Were you 'alive in '75' and how was that year for you?

by punkofnice 179 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Robdar

  I was an adolescent in 1975. When the great tribulation came, my family and I fled to the woods near our house. Thank goodness I had prepared myself by reading all the books on edible plants and berries in our area.

  For a while we were relatively happy and secure. We ate honey and locusts much like John the Baptist did. Soon, however, winter came and food got scarce. It was a very sad day when we had to eat my dog and a couple of my cats. I cried while doing it but they tasted soooo good.

  Just before the evil empire of false religion found our hiding place, Jehovah God unleashed Armageddon and saved us! We fell upon our knees and thanked him through song and prayer. We thought about sacrificing my brother as a thanks offering but that sort of embarrassed Jehovah and he told us we didn't have to do such a thing.

  The clean up after the Big A was a little difficult but I got my pet tiger to help. Also, the birds seemed very hungry and very cooperative so things went rather smoothly considering all the dead bodies of worldly people lying around all over the place.

  I hope when the resurrection takes place Jehovah will ressurect my pet dog and cats that we ate.
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  mrsjones5

  I was age 9/10 in 1975 (my birthday comes in the middle of the year). I remember some of the build up to 1975. I recalled the adults talking about it. But after my brother was in his pool accident (in June of that year in which he nearly died and was in a coma for quite a while) I don't remember really worrying about whether the great tribulation was coming or not.
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  Lunatic Faith

  I was three years old, but my dad would tell how he (being an elder) had to fight the other elders to keep from announcing from the stage that A would be arriving in 1975. He always claimed the society never said that. Years later, when I was in my 20's, a friend who remembered that time said the society was more guilty of misleading people than they ever let on. That was news to me. I am looking forward to that part in CoC.

  I do remember people whose houses we would spend time at, because they had lots of kids, who left right after that. I grew up with the kids in school, and always remembered them once coming to the KH, but they stopped when I was too young to really know what was going on or why we couldn't go visit them any more. Now I wonder what they think of the rest of us that hung on so long.
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  pontoon

  I was 25 in '75. Could say I was stepping over the line as far as the truth was concerened. Double life. Working with a wild bunch of worldy guys, drinking, rock and roll, muscle cars with a girlfriend in the passenger seat. BUT I NEVER doubted that it was the truth, and felt a sense of relief "A" didn't hit in "75. Really believe it would be soon--like any minute. Then I remember a brother began to talk about prophesy YET to be fullfilled and I began to wonder why the Society jumped the gun so bad. Anyway I got myself settled down.
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  WTWizard

  That was the year my parents split up because my father got laid off (thank you, energy crisis, for that). Other than that, it was just another year of going to school. Nothing earth-shattering aside the fact we had a recession brought on by the 1973 energy crisis.
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  tec

  1975 was a pretty good year for me.

  I was born.

  Tammy
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  Robdar

  1975 was a pretty good year for me.

  I was born.
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  Quendi

  I was studying with JWs that year and got baptized in January 1976. The man who studied with me was excited about the possibility of the end coming in 1975, but he wisely counseled me not to put my spiritual eggs in that basket. "Your dedication to Jehovah will not end when Armageddon comes. Remember, your dedication to him is lifelong," he used to say to me. I'm glad I listened to him, so when 1975 came and went my disappointment was rather mild. The other elders in my congregation used to tell all of us not to 'watch the clock' but to be busy in the ministry. Most of us took that advice.

  Now I'm out of the WTS. I look back on the 1970s and remember the tremendous excitement they had. Yes, the WTS aggressively pushed 1975, all but saying that the end would surely come in that year. It took five years before the Society owned up to this, finally saying in 1980 that it bore some responsibility for leading people on. But the damage had been done to many people by then and the Society's mea culpa was too little, too late.

  I'm grateful now to be putting widening distance between me and the WTS. My dedication to Jehovah still stands, and it remains a lifelong one. I am glad that I have cast aside the millstone around my neck that the WTS was, and can live as good a life as I know how.
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  blondie

  I remember that those in my age group started rushing to get married in 1973 through 1975. There was some concern that there would be no marriage for "great tribulation" survivors based on this phrase which some thought meant there would be an end to the marriage arrangement in the new system. Less than 50% are still married to each other.

  For some years Jehovah’s Witnesses have been using the following marriage vow: "I —— take you —— to be my wedded (wife/husband), to love and to cherish (Bride: and deeply respect) in accordance with the divine law as set forth in the Holy Scriptures for Christian (wives/husbands), for as long as we both shall live together on earth according to God’s marital arrangement."
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  SouthCentral

  I remember a sister that started pioneering in 1972 because of the emphasis on 1975. She is still single and active. I was only 8 years old. I was more eager for the 1976 Bicentinneal (sp) celebration.

  I do recall telling others when I was pioneering about the people of 1914 almost being dead (in the late 1980's). This was the proof that I offer as a high school pioneer that the end was sooooooo close. In hindsight, it is sad that some still believe that the end is coming tomorrow. They chose poverty and no education as a result.

  On a personal note; Ten years ago, On my Father's death bed, just before he went into a permenant coma for a month, he looked in my eyes and said, "This is the end!!!"

  I think that is the end we are guaranteeded to all face.