by NotaNess 64 Replies latest jw experiences
From the evidence I have found, it was all but etched in stone. So why try and defend the WTS by saying "they never stated Armageddon would be in 1975", as one witness tried to throw back at me.
Seems that you could show them all the evidence in the world of this false organization, and it will repel right off them. Is there some sort of "force field" kool-aid they're serving at the halls?
A fair whack of JW's left after 1975 didn't bring the New Order. The ones that remained are the ones that the current JW's can still talk to. I remember hearing some of the jw's that were around for '75 referring to those that left as "75ers", claiming they were "serving Jehovah for a date". So the modern-day crowd neither lived thru it, nor ever hears anything bad about it. Labeling the ones that left over it just gives them more ammo for their "us-versus-them" mentality.
And, lest we forget, anyone that says anything negative about the "Mother Organization" is labeled an opposer.
The Watchtower (and by extension, jw's individually) are masters of rewriting history. Look at the spin they put on 1914. Anything bad is just swept under the rug and nobody peeks.
You're right though -- there's nothing you can show a true-blue JW that will shake them.
Dave
It was over 30 years ago and I bet a lot of modern JWs weren't even born then. To them it's ancient history and doesn't matter. I remember how shocked I was once when I mentioned John F. Kennedy and a teenager who was present said "who was he? Oh yeah, he was a president or something." To me the assassination of JFK was a defining moment, something one would never forget, and to this kid it was ancient history and not very significant.
Is there some sort of "force field" kool-aid they're serving at the halls?
You have to wonder. I lived the 1975 ordeal as a young woman, and I can tell you with 100% certainty that the society had us all believing that was the end. I remember a couple in their 50's sold their house and went into the full time pioneer work a year or two in advance of '75. He quit his job and everything because of his certainty about the end coming that year. I wonder what happened to them financially and emotionally after that.
It's really weird to me that those of us who have left either by fading, da'ing, or d'fing because of doctrinal disagreements (not because of immorality) can stand back and see it so clearly. It amazes us that those still in it can't grasp the absolute absurdity of this whole organization! I've often thought that something very evil and sinister has them in its grasp. I went to the special talk one year ago because I didn't want to hurt someone's feelings. She had made a special effort to invite me, but I was taken aback really by the zombie-like smiles and contrived friendliness. It's as if they are in some kind of mental stupor. Scary.
Journey On,
Wow, that last part is exactly what I experienced when I went to an invite to a hall one Sunday. 1st and last time. It was like I was surrounded by robots or something. It seemed lifeless to me for some reason. So un-welcoming like, although the "appearance" of "Welcome" was how I was greeted. Does that make sense? I knew right away, these were not my kind of people to be faithfully attached to. It was scary actually. And you wonder why the JW numbers are so low across the world.
Anyway, thanks to those who respond here, I'll check back for more responses tomorrow.
If they admit 1975 was failed prophecy, they have to admit the ones who made it are false prophets.
I know some brothers who went through that. My wife went through that.
The expectation that "A" would come in 1975 is irrefutable..............PERIOD!!!!!!!
I don't care what anyone says.
Warlock
I was 15 in 75. Although they specifically never said it would happen they said it would be fitting, and put a lot of empasis on the year in the leadup.
My family left, but my parents are now back attending meetings. They say it's "better than the other alternatives", and they made mistakes but that's only human, and let Jah sort it out
I remember hearing about this when I was a young dub. The man who is now my "uncle-in-law" told me about the story, and said that the Society's wording was vague on this. Basically, he said that people jumped the gun because the Society never actually came right out and said it. He quoted one specific part: "So is this the end? We're not saying." (My paraphrase of his paraphrase)
Later, a Gideon kept hounding me to get religious his way and gave me a sheet of paper full of quotes about this from the Society's own literature. The quotes were quite specific. So I went back to him and asked if I could check his old volumes to see where he was getting this from. I actually wanted to disprove his quotes. But the brother...my current uncle-in-law...didn't feel like sorting through them right then to check.
Nor did he ever. His wife...same story. Finally, I dropped the matter.
To this day I wonder if he knew what I'd find.
IsaacJ
Because if they admited their mistake, they would have to admit that everything they have said was crap.
