Maybe the WTBTS has put a little thought into this...with the Internet exposing the WT for what it is, more people are likely to fall away this is easier if you have a family network (and, of course, people usually name their heirs in their Wills)... . As besty said, without that individuals/couples are more reliant on the 'group'. Now, if couples remain childless, it is more likely that they would name the WTBTS as the beneficiary of their Wills (makes sense). Trapped..?
From Rutherford -2008 Watchtower ="dont have kid's till after Armagedon!"
by Witness 007 54 Replies latest watchtower bible
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besty
Good point Midwich - I hadn't thought about the implication of being childless WRT who you leave your money to.
Taking that thought one step further how many of us know gay couples with high net worth/high disposable income? Reason being not having children allows them to focus on their career thus ending up with higher paying jobs.
Add into the mix one parent leaving work to look after kids and the additional costs of raising children over a 25 year period and BOOM - the fianncial implications of having kids are not good :-)
SO - perhaps the WTS is Machiavellian enough to take the long view and discourage having kids knowing that the wills they so love to encourage will be that much more likely and fatter as well... -
DaCheech
I think articles like are just "pats in the back" for those who sacrificed everything.
these people are depressed, and the watchtower wants them to feel good about themselfves (like thats going to help!)
they are the culprit, and they should just admit it!
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fokyc
Read the actual article in the April 15th Watchtower here:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/sv65vi
starts on page 16, the pdf is bookmarked for the article, "Marriage and Parenthood in This Time of the END".
fokyc
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jwfacts
Thanks 007, it is great to be kept up to date with the latest insane quotes.
Here are some more on children from over the years
- Watchtower 2000 August 1 p.21 Why Do They Have No Children? "Although Noah's three sons were all married, none fathered children until after the Deluge. … While this does not imply that it is wrong to have children today, many Christian couples decline to have children so as to become more fully involved in the urgent work that Jehovah has given his people to do. Some couples have waited for a time before having children; others have decided to remain childless and consider the possibility of bearing children in Jehovah's righteous new world."
This occurred in the build up prior to the end of the millennium.
- Watchtower 1988 March 1 p. 19 Childbearing Among God's People "If the expansion of Christianity was to come about mainly by childbearing, Jesus would not have encouraged his disciples to "make room" for singleness "on account of the kingdom of the heavens." (Matthew 19:10-12) … How should Christians view marriage and childbearing today, in this "time of the end"? (Daniel 12:4) It is truer than ever that "the scene of this world is changing," or, as another translation puts it, "the present scheme of things is rapidly passing away."-1 Corinthians 7:31, Phillips. Now, as never before, "the time left is reduced." Yes, only a limited time remains for Jehovah's people to finish the work he has given them to do, namely: "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) That work must be accomplished before the end comes. It is, therefore, appropriate for Christians to ask themselves how getting married or, if married, having children will affect their share in that vital work. … During all this pre-Flood period, Noah's sons and their wives had no children."
In the lead up to 1975 this same reasoning was expounded.
- Awake! 1974 November 8 p.11 "Today there is a great crowd of people who are confident that a destruction of even greater magnitude is now imminent. The evidence is that Jesus' prophecy will shortly have a major fulfilment, upon this entire system of things. This has been a major factor in influencing many couples to decide not to have children at this time. They have chosen to remain childless so that they would be less encumbered to carry out the instructions of Jesus Christ to preach the good news of God's kingdom earth wide before the end of this system comes. -Matt.24:14."
In 1941 the Watchtower said that the followers were in the "remaining months before Armageddon." (w41 9/15 p.288) The lead up to this period specifically warned it would be inappropriate to marry and have children.
- Face the Facts (1938) pp.46-50 "Would it be Scripturally proper for them to now marry and to begin to rear children? No, is the answer, which is supported by the Scripture…. Those Jonadabs who now contemplate marriage, it would seem, would do better if they wait a few years, until the fiery storm of Armageddon is gone..."
Watchtower 1938 November 1 p.324 "...mark the words of Jesus, which definitely seem to discourage the bearing of children immediately before or during Armageddon
Children (1941) 3,000,000 ed. pp.312-313 "Should men and women, both of whom are Jonadabs or "other sheep" of the Lord, now marry before Armageddon and bring forth children? They may chose to do so, but the admonition or advice of the scriptures appears to be against it.
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Bonnie_Clyde
He called my Mom (her first grandchild too!) and her first words to him were "Oh No - how can you bring a baby into this world
My mom said something similar when I was expecting my third child in 1974...Armageddon was so close.
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jambon1
It's sad that some choose to follow this b/s advice. What happens when they become old & ill like all the other WT generations of 'hopefulls'? It might dawn on them that they were silly to be lead by the ideas of men.
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Witness 007
In Pioneer and Bethel circles getting pregnant is second only to being disfellowshiped....it means your career is over....one Bethelite I knew tried to exercise hard to lose her preganancy...didn't work, now she has two kid's and is very happy.
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momzcrazy
This is what I don't understand. Couples are encouraged to not have children. The only sure way to prevent a surprise blessing for a sexually active couple is sterilization. Yet when I was considering tubal ligation I was told the literature has said it is a no-no unless your life would be endangered. I know of couples who made it thru the majority of their marriage child free yet get a menopause baby. So not only can they not have kids, they need to prevent pregnancy according to WT rules also.
momz
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LouBelle
I feel like growling or using foul language!!!!!!!!!!!
Cant believe the bullshit these people feed on year in and year out - ah God creator please open those poor peoples' eyes - man they'll pay - all those so call spirit filled brothers sitting at brooklyn bethel dishing out this crap will pay in the after life I'm sure. Perhaps hell should be real after all - reserved for them.