Children - Just a thought

MidwichCuckoo

Was it 1938 when faithful JWs were first ~~instructed~~ recommended not to have children? ...mark the words of Jesus, which definitely seem to discourage the bearing of children immediately before or during Armageddon....It would therefore appear that there is no reasonable or scriptural injunction to bring children into the world immediately before Armageddon, where we now are." (Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1938, p. 324) The WT was relatively in its early days (compared to mainstream religion), and had already gone through a lot of change. Now I got to thinking, was the WTBTS thinking short term income at this point? Maybe thinking/expecting the Cult to fold? Its prophesies already failing meant there was a possibility of losing members. Was the 'no child' policy 'insurance' to fund the Organisation's immediate needs? ie, married couples, either 'cut off' from their families or in families devoid of children - and die without issue/heirs...who is the obvious benefactor? This policy is then reversed as the WT NEEDS future income as less people are 'converted', JWs need to breed the WT's future financial security...am I making this clear? lol

sweetstuff

This policy is then reversed as the WT NEEDS future income as less people are 'converted', JWs need to breed the WT's future financial security...am I making this clear? lol

That's the bottom line, less and less people are converting to their outlandish beliefs, so to keep income up and the numbers of members they NEED wits to have babies.

Burger Time

Why does everything HAVE to be some evil conspiracy theory? There is a greater possibility they actually believed it was the end times.

MidwichCuckoo

Burger Time - silly response. They 'PREACH' the same NOW...Armaggedon imminent...but as far as I know they are not discouraging having children. ''The 'End' is nearer now than it was in 1938...

fullofdoubtnow

A lot of the baptisms these days seem to be kids in their early teens, and even pre teens, so they can't discourage childbearing anymore. They need to have a constant supply of kids to brainwash and baptise to make up for the ones who are leaving.

MidwichCuckoo

You're right fullofdoubt. I've heard that Baptismal candidates are getting younger. Yet I know couples, maybe a decade or so older than me, who haven't had children 'in this system'. If the 'END' was imminent, then surely the WT would be encouraging couples to wait till after Armageddon (imminent) to have children. The fact that they're not indicates a personal interest.

Burger Time

It seemed to me from your post that you were trying to imply there was some conspiracy going on. That the leaders felt they could keep together if they played the Armageddon angle. More then likely though they actually believed in what they were saying. It probably had nothing to do with some diabolical plot to pull the wool over peoples eyes.

MidwichCuckoo

Apologies if I sounded harsh Burger. But my thinking is that Armaggedon is now closer than ever (according to the WTBTS), yet the attitude to childbearing isn't important....yet IF they believed their own 'prophecies' surely they'd encourage postponing children and preaching in these end times? Again.

Burger Time

No problem....I have a habit of speaking a little to quickly on message boards. They probably just realized how goofy of logic it was. Call me an apologist but I honestly believe a lot of their thinking is what they actually think and has little to do with greed. Except for things that you can make pretty clear assumptions on like the molestation thing.

greendawn

Rutherford was a great manipulator of the JW masses so it's not inconceivable that he wanted heirless JWs so that the WTS would inherit them.

In any case many JWs regretted not having children by following this advice as they eventually died childless and joyless in the same old system after having waited in vain for the new world.

Some must have felt tempted to spit on his grave if they knew where it was.

Children - Just a thought

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