What's The Biggest Difference In Today's JWs And The Witnesses From Decades Ago?

by minimus 93 Replies latest jw friends

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  Balaamsass

  Hi Aristeas,

  "Overall, the comments indicate the natural outcome of allowing joyless Jaraczic thinking to rule—as indeed it does, even to the point of the Service Department eclipsing the Writing Department, with their own HQ up in Patterson and, of course, Jaracz hand picking all the GB successors."

  Getting off the thread a bit, but was the deal with the change in Jaracziz (sp) ? The Mrs and I knew him as a CO and DO. He was always a welcome guest at our families and relatives homes..and a personal friend to many. Warm smile, liked a good Scotch. Friendly to kids. His wife a sweet lady. By the 70s he was stern and becomming cranky. In the 80s it sounds like he became mean spirited especially with Ray Franz who shared many friends. Any insight from anyone?
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  d

  When I went to the Hall in the 90's people were nicer and much happier. By 2005 things started to change for the worse.
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  Aussie Oz

  Hey JAFO

  I ran into K.A. at an assembly and asked where/how wife was...real foot in mouth coz i didn't know.

  So i guess he was still 'in' at that time...

  Oz
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  Indian Larry

  I liken it to being on a deserted island. Decades ago....the brothers were marching up and down the sand....setting off flares and smoke signals.....staying up all night to do so because of how confident they were that they were going to see a ship on the horizon. Now....the brothers are kind of huddled in a cave.....doing what they need to do to survive......holding out hope that a ship may come some day.....putting a smile on their faces to encourage others....but in their hearts....they fear that they will never leave this cave.

  Outsmarthesystem - That is a very good ananogy!
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  AvocadoJake

  Modern Field Service is a mockery of the witnessing work done by the JWs from 1930-1989. Special tipped boots made to prevent doors from being closed, big cars to drive the spiritual army in service. Spending time driving to the territory versus driving all around the territory and calling it a day. A "Call." was used when the territory was exhausted, now it' used to exhaust the 10 hour minimum to keep elder, MS or "Good Publisher." status. Book bags were worn down from heavy usage, now, book bags are only opened to replace last months magazines with this months.

  Positives are we don't suffer from the twenty or thirty minute prayer lead by the District overseer or Bethel brothers. Remember those long prayers that would not end, standing up for sooo long?
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  jookbeard

  so many comments hitting home the point that they are a bored , sad beaten up people who are physically and mentally worn out, my last meeting in 2010 after a 17 year break and this was a memorial I was surprised in the physical appearance of the Dubs in the hall, suits were worn and scruffy , sisters looked dour and plain yet in my day one of the big things was to enjoy wearing top gear, nice suits good quality shirts and shoes it shows the lack of interest they have in the whole thing these day, and as MM says as kids we'd always talk about Jerkoobah, the Big A amongst ourselves all with so much excitement.The last time I had any interaction with a group of Dubs I was also surprised in how worldly they have become.
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  Ucantnome

  What's the biggest difference in today's JWs and the witnesses from decades ago?

  Decades ago there were more JW's with a heavenly hope. Having this hope alters the spirituality of the congregation. Now many congregations have no remnant. The hope is earthly and more materialistic.
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  AvocadoJake

  The Economy being the weakest with the greatest job losses and destruction of the Middle Class. People are very tired, just trying to make a living and provide. Brothers and Sisters are disconnecting in big Halls, it's hard to get to know to average joe and jane publisher. Times are different now!
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  truth_b_known

  I was born into the 1975 period and raised in the 80's & 90's. The big difference is that the joy of life has been steadily sucked out by the evil empire. I have to agree with many posters on joys that were removed/prohibitted.

  Emphasis shifted from spiritual things to organizational things.

  Simplification was a killjoy to so many things. Assemblies and Conventions became a burden due to the ceasing of food service. Publication explaining the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses were simplified (e.g. going from the Live Forever to Knowledge book) causing new ones to have a weaker foundation.

  The social changes were huge. Outlawing social gatherings pretty much killed any joy that was left. It is bad enought that Jehovah's Witnesses are to avoid socializing with non-Witnesses, but then to go a step further and forbid socializing in groups with Witnesses took things too far.

  I too remember the days when every weekend my family would invite a family in the congregation over for dinner or we would be invited to another family's home. Hospitality has almost completely died inside the evil empire.

  Last but not least, with the change in the "generation" doctrine, there seems to be no end in sight. Sure, you'll read about it in the publications and hear about it from the platform, but no one lives like it. Why? Because they don't believe it. I have even heard elders walk right off the platform after giving a Circuit Assmebly part and whisper, "Armageddon isn't coming anytime, soon."
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  Quirky1

  I'm really not sure if there is much of a difference.. Decades ago or current time they still are working for a "Dream" movie ending that will never happen. They continue to relish in false friendships that have only evolved from cult status. Their thought process is still the same and unchanged. I don't see this religion fizzling out anytime soon. They are still recruiting. I see young ones that I thought were more intelligent and on the verge of leaving returning to it for whatever reason. I could go on but I'm sure you get the gist of it.