classification of Jehovahs Witness members by when they joined up

by besty 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Phizzy

  Thw Bible is just the words of men, but there are some keen observations in there, like Proverbs 13v12 (NWT clunky version):

  " Expectation postponed is making the heart sick...."

  I think this is true whatever age you are, and applies to JW's particularly, as their "expectation" is, and will be, always "postponed".

  Hence their constant "tired" complaint.

  The problem is that the "soon" rubbish is a powerful piece of propaganda, it keeps them in because they think "Well, I'll stick with it a bit longer, just in case something does happen".

  "A bit longer" turns in to decades, and pretty soon they are at the end of a wasted life, where to admit your mistake is so very difficult, and the "sunk cost" is too great.

  "Soon" is a tool the WT will never abandon in some form or other, it works too well.
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  GromitSK

  Convert about 1982 age 19. Approached by converted friends. Religious at the time but hadn't really thought about why i was. Got me when I was very vulnerable and isolated and had no one to offer me a balance. Worst decision I ever made (so far). Conversion for me at least was by accepting it in chunks as opposed to one big swallow. At the time it wasn't as easy for me to find counter arguments as it is today, no one I knew knew much about them. Once I'd accepted enough and reached critical mass, almost any teaching made sense. I only came to see what a load of rubbish it is after I got the heave-ho.
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  jwfacts

  In the 1950's the "generation" teaching was used as motivation, though it would be good to hear from someone from that era to know how important it was to them.

  "The length of time is indicated by him when he said, "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matt. 24:34) The actual meaning of these words is, beyond question , that which takes a "generation" in the ordinary sense, as at Mark 8:12 and Acts 13:36, or for those who are living at the given period. So it was on "this generation" that the accumulated judgments were to fall. (Matt. 23:36) This therefore means that from 1914 a generation shall not pass till all is fulfilled, and amidst a great time of trouble. " Watchtower 1951 Jul 1 p.404

  exwhyzee The twenty and thirty somethings we see now, were raised by parents who were taken in by the whole 1975 falshood. They've heard the tales their parents and grandparents have to tell and wonder how they could have been so naive. They may be going through the motions of being JW's but they seem to be covering their bases as far as future plans and there is a noticable bit of skepticism about them. The "normal ones" aren't as strict about shunning, following directions such as "NO FACEBOOK", going to concerts, R movies or having non JW activities or friends. I don't think they feel the fear or have deep guilt about not going in service or missing meetings. I don't think they will be as deeply affected or dissapointed when they hit 40 or 50 and realize things just don't ad up.

  I hope you are right, but it does not seem that way in my experience. My parents went through the 1975 fiasco, and claimed it was nothing, and nothing was ever really expected for that year. Great selective memory. I believed them, so when "apostates" spoke about 1975 I thought they were lying. When I spoke with my 30 year old cousin about how in 1969 they said you would never finish school, he told me that was rubbish and didn't want to speak about it. Recently I met had to speak with him for "urgent family business" and he claimed he is the only young one in his congregation that is not reaching out, the others are all very spiritual. I met a few that walked past and did not know I was disfellowshipped. They looked like a massive bunch of nerds, as have all the young JWs I see street witnessing. It seems that there is a core group of misfits that "need" the religion for its social and family cultural aspects, and these will stay through thick and thin. The Watchtower may be able to keep gradually reinventing itself to keep these ones interested with a less appealing carrot.