memorial? A Happy occasion? I suppose whoever bit the cracker or sipped the cheap wine ( eeeh gads! wine with a "screw top") knew that they were going to heaven. The rest of us poor suckers just passed the stuff around wide eyed looking to see who bit and sipped.
I always wondered how they knew they were of the annointed?
