When you were active, did you feel you would survive Armageddon?

Band on the Run

I am curious about this issue. Personally, I never felt I would be good enough for a split second. One would think that knowing you can not be good enough to survive would it make it easier to leave the Witnesses and live for the present. This seems related to Holy Spirit claims by individuals. Part of me thinks it takes enormous hubris to claim special gifts not given to others. Yet Paul claimed such a gift. Jesus' followers saw a benefit to imitating him. It all revolves around grace for me.

I guess the Witnesses don't believe the Holy Spirit motivates individuals -- only the GB. There is no salvation save the GB. Altho I was young, I don't recall any meetings where individuals were praised and encouraged. Terror of Armageddon seemed to tbe sole message. I fail to see the good news in Armageddon. I grew up during the Cold War and nuclear brinksmanship which reinforced the Armageddon concept. The President of the United States was always discussing the secular form.

I am curious. Of course, it is not scientific. Oh, the nightmares, the lights left on at night so I could see during Armageddon and always chase away demons. I used to have night terrors. Years after I left, I did a great job of discussing the JWs with a JW lady. My siblings were so impressed. Later that night, the whole family had to get up and calm me down from a night terror.

leavingwt

Sometimes.

cedars

Yes, I did. And even though I no longer entertain Witness beliefs, I still feel I would be on the right end of divine retribution if it were to be meted out on the Earth as described in Revelation. Whether the Governing Body would be sitting safely in that eventuality is another matter. If you are basically a good person with sound motives and a pure heart with no intention to harm others or exalt yourself unduly at the expense of others, you should have nothing to fear from a loving God.

Cedars

sir82

For something as mightily horrifying and catastrophic as "armageddon" as described by JWs, I spent surprisingly little time thinking about it.

Now of course I am quite certain that invisible supernatural forces will never throw flaming fireballs at hundreds of millions of families, each huddled together for protection.

I think deep down I must have known it would never really happen. Which is probably why I'm not that greatly affected by "losing my hope of eternal life".

jaguarbass

Yes, I thought I would survive armegeddon, activity and meeting attendance was 1974's version of Noahs Ark.

Thank God for 1976 and freedom.

Londo111

I felt I would be destroyed. Having social anxiety, I ended up being a low hour publisher, though active. And I felt that even if I picked up my hours, the quality would not be there because of my social anxiety. People would die eternally because of how inept I was at the door and I would be found bloodguilty. I got very depressed on Saturday mornings, having to wake up and expend effort to go out, yet knowing in the end it wouldn't matter, that I was doomed. It just made my social anxiety worse during door-to-door. It was a terrible cycle.

Found Sheep

When I was in no not for a second.... even when i poisneered

when I first left I did think I'd make it...

but now I don't believe in the big A

thetrueone

Absolutely from my perspective, I was pretty much a good kid in my family, confidently better than the other folks who

were JWS, in my own family and out.

Always put in close to ten hours a month in service, gave talks when asked etc. etc.

But once it was personally realized that the WTS. was purposefully and deceivingly trying to create support for their organization

by instilling fear into their hearts and minds, that same instilled aspect of my own developed character told me this is wrong and

dishonest so I abruptly left. The Watchtower publishing house was not god's specially chosen organization after all.

blondie

Sometimes, but then I realized I would be around the mean jws at the KH for eternity...........I finally decided it would be better to leave and live a better but short life, than to live forever under the WT regime.

curiouscynic

Never. I never imagined that I would meet God's intense standard for his righteous new system.

I no longer believe in God. But I now think that if there is a God, his standards aren't likely anywhere near as strenuous as the WTS suggests. Ironically, I have more hope for a favorable afterlife as an atheist. LOL

When you were active, did you feel you would survive Armageddon?

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