The Kingdom Hall.
A poem I wrote in the 1990's about growing up a Jehovah's Witness back in the 1970's.
I stood on that corner,
the Watchtower in my hand.
Come all you sinners,
follow me to the Promised Land.
The world is ending soon,
Armageddon is coming
so join us chosen few.
The Kingdom Hall awaits,
the truth shall set us free.
Forget about them pearly gates,
it’s paradise for you and me.
the truth shall set us free.
Forget about them pearly gates,
it’s paradise for you and me.
If I don’t catch you today,
you’ll just have to wait.
I’ll be knocking at your door,
me, you’ll begin to hate.
me, you’ll begin to hate.
I’ll be there bright and early;
and get you out of bed.
You’re sure to be real surly,
Awake! Awake! you sleepy head.
You can tell be to go away,
slam the door right in my face.
But I’ll be back another day,
or your soul I’ll lie to waste.
The Kingdom Hall is waiting,
brother and sisters all singing songs.
We' all just cast out Satan;
we just love to recite the book of Psalms.
For ten years I lived under the iron fist of the most devout Jehovah's Witness that I ever knew, my own mother.
For the most part my teenage years were spent attending the Kingdom Hall at the Watchtower's Canadian headquarters, the Bethel in Toronto. While there I was forever trying to please my fanatical mother who had aspired to have both of her sons follow in her God fearing footsteps. Growing up there were no aspirations, no expectations for me to be anything but a devout Witness also. There was never any talk of a post-high school education; there was never any career path guidance. There was nothing that would ever encourage me to take a different path for my future.
But alas, I was the black sheep. I realized very early that there was absolutely no way in a fiery brimstone hell I was ever going to live up to my mother’s lofty expectations. I could not wait to rid myself of her overbearing commands, her threats and the cult which was the primary focus of her myopic life. Although as long as I lived under her roof, I still had to tread carefully and obey her rules. Attending five hours of Kingdom Hall meetings weekly as well as a minimum ten hours a month soliciting the various Watchtower publications door-to-door were just two of her many rules.
I could not and did not ever celebrate birthdays, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving or any other pagan celebrations while living with my mother. My deadbeat father who I resented even more than my mother was long gone when I needed a father most in my life. Looking back and seeing how my mother so fanatically immersed herself into her faith, it’s no wonder why my father didn’t stick around. I would have split also, but I would have taken my kids with me.
Although I had never been baptized and had left the Kingdom Hall ten years previous, both my mother and brother found it necessary to shun me. It was as if I was dead to both of them my mother told me. This was done under the direction from both the Kingdom Hall elders and my mother's feeble conscience. I have since found out years later that many of her Witness friends talked to my mother about her decision to walk out of my life. They told her that she was making a big mistake, but her mind was made up.
My mother served her God Jehovah right up to her final breath in April 2009. I never dedicated my life to Jehovah or any God for that matter. At the Kingdom Hall I witnessed children as young as twelve years old dedicating their lives through baptism. Seriously, what does a twelve year old know about dedicating their life to anyone or anything?
They don’t, yet it was encouraged when I went to the Kingdom Hall.
Now in my adult years, I look back at the hypocrisy that infested the Kingdom Hall I attended. I also do look back with fondness at the many friendships and great times I enjoyed with the other Witness kids my age. I have so many cherished memories of the fun times we all shared together. We all had to attend the Kingdom Hall while we were growing up and like me most of them have left the Kingdom Hall once we did grow up. Even the most hardcore dedicated Witness kids I once knew are now fully indulging in the 'worldly' lifestyle.
Within my Kingdom Hall in Toronto, there were approx. twenty kids who were all teenagers and around the same age as myself. I only know of three maybe four who still practice the JW faith and one is my brother who himself is now an elder. At least my mother had 50% of her children choose Jehovah. She was batting .500; most of the other parents completely struck out.
My mother grasped onto the Jehovah's Witnesses back when her own marriage was falling apart. She was weary, looking for some guidance and direction. It was not too long before her sister who was already a Witness summoned a knock on our door in Montreal. From that moment on my life would be forever changed and it was not for the better.
Yes the Jehovah Witnesses are a religion, but I would say they are more like a cult. It is not the loving family oriented religion they would have you believe. What you see from the outside is just a facade. Elders, overseers and other governing bodies seek to herd just like shepherds their meek submissive flock. All under the ever present direction from the worldwide HQ in New York State. By disfellowshipping and shunning any radical sheep they are able to continue on with complete control over their flock through ongoing congregational discipline.
If you are not completely 100% dedicated to the Jehovah’s Witness faith and ultrastrict way of life, then you are truly wasting any time that you spend at the Kingdom Hall.
Why?
Because you will either leave on your own like me and most of my childhood friends did or you will be put out.
It’s that simple.
Within my Kingdom Hall in Toronto, there were approx. twenty kids who were all teenagers and around the same age as myself. I only know of three maybe four who still practice the JW faith and one is my brother who himself is now an elder. At least my mother had 50% of her children choose Jehovah. She was batting .500; most of the other parents completely struck out.
My mother grasped onto the Jehovah's Witnesses back when her own marriage was falling apart. She was weary, looking for some guidance and direction. It was not too long before her sister who was already a Witness summoned a knock on our door in Montreal. From that moment on my life would be forever changed and it was not for the better.
Yes the Jehovah Witnesses are a religion, but I would say they are more like a cult. It is not the loving family oriented religion they would have you believe. What you see from the outside is just a facade. Elders, overseers and other governing bodies seek to herd just like shepherds their meek submissive flock. All under the ever present direction from the worldwide HQ in New York State. By disfellowshipping and shunning any radical sheep they are able to continue on with complete control over their flock through ongoing congregational discipline.
If you are not completely 100% dedicated to the Jehovah’s Witness faith and ultrastrict way of life, then you are truly wasting any time that you spend at the Kingdom Hall.
Why?
Because you will either leave on your own like me and most of my childhood friends did or you will be put out.
It’s that simple.
