They Came, They Said, They Left

snowbird

They came to the rural Black Belt county of Wilcox in Alabama, in the year 1970. Hailing from exotic places such as New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, they were bright, articulate, and persuasive.

They said the end was close, that the year 1975 would probably be the farthest limit for the current "system of things." Some of us believed them and embraced their theology wholeheartedly. We wrote letters of resignation to our respective churches and hit the highways and byways, hawking the WT message to stunned families and friends.

1975 came and went - nothing. Some of us returned shamefacedly to our former places of worship; we were welcomed back with open arms. Others of us burrowed even deeper into the WT trenches, too proud to admit we'd been hoodwinked.

The zealous JW's who'd given up familiar surroundings and lucrative careers to serve where the need was greatest (not greater, mind you), left us and went back up North to pick up the pieces of their interrupted lives.

Sometimes, I wonder about them. How are they doing? Are they still hanging in there with the WT? Are they bitter about their unfulfilled hopes?

Questions, questions, questions ...

Syl

Broken Promises

My Dad lived through 1975 (I did too but was a small child) and he always defended the JWs re that date, believing wholesouled that it was certain JWs who ran with the date and that it wasn't the JWs fault.

He died after being a JW for over 50 years. So sad he wasted his life to a publishing company.

snowbird

Thanks for responding, BP.

1975 was definitely pushed as The Date.

I distinctly remember the JW lady who "studied" with me referring to "the urgency of the times," and that perhaps my daughter, who was born in 1973, would "turn 2 in the New System."

That's why I started this thread under Scandals & Cover-ups - a scandal the way people were mislead, and how the WT has sought to cover up its indiscretion.

Syl

cantleave

My mum believed 75 was going to be the year of the big A. Her faith was shaken for a nano-second, but it recovered now in her mid 70's, she continues to spout the Watchtower BS and tries to convert everyone she meets.

nancy drew

I was not a witness in 75 became one in 86 and had absolutely no previous connection with jw's during the time I studied not once was 75 mentioned. I didn't ask because why would i think of it. i assumed the teachings from 1914 were the same as the current ones because thats pretty much how the catholic church works the only experience i had.

One day I heard some passing mention of it and so I asked someone and they said "oh some people thought the end would come in 75 they were overly anxious" seemed reasonable took awhile before i found out about the extent of it. I didn't do the research I should have i guess computers were not easy access than.

Now the history of the org is easy to see most people google today so anyone who still joins has no one to blame but themselves.

blondie

My jw family were "bad" they never bought into 1975 and felt that some individual brothers had run ahead of God since 1966. They felt vindicated when 1975 did not develop as they predicted.

Heisenberg principle = once you fix a point...

In quantum physics, you encounter the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which says that the better you know the position of a particle, the less you know the momentum, and vice versa

Read more: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/quantum-physics-and-the-heisenberg-uncertainty-pri.html#ixzz1OmkjGPYK

DesirousOfChange

In 1975 there were only about 2 million JWs. Some have obviously died in the past 35 years (1%/year would mean 1/3 or 1/4 of those are already dead.) Thus, at least 5 or 6 million of the current R&F were not anywhere around when the 1975 prophecies were in expectation. Many were not even born yet. Most have never heard anything but a brief blurb about the over-anxious expectations of a few misguided ones in the past. It's only the old ones like you and me, Syl, that have good memories that recall it all.

DOC

james_woods

Well, they may deny that they actually PRINTED that 1975 was very likely to be the start of the millenium, but they cannot deny that high officials said this from the platform during conventions. In fact, they printed so many hints to this that it is a moot point. The rank & file did not think this up on their own...it came directly from the Freddy Franz chronology.

Neither can they deny that they told young people (high school age people) in 1970 that they would never grow old in this old system of things.

They actually printed that, and it is a fact on record.

OUTLAW

Good Morning Sylvia..

That story was played out everywhere..

My family moved to where the "Need was Great" too..

A frigg`in Bible Belt..LOL!!..

They were going to convince Christians,how to be the right kind of Christian..

First.....You have to Dump Jesus..

...................... ...OUTLAW

james_woods

For a little evidence of what they said to young people in 1969, check out this thread:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/211576/1/Who-wrote-the-May-22-1969-Awake-article-What-Future-for-the-Young

It directly says to young people in 1969 that they should face the fact they would never grow old in this system of things, because the end would be upon them in "just a few years".

I was 19 years old when that was printed, and I will be 62 this year. That feels pretty old to me.

I am very glad that I never believed their story, and actually planned for a career and later retirement.

They Came, They Said, They Left

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