Damaging Principles of Child Rearing in the Assembly
George wanted everyone in attendance at all meetings, at all times. Infants and children were no exception. And he wanted everyone's attention focused on him. To accomplish this required extremely strict child discipline. George couched the guiding principles in very high-sounding spiritual language at Workers Meetings:
"It is through the family that God constitutes Divine Government, reproduces a godly generation, demonstrates destiny. Therefore the children are important to God, because without them you're never going to demonstrate any of these things. If they don't do God's purpose, then God's purpose is going to fall by the wayside." And so on in that vane.
Then he put pressure directly on the parents:
"The child is a reflection of your inner attitude. You are living out your life through them. You love yourself and don't want to hurt yourself by saying 'no' to them. These are parental hindrances to applying pressure and force."
But then he got down to brass tacks:
"The crux of training is getting a yielded will, until it pleases to do your slightest wish. When do you beat him with a rod? When you tell him to do something, and you show him, and he refuses, then you beat him. When it is obvious he is able to do it and he won't, then you hit him on the behind. Set up constant tests. You want to give your child as many opportunities to cross your will as possible."
Betty filled out all the details of how this was to be practiced in the Assembly in other Workers meetings, at Couples Meetings, at baby showers, in individual counseling, at every possible opportunity. Her axioms were repeated and repeated and repeated by the women Workers throughout the Assemblies, just like here in Omaha.
‣‣ "As a parent, start out with the premise that yours ways are not God's ways."
‣‣ "Mother heart is always wrong."
‣‣ "From birth, children are controlled by their sinful flesh. Do you believe your child has an insatiable and self-centered nature? This is what a child is."
‣‣ "It is the parents' responsibility to discipline their fleshly nature until it is completely obedient. The goal is first-time obedience."
‣‣ "Child training is no different than dog training; it is done by conditioned response. Begin with spanking at three months to teach them to keep their head down and sleep in the meetings."
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