Did you make life altering decisions because of 1975?

by restrangled 26 Replies latest jw friends

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  Athanasius

  Despite all the Watchtower rhetoric, 1975 didn't cause me to make any life altering decisions in that decade. At the time I had a good paying job, was happily married, and served as an elder in the congregation. In fact what concerned me most was the effect it would have on the JWs if 1975 passed and nothing happened.

  Nevertheless, it was the Watchtower leadership's reaction to the failure of their 1975 prophecy and the blaming of the rank and file for the disappointment that led to my exit in 1984. So I guess you could say 1975 indirectly led to a life altering decision.
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  restrangled

  Thanks to all of you who have responded.

  I'll give you another personal story.

  Not only were any of the children in our family allowed or ever encouraged further education, but my parents debated for over a year to move from a house of 1200 square feet to a home of 1700 square feet, in 1973. They finally decided to move and the reasoniing being it had a basement to watch the excitement of Arrmegeddon out the lower level windows, all Andersons by the way which were stronger than the previous home. WE all waited for the fateful day

  I can remember feeling especially protected by this new home because of the area, Anderson windows, and warm basement.

  Whats really awful is I still have dreams of going back and watching the end througth those windows.

  Thanks for listening. R.
• 

  4JWY

  
  
  Living in a small apartment with my parents, because it just wasn't right to be buying houses in those days...........in 1975, with Armageddon imminent, my dad decided we had to move 3000 miles, from one coast to the other, of the U.S., so that our whole family would all be living in the same area when the "Big Show" came down.
  

  
  
  My mother was made to sell almost everything we owned since dad convinced her that all the silver and gold and possessions were going to be thrown into the streets anyway. Mom gave away precious antiques and anything that would take up space in the '65 Chevy pickup. (Years later expressing her regret over it........)
  

  
  
  People in our congregation were buying new cars, like 240 Z's, since, "hey, we won't have to pay for them anyway!!" The end is coming!
  

  
  
  I knew that I was gonna be bird food, so, I was a sun worshipper, reveling at the poolside, since I would be dead before I would get skin cancer anyway. Or, if by chance I survived, my skin would be perfect forever. Ha! Joke's on me now
  

  
  
  ......almost 30 years later........when the END hadn't come YET............my dad, ever anxious for that "Big Show".....made an exit on his own accord. The only thing he still had control over, while overcome with WTS anxiety, was his death.
  

  
  
  Fortunately, I chose an exit from the CULT, not from life itself.
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  Reefton Jack

  The short answer is "Yes!."

  Firstly, there was the issue of university education . A conversation between an elder and my parents put paid to that when I was in the last year at high school!

  Secondly, after one year into my apprenticeship as an electronics technician, heavy-handed tactics by the same elder finished that, too. (This was late 1972).

  The upshot of that was I managed to resume the apprenticeship six years later. For this, though, I was critisized in some quarters - and actually outright shunned in the congregation.

  That was the start of my slow exit from the JWs.

  Jack.

  PS: Once, I would have added that I am happy that I never was an elder! I now more incline to the view that the elders, also, are largely victims.
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  Sirona

  Yes, 1975 altered my existence totally. I was born....and it was an altogether horrid experience. LOL

  Sirona
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  eyeslice

  Yes. I think that, like all other young people 'in at the time', the decisions I made were based on the 'fact' the end was near.
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  BluesBrother

  Not just a single life changing decision - I always held a cautious view and was not surprised when ''75 passed peacefully. But I always knew that the end would come thereabouts , Hey! that what faith was all about.

  So every lifestyle decision was made with the view of living for the eternity and not just the present . I just put up with things that should have been addressed - because Armageddon was just around the corner, and in the New World everything would be put right. The last thing I wanted was to jeopardise my standing with God when the day was so close.

  31 years later, we are still in the old system, the problems are still there and I live with the consequences of missed opportunities. I guess that a lot of us, both here and those in the congregations could say the same .
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  Steve Lowry

  
  I knew a young man who was of the age to go to Med School. He wanted desperately to become a Doctor. I happened to over hear the meeting where he and his dad, begged the elders to give their consent to allow the boy to go on to school. I will never forget that conversation as I heard it all. (It was clean-up day and I was in the bathroom in the library, unbeknownst to them, where they had their little impromptu meet). The elders kept repeating how we wouldn’t have need of medical doctors in the new system and the boy would much better serve Jehovah knocking on doors. Finally, after several pleas, the father said to the boy, "Well son, we want to please Jehovah, so I guess we better forget about school." The father sounded defeated and the boy began to weep out loud. It was the saddest thing I had ever witnesses (so to speak). I was about fourteen or so at the time. I swear, I could hear the enjoyment of the power control in the voices of those elders, creating someone else’s fate. Egotistical bastards. At least they’re all dead now, those fkers.

  It’s a real shame for the boy as the family had the money and resources to send him to school. Last I heard he was running the family dry clean business. So much for dreams, eh?

  Its stories like this and many others, that have made hold the name of Jehovah in contempt. Not that there’s anything offensive in the name itself, but because of what has been done in that name, especially by the Watchtower Society.

  .
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  serendipity

  My parents moved us out of a large city to the country in the belief it would be 'safer' at Armageddon. My father took a much lower paying job, leaving us barely middle class which caused us to be deprived of non-necessities -including toys and extra pairs of shoes. We also lost the amenities of city life, including decent schools.
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  nowisee

  yes......i left the wts in 1976.