by sir82 40 Replies latest jw friends
Many older ones already are telling the younger ones how they regretted not getting an education, pursuing a lucrative career, saving up money or not having a retirement plan. The sad truth is that such ones are like the murmurers of Israel when coming out of Egypt.
What a cold callous smack in the face to older faithful ones by the WTS. Basically told them to STFU.
Think About It
Its moments like this in WT Land that leave me bewildered. I feel like there are apostate sympathizers in the Writing Department and even on the GB who purposely present offensive material like this to wake people up for the purpose of finding the door out of this religion. Its like they're subtely trying to get us to leave. Then I remember arrogant power mongers like Jaracz and Rutherford, and I realize that the smug arrogant talk coming out of Bethel is really from their hearts. They really do view the rank and file as ungrateful bastard red headed stepchildren.
My dad who is roughly 72, I can't recall as we don't celebrate birthdays, but lately I've been picking up a certain disgruntled spirit within him. He's always been sort of a wildcard. He's not the kind of guy you win arguments with and he's hardheaded. He's always been the kind of guy that would tell a Circuit Overseer to drop dead, and he prides himself off of being that kind of fellow. When I talk with him nowadays, he doesn't speak in reverence of the organization like he used to. There's a sort of us vs them mentality he has regarding us down here, and those in Bethel. When I asked him his thoughts on the upcoming Elder School, he told me, "its going to be the same thing we had thirty years ago." I replied that it has to be different considering the times we live in. He replied, "please, its going to be the same old crap I had to sit through when I got appointed thirty years ago."
When we talk about the times we live in, he genuinely believes the world is messed up, and he's always saying that he wishes Jehovah would hurry up and act soon. However his talk lately has went from hoping Jehovah acts soon, to telling me he won't live long enough to see it. He thinks I'll see it, but he'll be dead. I told him I'll probably be dead when it happens too. I'm careful when saying these things because I don't want to come out and state the painfully obvious.........that he probably wasted a good 50 years of his life in this organization waiting for something that happened in 70 C.E.
Nice to hear somebody in their 70s got out, after 45 years. To pinch an over-used Watchtower phrase, it's 'encouraging'. If I was that age right now, I'd be reaching for my coat. How sad for a lot of people that age, to learn that their whole life was a lie and a sham. I often feel sorry for myself having lost a good 25 years of my life, but am humbled by these sad stories of wasted life.
I'm not at all surprised that they sneer like this at older people with contempt. The old codgers should leave everything to the cat's home.
Many older ones already are telling the younger ones how they regretted not getting an education, pursuing a lucrative career, saving up money or not having a retirement plan. The sad truth is that such ones are like the murmurers of Israel when coming out of Egypt.
It actually took about 15 years for the murmurs to work their way up.
I knew an elder who was a long time Bethelite but left when his Beheltite wife became pregnant and was working in the 'real world' when the generation teaching changed in 95. He realized then that his current retirement plan (the new system) was no longer viable. He actually verbalized his regret for not signing up for his company's 401K plan when he was first hired. He was seriously starting to worry about what he would do when he hit 65...something he had never even given thought to before.
He may have been one of the few who actually thought this through in 95, but over the course of 15 years more and more JWs who are starting to see the gray hairs and wrinkles and are having to have knees, hips and valves replaced are waking up to the realization that they may not see Armageddon in their life time.
It's apparent not only in their words but in their deeds. Many of the dubs I grew up with now have kids coming of age. And are they encouraging them to go to Bethel? No. Are they encouraging them to pioneer? No. They're encouraging them to get a good education. College. Tech School. Nursing school. JWs of my generation know, even if only subconsciously, that there is no future in pioneering. You have to plan for a lifetime...not just a few years. What if Armageddon doesn't come in my child's lifetime? These people are thinking, "Do I want him struggling as he nears retirement as I am going to be doing?"
Many older ones already are telling the younger ones how they regretted not getting an education, pursuing a lucrative career, saving up money or not having a retirement plan. The sad truth is that such ones are like the murmurers of Israel when coming out of Egypt.
Okay... so the older ones are murmuring that they don't have a retirment plan...
So, who's gonna take care of my brittle ole ass when I can't work anymore? The WTS?
At least God provided manna for the murmuring Jews to eat...what the fuck is the WTS gonna do for you?
I have noticed the same thing. A jw co-worker sent all of his children to college. He started saving for retirement because he could see the writing on the wall that he will retire before Armageddon. There are still some young ones in the area who are reaching out in the local cong. Most of them are children of a father who is reaching out for ms or elder.
I agree with tresdecu:
To those under 35 it's like a social club. I'd only add it's like an open-door social club: Come in, cross the line, get told off, reproved or kicked out, go out and fluff around for a while, then come back and on and on it goes until your old and gray and the end still ain't come.
People still go to kindgom halls - but any pretence of zeal is just that: a pretence.
My long-deceased grandparents who came into the religion in the mid-20s would not recognize the modern-breed of JWs - although they might recognize the whiff of desperation driving a lot of the hangers-on.
Are they that detached from "the real world"
They are even more detatched then we know.
-Sab
2) The Society, rather than empathizing, apologizing, or consoling, berates them by comparing them to "Israelite murmurers"!
Yup, nearly lost my lunch over that one.
And what Steve2 said.
To those under 35 it's like a social club.
And it's not a stationary age. In 5 years the "cutoff" will be age 40. In 15 years, it will be age 50.
There are of course exceptions - Gilead is filled every year with ambitious 30-somethings, and there are still occasional elders appointed under age 30. And in 3rd world countries, being a young go-getter is a source of prestige likely unavailable elsewhere.
But in the western world, it's nothing like 40, 30, or even 20 years ago.
