Bttt.
Bangalore
My memory of the 1975 fiasco (born in 1970)
by Lady Zombie 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Chalam
Great thread, thanks for bumping :)
Blessings,
Stephen
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William Penwell
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I remember this all too well as I was a young adult at the time. I recall having a bible study with a good "JW" fellow that at the beginning of every bible study he would look at me and ask me "When are you going to get baptised?" He would go on to say, "Do you think you are going to finish school in this system of things?" The time is too short, forget about a good education or career in this system, my duty was to go out and preach before this system ends. As a young impressionable adult at the time I had a lot of what you called "cognitive dissonance". I now only wish I didn't listen to all the BS and put myself first by getting a good education. I can't change that now so I have learned to get past that and enjoy my life as it is. A foot note to the good JW fellow that studied with me, after 1975 he fell out of the cult and it was found out later that he molested his own daughters....Some good Christian eh.
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d
I often what was it like to a Jehovah Witness during the 1960's in the United States with the Vietnam War,Students Protests and revolutions that were occuring in other countries.Fighting for independence.I bet for many news events and bible prophecy seemed to have gone hand in hand.Along with other chaotic events that symbolized the 1960's and early 1970's
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ReallyTrulyAthena
Thanks for the thread bump...:)
Hi & welcome, d!
Several comments really hit me from LZ's original post:
We thought for sure that you'd never have to go to school or deal with the world. Well, it's our fault for being too eager and over anticipating Jehovah!
I was only 7 years old when 1975 came and went (and that year, the parents then doubling down on their shots of the proverbial Kool-Aid - although I seem to remember my mom & dad getting into a LOT of fights around this time). But I totally recall having thoughts back in those years like, "Thank goodness I won't have to go to middle/high school!" and "I'll get to pet the lions!" and many other naive, programmed responses. All escapism from reality and yet another reason why it probably took me (and many others, I'm sure) a long time to reallllly learn what the world was all about, once we were "out" of the JWs; it felt like a bucket of cold water was dumped on you. It's a tough adjustment when you come out from behind the curtain and into reality, but it's worth it.
Still stinging from 1975, in the early 1980's, COs and DOs would scold the congregations in talks about not being patient with Jehovah, grieving Jehovah's spirit, and mummering. They were warned nebulously about "apostacy" and the term "sifting" was used frequently. 1975 suddenly wasn't discussed at all anymore, especially now that the date "1975" and "apostacy" began being linked together.
I remember the scolding talks, the lectures from the platform, the rebukes to the rank and file about their murmuring and also the "wondering and gossiping" that went on after someone was DF'd around this time. "Do you think it was because they are an APOSTATE???" ((cue Twilight Zone music))
'Spiritually weak', 'sifting', etc. - the loaded language this religion has used/still uses continues to amaze me (and sometimes me) down to this day.
RTA
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Ding
I heard of a CO who told a congregation, "Remember how you wanted to stay alive until '75? Well, you DID! So what are you complaining about?"
BTW, I noticed that in her original post, Lady Zombie said, "Every year when my birthday would come, they'd make the joke again." This comes mighty close to celebrating a birthday. I trust they turned themselves in to the elders for discipline.... :)
Are your parents still alive?
Are they out or still drinking the Kool-Aid?
It amazes me when some of the 1975 deniers are people who lived through it and promoted the date the loudest.
I know an elder who's as gung ho as ever. I pointed out to him that if he had said in 1974 that 1975 was nothing special he'd have been DF'd and now if he says it was something special he'll be DFd.
Actually, if you're a JW there's only one thing you have to live by: "Whatever the WTBTS says is truth... until they change it."
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ReallyTrulyAthena
I heard of a CO who told a congregation, "Remember how you wanted to stay alive until '75? Well, you DID! So what are you complaining about?"
Oh, wow - SERIOUSLY, he said that? That takes some BIG nerves of steel.
Actually, if you're a JW there's only one thing you have to live by: "Whatever the WTBTS says is truth... until they change it."
Agreed, Ding. Oh, and all under the guise of "New Light". That catch-phrase of theirs is a CATCH-ALL for them, huh?
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LongHairGal
LADY ZOMBIE,
I like reading eye-witness accounts of this embarrassing period in the religion's history. What I find of interest in your story is what you related about JWs turning on other other JWs who did not pioneer and pursue poverty but continued steady employment, which was the wise choice. This is a classic case of misery loves company and just plain old jealousy and envy. I encountered a touch of this years ago from certain people.
This why you hear stories of talks given now about how they are railing that everything is going to collapse, etc. What they really mean is 'please give your money to JWs who didn't save any'. It kind of reminds me of the parable of the foolish virgins and the wise virgins at the wedding feast where the foolish ones go to the wise ones asking for oil but were told that perhaps there wouldn't be enough for them - so GO get your own!
There must be an atmosphere of desperation in the congregations now and I am glad I no longer attend.
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Jadeen
A friend's dad left the witnesses after 1975- he had dropped out of college since the end was sooo close!
I remember her telling me that the Society never said anything about 1975 and her dad just blamed them for his mistakes.
Now I just wonder why she would believe them over her dad's personal experience. D'oh, that's right- kool-aid!