Do J.W.'s still spank their kids in Kingdom Hall libraries to punish them?

by hubert 29 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Euphemism

  It definitely depends on how conservative the congregation, the surrounding area, and the parents are. I was in a fairly laid-back congregation for most of my time in NY, and it hardly ever happened. When I switched to the Russian congregation--mostly made up of American Bethelites and Pioneers--there were very few kids in the congregation, but those kids got beat all the time.

  The WTS doesn't explicitly encourage spankings, as it used to--most likely due to legal issues. The practice lives on in the oral tradition, however, and the WTS has done little if anything to discourage it.
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  Ténébreux

  15 or 20 years ago, no meeting would have been complete without several kids being dragged through the back door, whacked loudly, and dragged back screaming. There seems to be a lot less of that in recent years though - mainly you just hear parents going "SSSHHHHHHH" every thirty seconds or so (which ironically is always louder than any noise their child was making).
• 

  Evanescence

  HOW DARE THEY ABUSE CHILDRENS RIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Sorry but I cannot stand childrens rights being abused!!!!!! If I saw any of that happening I will be calling the social workers!

  No child should be subjected to punishment like that! put yourself in the childrens shoes how would you feel. And a 2 year old MY GOD HOW DISCUSTING!

  No child can sit there for over 2 hours staring at the wall geez even I can't do that!

  But constantly abusing them or so called "disciplining" them will only make the child grow up in fear and anxiety. Constantly afraid that if you stuff up you shall be punished. but the point is everyone stuffs up no one is perfect.

  The child won't view the world as a friendly place.

  You hear the child screaming and crying, they are afraid, they don't understand!

  Children does not deserve that sort of punishment.

  Sorry about the burst of anger

  Evanescence

  Also I want to ask if the jws support the united nations and if so do they support the united nations declaration on human rights?
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  Ellie

  I took my daughter to a book study last year, she was about 18 months at the time and was her typical noisy self.

  Nobody seemed to mind, except for this one woman who kept shaking her head and tutting.

  After the meeting I told everyone that I wouldn't bring her again but they all insisted I should, but I just thought, why so this woman can complain that a little girl can't sit still and be quiet for an hour.

  I havn't been back since.
• 

  Charisma

  its a no win situation when you are a witness. If you take your child back to be disciplined, (I never disciplined too hard, although my exhusband did in my mind), people are upset. If you don't, people are upset.

  Children are naturally going to have problems sitting still that long young and being quiet. There is so much pressure on parents to make your children behave so that others wont' be distubed for the meetings
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  Terry

  Back in the 60's (that's the 1960's and not the 1860's) there was a brother Sullivan who would grab his "misbehaving" child by the ankle and hold it upside down until it turned beet red and purple while he stood at the back of the hall. Oh, yes; I kid you not.

  Often was the time a mildly restless child (who had been made to sit stock still for hours) would get taken outside or in the bathroom for a "whomp whomp whomp...waaaaaaaahhhhhh".

  This was a kind of badge of perfect parenthood.

  And what did I do?

  I would thump my child (it is called a filip) like shooting marbles with my fingers. I look back on this now and want to take MYSELF outside for a walloping.

  The Kingdom Hall always has been the blind leading (or beating) the blinded.

  T.
• 

  POs Son

  No, JWs do not spank their kids in the library.

  I got all my spankings in the furnace room. It had a certian echo-quality, and conveniently it made us aware of the location of the mop and vacuum for late night cleaning duty. This also prepared us for the only career we were supposed to have, janitorial duties.

  Back to beatings at the hall... yeah, on a regular basis as I recall. My father spanked regularly, and it was ceremonious... not a whack at the time of the infraction, but a slow parade to the furnace room, or the bedroom at home, trousers down, and a methodical, out-loud counted spanking, followed by a sceond does if we mouthed off during the corporal punishment.

  Oh, My dad was the PO. (hence the screen name)

  PO's Son
• 

  talesin

  The bathroom in the back of the KH. <shudder> Of course, everyone could hear my crying.

  No wonder I have a hard time using the washroom in public places.

  t
• 

  luna2

  The KH I attended when my kids were young pressured more towards spanking, but as Charisma said, there was pressure the other way too so that no matter how you handled it you felt like you screwed up.

  My oldest was about 8 when we started attending meetings and was always very good. I think if he acted up we would have had to go outside because I wouldn't have felt comfortable marching him into the women's bathroom (the library seemed off limits). My youngest was 5 and a very active, out-spoken kid. I do remember a couple of occasions when we took a trip to the back, but I hated that sort of semi-public discpline so I didn't do it often. I did let them draw during the meetings, which helped. Sometimes I wished I could draw during the meetings. LOL

  I don't recall wooden spoons making an appearance as baby shower gifts in that congregation, but I was so dumb that I probably would have taken it as a joke.
• 

  TheListener

  The WTS has had new light on the meaing of the spare the rod spoil the child scripture. Apparently the rod isn't the spanking rod anymore but discipline in general; even verbal, time outs, loss of privileges, etc. This was done some years ago in a WT or Awake. I will check my CD this evening.

  I hate it when I am at the meeting and some poor kid is getting spanked because they can't sit like an adult for 2 hours and have crap shoved into their mind.

  Of course here is what a CO would say: "Friends, children are a precious inheritance from Jehovah! Are we disciplining them with that in view. Do we let our children have coloring books, pens, pencils, drawing paper, stuffed dolls or animals at the meetings?!! Of course not. We're not here for playtime; we're here for spiritual growth. Don't be fooled by the so-called wisdom from Satan's world - kids can sit and listen for a small 2 hour period. Children sit for long periods of time in a car to go on a vacation to somewhere they love; they'll sit for hours watchng tv whether it be movies or a series of 1/2 hour cartoons. Friends, don't be fooled, Satan would love nothing more than for you to have misplaced feelings of guilt and shame and allow your children to play at the meetings, to doodle at the meetings, to daydream! at the meetings! The society doesn't give any ages for such things, but let's be serious for a moment - have you seen a teenager playing a video game at the KH? Of course not! That's because they are developing a spiritual self - for younger children you parents need to do this. If your child is loud or showing disruptive behavior take them to the back and discipline them. Don't let them think the back of the hall is for playing! NO! it's not for playing but for disciplining. Follow the slave's counsel and you will benefit"

  Whew! That was very healing to write. It reminds me of how much I disliked the meetings as a kid.