by restrangled 26 Replies latest jw friends
I had extended family members, both with families of 7, abandon good jobs and homes in the suburbs of Chicago. They moved to the wild outskirts of 2 separate states to protect their families from Armageddon. They both waited for 20 years, wound up financially destitute and finally had to move and depend on other family members to recover.
It would be interesting to read the stories from those of you who went through this time period as a JW.
r.
i was a child back then but can remember starting in 71 being scared spitless because the great trib was gonna start any time and at the meetings children were told horror stories about persecution and warned about communists kidnapping us.
i lived in florida back then and was terrified of being kidnapped and having to crawl on glass shards or having things stuck under my fingernails to make me renounce jehovah.
I wasn't a dub at the time but later I got to know of a family in which the mother forced her three underage children age 10-13 to get baptised in 1975 because she thought they would thus be saved from the soon to be armageddon. Only one of them stayed in. 30 years later she is still waiting for the new system.
I was in my early mid teens in 1975, and I suffered from frequent nightmares about torture and the great tribulation. They loved to do gory speculation from the platfrom about the ways we might be tortured and tested. They rehashed methods used in Malawi, said maybe the angels would help us pass out if it got too bad, etc.
The grim and frightened faces in the rows spoke volumes. From this board, I know lots of young kids had bad dreams and stress.
Life altering decisions were made FOR me, by my parents. No school clubs, no college, grades weren't important, ratty clearance rack clothes were fine. Nothing mattered, because Armageddon was scheduled for fall of 1975. My dad jeopardized his good job many times, by demanding time off for ass-emblies, because he wouldn't need it much longer, anyway. My parents didn't get needed repairs done on their house because soon, they'd be living in Paradise. They're still in that house, and now it really needs repairs, but they've got little money. Armageddon didn't come, and their money is running low. List goes on and on...
I had one foot on a banana peel, religiously speaking, in 1975. I didn't really believe in the "prophecy," so I wasn't nervous and made no changes in my life. I didn't see anyone in my cong make any major changes in their lives either. We all sailed through pretty much unscathed by Armageddon and the WTS.
Gave up the idea of going to college. (I graduated from high school in 72.) By the time I'd left the JWs it was too late for me to think about going to college (with family responsibilities, etc.). I know several others which did the same thing. Two of my closest friends in my old congregation in Idaho were valedictorians. Both pioneered. Both went to Bethel.
Well of course I quit my job to go save every one cos their blood was on my shoulders
I didnt have any chose as I was still a child to the run up of 75...................but as my mother has faded out of the religion but still believed it. We, my siblings and i have wonderful memories of dying at Armageddon and the torture that would come before it
ah happy childhood memories ..................
Oh and I must say that the last meeting we ever attended the elder said during his talk. That 75 didnt happen............It is apostate lies that the WT ever said it was comming in 75 ..................im sorry but Iived it..................that did it for me. They did say it .......cos it ruined my childhood.
Similar views to many here - I was at school in 1975, no I was not allowed to associate with any of my school friends at my house or theirs.
No I wasn't allowed to be in any school clubs or any extra curricular ativities.
Yes I remember all the stories about persecution and how I must never ever renounce my faith.
Yes my parents are elderly now and they have had to downsize their home because they need the money as the end hasn't come yet - sad thing is they STILL think it's imminent!
I soooo wish I had the foresight in the 1970's to rebel - oh no not me. Let's wait until I'm married to the wrong person for 18 years, ending up seeing someone else and getting divorced and d'fed.
Still, now I am remarried and reeeeeeeally happy!
