Older people in churches versus older people at the Kingdom Hall

TooBad TooSad

On a recent post the poster YADAYADDA made a comment about the subject that really got me thinking.

I recently attended a "worldly" wedding where there were alot of older people who attend those "pagan"

churches. It was so good to see how happy they were. Their eyes were bright, their smiles were genuine.

You could tell that they lived a satisfied life of helping people thru charities and their families were so loving and caring.

These older ones did not fear death and no doubt have prepared for their golden years all throughout their life.

The Witnesses are taught and believe that they only have true happiness. They need to be around "worldly"

people, who have faith in God to see what it is really like to be happy,

What a contrast to the older ones at the Hall that I go to. They are depressed and dependent on their

families for financial support. All they talk about is how close the end has got to be. The Witnesses solution to people

who needed help is to sell them a Watchtower or Awake magazine so that they can have the hope of living

forever as they starve to death, or freeze to death to get to the paradise earth thur the resurectiion..

I appreicate all of the great posters here at this site. The highlight of my day is reading all of the new threads.

Take care.

My wife and I attended a "worldly" wedding a couple years back for a co-worker of hers. The minister gave the most simple and moving talk I had ever heard at a wedding. It was so much less forced than a JW affair with all the do's and don'ts for the sake of appearances. I actually enjoyed myself.

To your point, though, about older ones in the JW's, I would say the majority are disillusioned, and what has disillusioned them isn't life, but their wasted life based upon the promises of this religion.

Jesus, I guess, knew what he was talking when he said "Then if anyone says to you 'the due time has approached' do not go after them."

My grandparents died waiting for the fantasy when they could have been enjoying a rewarding life. These guys are evil.

Wordly Andre

I attend a catholic church, the old ladies there are Awesome!! when I was single they all tried fixing me up with their granddaughters. I just remember feeling how free the air was inside the church, nothing like the kingdumb hall, everyone looks happy and lots of activities, and you sit back and do not feel like people are judging you.

There is this one really cute old couple who sit up in the front, the wife is always poking the old man when he begins to fall asleep, its so funny

Poztate

A Catholic Church is only one block away from the K.H. in our small town. I have had many occasions to drive by it just as their service was getting out. Many of the older couples were walking hand in hand with smiles on their faces. They were dressed in mostly casual attire (although neat and respectful) Many of the ladies were wearing SLACKS and not dresses. The children likewise seemed casual and HAPPY.

These were people who weren't AFRAID of their God the way JW's are. They seemed to have a truly happy relationship with their beliefs.

I contrast that with the cold,grim, business like feeling when I watched the inmates from the K.H. ESCAPE from their brainwashing session.

BizzyBee

TooBad,

And the saddest thing of all is, that even if, at 80 or 85 years old, they began to suspect that they'd been duped - how do you start a new life at that age? It's too late by then.

JeffT

I think you could have titled this "people at church vs people at the KH" as it applies to the youngs at least as much if not more. My wife teaches weekday preschool at our church. The kids in her first classes are now in college. (Isn't that a contrast right there!). She's always getting hugs from smiling kid who's happy to see her. In general everyone in the building is feeling upbeat and it shows. The witnesses I've seen over the last few years all look like beaten dogs.

Honesty

The older Christians at our curch are very happy people.

They enjoy life now and have promises from God that the next life will be far better than this one.

Even the ones who are terminally ill have a lot of pep in their step because of Jesus.

The older JW's are very depressed because they were told all their lives that they would never grow old.

Now they are looking at the reality of death in the face and are terrified.

choosing life

Honesty,

You hit the nail on the head. As Witnesses, we are taught we won't grow old and die. So we never prepare for just that. Then when we do grow old and face death, we are terrified. This is not supposed to happen to me!

I watch my grown dub children who are so sure it won't happen to them and I see myself 30 years ago. I hope they wake up sooner than I did.

Death is inevitable, and the ones I have seen who face it with confidence and acceptance are not Witnesses.

jgnat

I call the older ladies in our church the "praying grandmas". They are also largely responsible for coffee, cookies, decorations and social events for the women in the church.

I like that there's a place for them in the church that doesn't involve dragging their old bones from door-to-door. I see a lot of the older ones shifting painfully from foot to foot, bravely tolerating their sacrifice for.....the endlessly deferred "prize".

Who wouldn't want to be prayed for by a grandma?

steve2

It must be terrifying for older witnesses to have doubts and to feel resentful about all they've given up in the name of organizational "Urgency". Imagine spending your whole life waiting for something that never quite arrives. Little wonder the older witnesses - perhaps more so than the dwindling numbers of younger ones - are so focused on negative things happening in the world: it's their one hope the end will come real soon.

If you want to be around happy, fulfilled and relaxed older people, you won't find them at a kingdom hall near you.