1975 - how did false hopes affect jw's health?
Any stories from familie, friends or yourself? Let me hear about it!
Love Healthworker
1975 - how did false hopes affect jw's health
by Healthworker 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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hoser
It affected their financial health for sure! I know of many who sold real estate and businesses that would be worth millions today.
hoser
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binadub
My brother was an elder, PO and an insulin-dependent diabetic. Our parents were never JWs.
In the early 70s, my dad asked him what would JWs say if 1975 passed and the world didn't end.
He replied, words to the effect, he guessed Jehovah's Witnesses would "have egg on their face."He selectively forgot he said that post-1975. But he still maintained that he did not believe the world would see the year 2000.
He never took proper care of his diabetic health because he would soon be healed in the new Earth. He drank booze, ate whatever he liked, depended on the insulin to balance things out because of the nearness of Armageddon. In the mid 90s, he had a kidney transplant (as far as I know without blood transfusion), struggled with the subsequent medication, continued to drink booze regularly, ate what he liked, and finally died of diabetic coma in the middle of the night in bed with his wife while visiting our non-JW mother.
He never saw the year 2000.
~Binadub
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Heaven
My parents moved us from the city to a farm in 1973. I was 10 years old. I speculate that part of the decision to move was due to the imminent arrival of Armageddon. Another part was my older brother was starting to get into trouble. Another was that my Dad needed some kind of outlet/hobby. As we grew up we got more and more pressure to study and go out in service even though Mom never went door to door. We never went to the Kingdom Hall for meetings, though. Our meetings were on Sundays at our home. Mom used to go to the Memorial. I think I only went once or twice; not many times. Memory is a bit hazy on this.
My Mom began to suffer from depression. She became a very negative person. Everything was bad. My Mom's Mom died when I was 12. Our family was preoccupied with her cancer and subsequent death so not much was said about the no show of Armageddon. Dad had to keep his full time job. It's pretty tough to make a decent living as a farmer. He worked second shift so we only saw him weekends and when he had vacation from work. My parents marriage wasn't going well. My Mom relinquished all decision making to my Dad. She began chain smoking. My older brother started getting into trouble, drinking, and doing drugs. He rolled Dad's car, totally destroying it. Mom used to scream at him to do his chores.
My Dad got baptized in around 1986 and started pioneering. When we kids left home (me and my younger bro went to College), my Dad retired. Mom started chain smoking. She still did not go out in service (her main reason was because she smoked). Mom collapsed in 1991 with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma which later developed into COPD. After her collapse, I think sometime in 1992 she got baptized (I figure she did this to try and ensure she had a chance at an eternal life. She still did not go out in service.). She lived for 11 years with this progressive and degenerative chronic health condition and was miserable. She died in 2002, 11 days after suffering from a fall that broke her hip.
My Dad is now suffering from dementia. One day, he will also die. And the 'new system of things' according to the JWs will still not be here.
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Healthworker
Thank you for sharing your stories! Many memories and feelings behind a few words of history!
Life is precious! Let's learn from the past and take care of our health and our family!
Love from Healthworker