Not making plans for the future, as in Nowhere Man?

by dgp 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  dgp

  I understand Jehovah's witnesses are always told that "the time left is reduced" and Armageddon is "just around the corner". I understand that so many people have put off dental work, or medical assistance of other kinds, because of this. I wonder how many Jehovah's witnesses don't have long-term plans, and whether this has been changing as people notice that Armageddon doesn't seem to be arriving anytime soon.

  For a worldly person, someone who is, say, 50, and does not really have plans for the future is someone we can't understand.

  I don't mean to offend anyone here. I have come to feel at home among you guys. Still I want to say that this kind of behavior reminds me of the lyrics of "Nowhere Man", by The Beatles:

  He's a real nowhere man,
  Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
  Making all his nowhere plans
  for nobody.

  ...

  Nowhere Man please listen,
  you don't know what you're missing
  Nowhere Man, the world is at your command!

  I wonder if I have misunderstood the effects of being told that "the end is near". I will appreciate any posts.
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  sherah

  I know many dubs, my family included, who do not save or plan for a future 'in this system' because the end is near. Some don't contribute to their companies retirement plans. Some rent instead of own their homes, they don't want the responsibility of caring for a home 'in this system'. Many elderly dubs are suffering financially because of decisions they made year ago based on Armaggeddon being so close.

  I don't think you will see dubs selling off their belongings like they did under all of the 1975 hoopla but the mentality is still there.
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  ldrnomo

  That is a great song to describe life as part of the bORG. I had never thought of it before thanks for the insight. I will listen to it after I finish this post.

  LD
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  dgp

  I should have said "plans for retirement". Sorry about the mistake.

  Thanks for the posts.
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  man in black

  excellent post, it is neat to listen to this song now and think of the witnesses !

  Many people I know / knew had this mentality, and now that they are getting older two things are happening:

  1), they are clinging to the "end of this system is soon" chant. Probably to drown out the sound of reality.

  2), they realize deep down that they made a mistake wrapping their lives around a false belief and are trying to make their lives a little better.
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  Found Sheep

  i didn't plan until I LEFT thankfully at 33 so i have some time but it sickens me that I didn't. I know many JW "baby boomers" with no insurance and no retirement plan
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  poopsiecakes

  Threads like this make me wish that I had woken up to the real truth when I was still in my early 20's because leaving well into my 30's has meant that financial planning was never foremost in any way, shape or form. It's hard to learn how to re-think and start planning for the future. I find myself quite lost in this matter at times and it's really due to the fact that I grew up thinking that the end was right around the corner. It's sad that the residue of that mentality is still there...
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  poopsiecakes

  Found Sheep!

  Look at us....same thought!!
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  baltar447

  I am still very much "in" but I'm really starting to try and make some long term plans. The Society makes long term plans, so why shouldn't I?
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  WTWizard

  I have heard that a lot. People not planning for retirement is normal--those in their 20s and 30s, or early 40s, think Armageddon will be here long before they reach retirement age (or things will be so bad that saving for retirement is a complete waste). I myself have put off dental work (and part of the blame for that lies in that I had some apprehension for the dentist, I hated wasting the time, and lack of dental insurance at the time) thinking the New Dark Ages would be here to fix it.

  Besides, who can save for retirement on the crap incomes the witlesses are making? Last I knew, you cannot even pay your present bills on income from washing dishes or cleaning toilets, let alone save anything for retirement. And, if you are working enough to put away even a little, "you are materialistic, and need to cut back on employment so you can pio-sneer". And they confiscate the "extra", usually money you set aside for bills, for the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund.