Reality setting in for Jehovah's Witnesses?

MrDarkKnight

When my friends and family try to "reason" with me about my decision to leave, I immediatley begin to question the interpretation of the so-called prophecy in the Bible, I am getting the following consistent response:

"It does not matter if the end comes in my lifetime. I know I am doing God's will."

This response is dumbfounding to me. The reason I became a Witness at 15 years old was because of the interpretation of so-called prophecy. The reason I left at age 44 was because I finally admitted to mysel,f that the interpretation of so-called prophecy was simply guessing and revising the guess. Strangely enough, for me, doing God's will was never the reason I joined.

Has anyone else had this experience? Are the rank and file resigning themselves to "serving God" until they expire and hoping for a miracle?

talesin

Yes, I have gotten a similar response. It's the old, tired,, "in good time, J*h will take care of it."

I think what they really mean is "not going to admit I was wrong all these years, and I'm too old to start again".

sad, very sad ...

tal

QuiteRational

The shadow of death is always chasing us, yet our immortality is everpresent within our minds. This has not changed since the days of Paul I guess, when he went: "GOD IS TOTALLY NOT SLOW! JUST MERCIFUL! UH YEAH!" So people have had this attitude for the past 2000 years. Why stop now?

Tater-T

then ask... if it is a long way off, and you say you don't know ... is slinging watchtowers that proclaim the END IS NEAR ..really gods will...

then why the urgency...

TT

blondie

"It does not matter if the end comes in my lifetime. I know I am doing God's will."

I wonder if these people are young and healthy; quick to face their death? Are they people that can't wait 2 hours in line let alone 60 or 70 years? If they are expecting to live through the end with their mate to be married forever; or to die before them and marriage is impossible?

DesirousOfChange

"It does not matter if the end comes in my lifetime. I know I am doing God's will."

This would be OK . . . . . . IF that was the WTS had said . . . . (when I got on board, or my parents got on board, or my grandparents got on board).

BUT this is NOT what was said! The WTS, claiming the direction of God's Holy Spirit, said that The End was IMMINENT! For my grandparents, it was DO NOT MARRY -- DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN. (OK, they were kinda rebels too.....they didin't listen. Whole family is just a bunch of horney ole bastards.) Likewise for my parents -- The END is "right around the corner". For me -- I would not finish college (1968 Awake!), so I didin't start college, I pioneered (only briefly).

The WTS, claiming to be Spirit-Directed, told us ALL that it would come in our lifetime. They evidently were Spirit-MIS-directed. IT WAS A LIE!

How could it be God's Will to mislead 3 generations of Christians? (OR, if you rather, 3 distinct segments of one overlapping generation.)

Just saying. . . . .

Doc

Ding

I well remember an elder telling me, "My service to Jehovah isn't tied to a date."

This after pushing 1975 as the date for Armageddon for 9 years solid...

MrDarkKnight

@Blondie...I am 45...these are people my age and older...the 1975 generation...we all bought into the end of the world. That was the push in the 70s and 80s. I was serving at Bethel in 1989 when the wall came down in Eastern Europe. Big things were supposed to happen, then they didn't.

When they tinkered with the very things that sold me...the sheep and the goats prophecy and the generation, I immediatley concluded that the interpretations I dedicated my life to were being tossed to the side. From that point on I began my slow slide to making the decision to leave.

Starting your life over without any support system is daunting and very hard...trust me I know. But I am experienceing the happiness of doing what I really believe and being successful and happy. (Shiver me timbers!)

Now they seem to be focusing more on how terrible everyone else is and how righteious and happy they are. I only keep track because my 13 year sold is still in with his mom...although when he is with me the Kingdom Hall is not on his agenda AT ALL!

I think that many want to make change but don't quite know what to do. I started the thread to see what others have heard.

Just curious.

DesirousOfChange

Starting your life over without any support system is daunting and very hard...trust me I know. But I am experienceing the happiness of doing what I really believe and being successful and happy. (Shiver me timbers!)

Dark Knight, be glad you're young enough to "start over". Many are not.

Doc

FatFreek 2005

MrDarkKnight,

Hmmm ... noting that you are a former Bethelite I've added you to the list. You bring our list up to a round 80.

Fats

Reality setting in for Jehovah's Witnesses?

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