The "swagger" of the Organization is gone - or is it my imagination? (page 6)

Scarred for life

restrangled:

Oh, yes, I remember the 8 day conventions. I have all the exact memories as you. I don't know where my parents got the energy for all this either.

Mary

Seems to me the "Swagger" is gone. We still have the talks and the C.O. visit and Bethel. But as they make more and more changes, and even though everyone is outwardly supportive, it seems like the general spirit is way down.

I agree and this is my take on it:

For decades, the Organization rolled along, safe in the knowledge that they had an 70 or 80 year window with which to rule a pliable flock. The entire religion was built on the notion that The End was imminent and they were lucky enough to have World War I, then the Great Depression, then World War II and the Holocaust to help bolster their claims of how rotten the world was.

When The End didn't show up at the end of WWII, they were still lucky enough that no one was questioning their claims because at that time, people in general still obeyed anyone in authority and after what they had just witnessed on the world scene was enough to convince most Witnesses that they had 'the Truth' and that The End was still nigh. Plus, the 1950's were about 40 years after Jesus supposedly returned and was within that 'generation' and every Witness at that time knew that there was about 40 years from when Jesus gave the signs to his disciples, and when Jerusalem was actually destroyed and the parallel time frame was too much for them to ignore.

The 1960s of course was when Uncle Freddie came up with the brainiac idea that 1975 would be 'The End' and the articles and ASSemblies during that time all confirmed it: Stay Alive Til '75 was probably the most repeated phrase and it gave some of the older Witnesses who had been around during WWI and II, hope that they would never have to die and would indeed, live on into the New System. The Borg witnessed an increase in the early 1970s unlike any other time before or since and it was all because they had more or less promised that 'soon', all our problems would be gone----within a matter of months, or a few years at the most. (I specifically remember one elder telling my parents that they might only have to wait 5 years to see my sister who died in 1970 of a brain tumour).

1975 of course turned out to be a joke and numerous Witnesses left the Organization. Although this was hugely embarrassing for them as a whole, there is nothing to indicate that Freddie Franz himself was the least bit embarassed or humbled himself for promoting this shit in the first place. A half-assed 'apology' was issued in a 1980 WT article and the goons at the top were eager to put the whole mess behind them. Nothing could have prepared them for what was about to happen in 1980/1981 when several higher ups in the Organization realized that many of the teachings being put forth as 'truth', were nothing but lies. The fall out and disfellowshipping of these ones, including Ray Franz was the beginning of the clamp down on any dissent in the Organization. Disfellowshipping practices and loyalty to the Organization were top priority and for the most part, worked. We all heard that 'something' bad had happened at Bethel and that a member of the Governing Body had been disfellowshipped for 'apostasy' and was apparently mentally deranged and in the clutches of Satan. There was general agreement that Ray was the Judas Iscariot of JWs and the sooner Armaggedon came and destroyed men like him, the better off we'd all be. Very few outside of Bethel really knew what had happened and since the GB still controlled virtually all information that Witnesses read, most of us were left in the dark.

Crisis of Conscience of course, blew the lid off all the Governing Body's dirty little secrets and the only thing that saved Ray's life as a human being is the fact that capitol punishment is the one punishment the Borg was not allowed to enforce in this country. Even so, with 1975 forgotten and the 'great apostasy' pushed to the background, the Organization carried on but not with quite as much boasting and bragging as they had in years past. 1984 marked 70 years since 1914 and since a generation at the most was 70 or 80 years, Armageddon surely must be right around the corner now right? The late 80s had a couple of incidents that raised the hopes of Witnesses everywhere: 1986 was declared the International Year of Peace and so should 'instant destruction be instantly upon them'? Plus, Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev (the Kings of the North and South) seemed to be on pretty friendly terms.....gosh, doesn't this fulfill bible prophecy about them 'sitting down at one table' and speaking lies?

Nothing of course happened. 1994 was 80 years---the official cut off for a 'generation' and where the hell was Armageddon? Why was it taking so long to get here? Aaaaah......here's why: The November 1995 Watchtower, written directly by Jehovah, explained that the phrase "this generation" didn't really mean 70 or 80 years after all----it really doesn't mean anything and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. But don't worry---Armageddon is reeeeeally, really close now so don't give up!!

This was too much BS for some Witnesses and a slow but steady stream started making their way towards the Exit door. And if that wasn't enough, there was this new form of communication out called 'the internet' which allowed people to access all kinds of information from the privacy of their own homes. Wait a minute! That's no damn good!! How can you control peoples lives and minds if they can read things that you don't want them to see?! Rrrrrgh.....Articles starting coming out in the WT and Kingdumb Minstry about the evils of the internet but it was too fascinating a tool to ignore and was for the most part, ignored.

With the 'generation' doctrine in the toilet and unlimited access to support groups and information about the religion available to anyone around the world, the GB members have panicked right into the 21st century and still try feebly to give stern warning about the internet but it's like closing the gate after the horse has bolted. The internet has exposed the religion as not being from God, but a mish-mash of failed predictions, luck and bizarre theories.

No, they do not have quite the swaggar they used to have. Zero percent increase in most developed nations shows that when they now say "jump", more and more are asking "why?" not "how high?"

ThomasCovenant

Mary,

That was spot on

Thank you

musky

You mean Jimmy Swagger was a witness?

yadda yadda 2

The Joy has nearly all gone with removal of the home book studies. The only meeting that I ever looked forward to in my final time in the org was the Book Study...it was generally a relaxed, warmer, social occasion, with a hot drink and biscuits after. Now you can't even get a cup of tea at the District Conventions. I've noticed the public speakers have become more robotic and machine-like too. The meetings and assemblies have been reduced to cold, dull, prosaic affairs bereft of joy and sincerity.

I feel sorry for JW's.

stillajwexelder

I have noticed it - certainly in the last 5 years

BonaFide

Mary, your post was excellent. I think you should save it and start your own post with it. The chronology of JW enthusiasm.

Wow, the past 15 years you describe is exactly how I felt. I really felt that Armageddon would come because I WANTED IT TO.

bf

OUTLAW

Mary..You Nailed it!!........................................OUTLAW

independent_tre

Excellent post Mary ~ this is a great thread.

Homerovah the Almighty

I agree with what Mary has stated in her post, the biggest enemy that the WTS. has ever come up against

is the age of information of the inter-net, along with their long list of failed predictions that they have used to support

themselves on. Its really getting harder and more difficult now for a typical JW to believe what they are suppose to believe

more than ever before. An organization that is structured on false pretenses is bound to fall over on its self eventually

it may take years or decades to do so but eventually a collapse is emanate.

The "swagger" of the Organization is gone - or is it my imagination?

Share this