More Childhood Memories

One of the most difficult things to explain about growing up at Johnson Chapel isn't the doctrine or the rules—those are easy to describe.

It was the inconsistency—the selective discipline. The same behavior could produce completely different outcomes depending on who you were.

As a child, I couldn't explain what I was seeing. I only knew something didn't feel right.

Looking back now, these are some of the moments that shaped that realization.

• One of my earliest memories is walking up to Treutlen Primary School holding my Aunt Lynda Hall's hand. As we approached the building, one of the teachers was standing outside. Without warning or any provocation, Lynda walked directly up to her, stuck out her tongue, and blew a raspberry in her face. Lynda was upset becuase that teacher was dating—and later married—my uncle Eddie Hall.
  

• One Friday night during youth service, Diane Hall stood before the congregation, looked directly at Judy Carter, and declared in front of the congregation, including Judy’s kids: “You’re the sorriest mother that has ever walked through Johnson Chapel.”
  At the time this happened, Dianne was having an affair with a married man. I know this because years later while Diane was living with me during her cancer treatment, she told me this during one of our late-night conversations reflecting on her life.
  

• At one point, a young boy in JCC accused a lady of molesting him. The Hall family/JCC accepted the story as true, and the lady was immediately “turned out” (excommunicated) and cut off from having contact with her family who remained at JCC.
  Years later, the boy admitted the story was a lie. But, no one bothered to reach out to this lady to acknowledge the false accusation, despite it having caused significant emotional stress and harm.
  

• During one service when Judy and Jerry Carter were being targeted, Judy’s children were told they couldn’t go home and were sent to live with their Aunt. Jerry was told to go to his parents’ house, and Judy was forced to walk home, alone. It was several days before the kids were allowed to return home.

• My great aunt Clyde Johnson used to walk to church faithfully for every service, despite the fact that she was “turned out” and had to sit on the back pew alone. She was elderly and feable. The Halls would often talk about passing her on their way to churhc. But, instead of stopping to pick her up, they once mocked her for stumbling as they passed.

• The examples of double standards are too many to count:

  • Every family that came through Johnson Chapel eventually had one or more members "turned out" from the church. Yet, not a single one of the Herbert Hall family (11 children and grandchildren) has ever been involuntarily excommunicated.
    To try to justify this remarkable statistic, they would say — "We don't get in trouble at church because we settle our problems at home."

  • When I was growing up, the Hall Family was the only family in the church allowed to have a TV. Their explanation? They’d say “we can handle it.”

  • The Hall family often pressured other church members to cancel vacations, family trips, or special events, claiming the plans were "not in line with God's will." Yet their vacations, trips, and activities were never questioned or prohibited.

I have lots more stories to share—and will post an update on my parents’ situation tomorrow.