The next two years of school and the witnesses laid down many patterns which I have seen repeated again and again across forums and other members’ stories. It’s normal for teenagers to rebel – it’s a natural process of testing their boundaries and becoming adults. In a normal situation this phase eventually gives way to rounded young adults who have had their fun and are ready to slot into society. With the Jehovah’s Witnesses this phase is longer, and in some cases leads to lasting damage – as the teenager adopts a personality which always seeks to find boundaries and push beyond them.
At this time every single ‘young one’ in the congregation had either been smoking, drinking, engaging in immoral behaviour, and in certain cases taking ‘soft’ drugs. Not a single person between 14-18 was free from this behaviour. I know because I was right there involved with them. We had a status quo – you don’t tell on me – I won’t tell on you. This situation was end as I turned 16.
The seeds for this shattering of the status quo started much earlier with the son of Elder-Evil, himself a pompous twit, frequently reporting minor infractions to the Elders. I recall being in trouble for ‘violent’ computer games – this was back in the days of sprites on the screen, as opposed to today’s GTA and other genuinely violent games.
I don’t recall exactly what started the next two years fight, but I remember this five foot hobbit and his father, deciding that my music tastes were anti-Jehovah – and pushing for a full censure. Since I had some ‘dirt’ on him, I made sure this was also brought to the elders’ attention. And so we began a tit for tat war that eventually involved the entire congregation.
I didn’t help the situation by growing a goatee beard and showing up to witness barbeques with Metallica t-shirts. The key difference was that while I was openly rebellious, the children of this Elder were very pious in the congregation but away from their fathers eyes – they were just as non Christian as I.
By the time my 16th birthday arrived five kids had already left and one was seriously ill with anorexia. I was now this Elders primary target, and the accusations had increased to immorality, spiritualism, alcoholism, and just about everything else they could think of. I eventually admitted to some immorality with his daughter – which further enraged this elder, although that’s what I wanted!
The congregation of 35-40 members was fractured right down the centre with certain families ignoring each other. There was no ‘Christian-love’ and the atmosphere within the meetings was acidic. Elders would ‘stare down’ other elders during talks and these talks would be used as attack platforms with entire diatribes focussed on how bad an individual member was.
Part Two Soon……..
[...] A real Life Jehovahs Witness Story The full article is here : Jehovahs Witness Beliefs [...]
[...] maintaining a certain level of seclusion – not ‘in the world’, but not ‘of the world’. Jehovah Witness members do not conform to Pagan customs and beliefs, and therefore do not celebrate Easter or [...]