by Serg 19 Replies latest jw friends
There are so many young couples in the org. locally that I have noticed do not want to have kids until the "new order". That's so freakin annoying that I feel like going up to all of them and smacking them upside the head and lettiing them know the whole truth about the "truth". If they only knew.
Have you or did you see this type of trend going on where you live?
Yes
BB
The Watchtower Society has for many years discouraged its members from having families. They point out that more time can be spent in the door-to-door work without the distraction of children. They say it is unwise to have a family when the “Great Tribulation” leading to Armageddon is almost upon us, and it will be harder for those with babies and children. Many members have remained single because of this. Others have married but been afraid to have children and have lived their entire lives in anticipation of “The End,” and passed away childless.
The pressure to pioneer instead of marrying and raising a family reached its peak in the 1970’s, and then faded. Recently it was thought by many that the Society had altered its attitudes. As some who had passed by the opportunity of family life felt they had been wrongly advised, it was thought that the Society would continue to lay low on this subject, and allow the members to think for them without interference. Unfortunately the Society knows that single or childless people who have devoted their lives to furthering the interests of their organization are too valuable to lose. Frightening members into pursuing such a course in life has gained them many pioneers in the past – too many to let sentiment stop them using the same tactics again.
Raising children is not the most reliable way of enlarging the organization and takes far too long. Full-time pioneers are by far the most effective way. At the 1987 summer assemblies, the pressure to avoid parenthood, or better still marriage, began to be applied again at the stadiums around the world. Later the Watchtower contained two articles, and Among the many pages of advice and direction they stated:
“While Paul (the Apostle) forbade neither marriage nor childbearing, he obviously felt duty bound to warn his fellow Christians that such could bring about problems and distractions that might hinder them in their service to Jehovah…. Obviously, rearing children in the time of the end would not always be a pure joy. It could bring heartbreak, disappointment, and even danger.”
Responsible Childbearing in This Time of the End
“Second, they doubtless felt disinclined to bring children into a world where the badness of man was abundant in the earth….” Childbearing Among God’s People
The above quote does not say that this is a personal decision but likens our time to Noah’s day and say of Noah’s sons. Our present day is also likened to the years leading up to Jerusalem’s destruction:
“Jewish historian Josephus relates that during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 C.E., children snatched food from the mouths of their fathers and mothers took food from the mouths of their infant children. He recounts how a Jewish woman killed her suckling baby, roasted the body, and ate part of it. Bringing children into the Jewish world in the final years leading up to the execution of Jehovah’s judgments against Jerusalem in 607 C.E. and 70 C.E. could hardly be termed responsible childbearing.” 1st March 1988
Jehovah’s Witnesses reach middle age unmarried, childless, uneducated, and often without a pension, are told that the choices they made were their own responsibility. The Society have never tried to predict when the “Old World” would end or tell its members how to live. They must take full responsibility themselves and show gratitude for belonging to such a wonderful organization.
Taken from the book, ‘Opening the Door to Jehovah’s Witnesses.’ By Trevor Willis.
For your Free Download of this honest and informative insight into the world of The Watchtower Society Just go to go to Lulu.com and enter 196558in the search box at the top of the page. It is in Adobe reader format.
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LMHO Shell69
Nowadays many people (not JWs) don't want children, at least when they're younger, or some ever. Some JW couples may just get some type of understanding/acceptance if they say they are waiting on the new system' when they more honestly just don't want kids. Most may change their minds when the 'biological clock' starts ticking. If people just don't want kids then they shouldn't have them.
I was one of those, and now I have no wife and no kids. It's just me and my birds. Now I'm at an age where it's too late to think about starting a family. Planning for retirement is hard enough.
W
that's a good thing. this way less children have to live the horrors of "being raised in the truth".
I remember them saying it was better to stay single and childless in the early 80's as well.
Doesn't seem to be a problem in my mom's congregation. Those folks are breeding like rabbits.
I do wonder, though, about two couples in her cong who are no longer young. Each couple has been married for 40+ years (I'm 46 and don't remember a time before they were married), and neither couple has children. Of course I don't know why they didn't have kids, and it's none of my business, and I realize that not everyone wants to have kids, JW or not. But I wonder if they decided, decades ago, not to have kids because "the end" was near. And if so, I wonder how they feel about that choice now, when other couples their age are enjoying their grandchildren.
The reality of it is many of us wouldn't even be here if our parents would have followed that "recommendation" by the Society back in the 70's. Most kids that are born and raised "in" usually grow up to leave it or do eventually realize that the org. isn't its all cracked up to be.
