I've seen a few threads/posts where some of y'all have heard from JW contacts and how they've stepped up their 'the end is close' rhetoric because of the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. I usually take those things with a grain of salt. There's always some JW whose cheese has slipped that reads prophecy into every little thing that happens. Whenever a larger event happens, yes, it does cause even the more sensible JWs to at least sit up and wonder, "what if...". But after a week or so, things are back to normal in dubland. The last time I saw real JW panic was right after 9/11. One elder all but said it was the start of Armageddon. Ten years later and he's still waiting...but I digress...
The earthquake/tsunami and resulting nuclear nightmare does seem to have the dubs in a state of emergency. I'm hearing from dubs who I would never have labeled as irrational or over-reactionary. Not only are they going out of their way to 'encourge' me to come back, they're making statements about how close we are and this is it...the end. Coming from a couple of the more loopier minded ones wouldn't have been worth reporting...but these are normally ones that are pretty unflappable. They're freaking out enough to visit me and encourage me to come back before it's too late. There was urgency and fear in their demeanor...yet a sense of vindication, like.. "Yes! we were right! We'll be saved!" I guess they feel guilty about feeling happy about my imminent destruction and felt the need to warn me of the impending disaster that is set to befall me...
