by slimboyfat 36 Replies latest jw friends
Danny,
That cartoon was true in the 1980s, but they have solved all the problems it highlights. They did away with the generation teaching, basically admitted that many have been anointed since 1935 (due to the "replacement" doctrine), and they have decided to stick by 1914 and the F&DS doctrine for the long haul.
I doubt there will be any significant change on 1914, the F&DS or blood in any of our lifetimes...
Slim
How can 1914 ever fade? God's Kingdom and Jesus rulership began according to the GB in 1914, it would tough to make changes on that one and only by using dates can they keep the rank and file knocking on doors and keep them busy because the " end is just around the corner"
its only a joke until someone loses an eye, then its a religion
After all, the desire for a bit of drama probably played a large part in how many of us were attracted to the Witnesses and their tales of doom and destruction in the first place. It gave even the most mudane world events deep "spiritual" significance and infused ordinary occurrences with meaning.Old habits die hard, but we now have to create our own worlds of meaning, and try to get away from the burning desire for the great eschatological denouement. Then we will truly live in interesting times - of our own making.
This is very true on a lot of levels, but probably more for those who came into the organization as adults. I know for myself, (being brought up in jwism), I hated all of the reactionary stuff every time some slight change in policy or practice took place. It always seemed to be about, "look, we must be REAL close now, just look how Jehovah is streamlining things!", and such. Nothing ever really changed. I would tend to think that most of us "apostates" fall into a similar camp as myself, and are just tired of all of that nonsense.
j
Seems to me the WTS makes their changes/reversals without fanfare. Like backing off of '75 and the 'generation' of 1914. These were all worked into WT study articles. Significant changes to marital sexual practices, grounds for scriptural divorce, and blood transfusion, as I recall were addressed in Questions from Readers.
Big Announcements seem to revolve around promoting a new piece of printed crap $$$.
I recall a somewhat "big" announcement....one that proved at the time that "Jehovah was with us"....(of course....)
It was when the infamous "Donation Arrangement" was implemented, supposedly to simplify matters on the brothers in charge of the literature, to make more literature available to the masses, and for JWs to stop being equated with magazine salesmen, but ones offering (now free of charge) WTS publications to the public.
THEN I discover the noble and admirable efforts of the WTS stemmed from nothing more than a failed lawsuit instituted by an even more noble religious figure (Jimmy Swaggart) where he was fighting the Court System to stop having all his "bible aids" taxed......and where the supposedly "sterile-from-the-world's-blemishes" WTS had taken legal sides (amicus curae) with Swaggart and the Hare Krishna to squeak out of paying Caesar's things TO Caesar!
Funny that the WTS never CHOSE to offer THAT information to its starry-eyed followers, but chose to make this new Donation Arrangement ALL "Jehovah's idea dontchaknow" and omitted all those nasty details about dirty old money---in trying to be as sleazy as possible in bilking the government out of what is rightfully due them.
New ones here should also be interested in the Tacoma Dome Parking Lot scandal as well, and how the WTS was cheating its own followers at one particular assembly site. It surely will warm your heart.
Pardon me if my heart is not filled with pride when I learn of how this self-proclaimed "God/Jesus-chosen" ONLY religion that preaches and practices "the truth"....is at the bottom of my personal trash heap of disgusting charlatans and phony religions.
The psychology of the "Big Announcement" is interesting. The Society knows exactly what they are doing when they deliberately start rumors by insinuating some big thing around the corner. Their words for it are "keeping in expectation," but also "expectation postponed makes the heart sick." They want all those hearts "sick," as it were, hanging on every word. When an announcement does come, the foundation of guilt has already been laid in their hearts, and they feel elated no matter how mundane the announcement is. I see it all the time. It's even worse at Bethel, because they come so often you're like "yea, whatever... just do what you gotta do...."
I find it quite amusing the way the WTS will make an announcement to inform everyone that they are about to make an announcement.
I don't think it's a matter of JW & apostate, I think it's just human nature.
anyone interested in the 'postate physchology of this subject should read the thread, from december, 05 "the news is bigger than dateline, bbc, cbc, etc.", which begat "get real people", which begat "the reaction to the big news at work today", which begat "can barbara anderson be trusted", which begat "can anyone be trusted", which begat "another piece of thought about the big news", which begat "the 'jerry springer' crowd", which begat "can simon be trusted". 1,304 posts in 6 days with the occasional whatever happened to post since then, all for something imho wasn't that big and wasn't that new. i hadn't been lurking very long when this occured and i was amazed at the frenzy that developed. somethings never change. i'm still amazed.
j2s
