German "JW's" just after WW2

by Phizzy 15 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  Phizzy

  When I was growing up in the religion I heard a number of times that immediately after WW2 many JW's in Germany left the religion.

  I was told that this was, despite their courageously opposing the Nazi regime, and enduring Concentration Camps etc, after the war , they fell prey to "materialism".

  There was much shaking of heads as to how this could happen.

  Whilst reading an old thread the other day, I read there that these ones who left did so because they did not agree with doctrinal changes that had gone on whilst they had been cut off by the Nazis and the War, "Materialism" was nothing to do with it.

  Is this another case of Watchtower revisionist "History" ?

  Does anyone know the truth about what happened at this time ?
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  sir82

  In one of my old outlines, I mentioned this "fact" as a "warning" to the congregation. I believe it comes from WT articles from the 60's.

  Of course, any "facts" presented by the WT must be swallowed with a boulder of salt.
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  Vidiot

  I suspect that, in reality, it was because many couldn't accept the organizational and ideological changes that had been made across the pond when they were out of the loop, and that some felt that the things they endured during WW2 had - in the long run - been for nothing.
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  transhuman68

  Interesting. I guess real history is like that though… unexpected, complicated & messy. But maybe those German JW's considered themselves to have live through their own ‘tribulation’- which they had- and it wasn’t their god who saved them; but General Patton- so perhaps they could be excused for becoming disillusioned and leaving the religion...
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  NewYork44M

  I think the same thing happened in 1980 with the Mariel boatlift from Cuba. Many "brothers" were removed from Cuban prisons and put on a boat to South Florida. I think those of a certain age remember this.

  Once they were free and in a free country, many explored options and decided that the jw religion was not for them. At the time I was, by marriage, very aware of what was going on in S Florida and can confirm that the society lost many who came as martyrs from Cuba.

  So, not to hijack the thread, let me make a comment to bring this back to the original discussion. In the depth of a state of persecution there is no doubt that individuals can maintain a resolute attitude. But, it is much more difficult to do this in a free flowing environment that occurred after WW2 and after the Mariel boat lift.

  Perhaps this is why the society is always talking about persecution. This is a key to their success. If you take away persecution, you got nothing.
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  designs

  It would be natural to question God and spirituality after such a horrendous life altering experience. As one Jewish survivor said "Where was God when we needed him most".
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  Julia Orwell

  I've heard of similar cases of Eastern European emigres to Australia. Prison in communist Eastern Europe where they are martyrs cut off from any information, and in conditions that make 'the new system' their only hope for anything better, then freedom in Australia where they know life can be better in the present freely explore other ideas. But it was the same thing, the JWs said 'materialism' made them leave. Not that in a free country they realised there were other alternatives to communism or JWism.
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  NewYork44M

  in a free country they realised there were other alternatives to communism or JWism.

  Exactly. Freedom is a wonderful thing - it gives a person options. Instead of black and white, a person is able to visualize a whole spectrum of colors.
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  Pete Zahut

  What I heard was they let the "anxieties of life and materialism" weigh them down and distract them. We were always told that our spirituality is kept strong by adversity and that comfort and prosperity were "our" test and it could be the undoing of all of us here in the U.S.

  Had these Germans not been JW's they likely would never have been imprisioned. Once they were locked up in there, it didn't matter if they renounced their faith or stayed faithful, they were stuck and had no choice but to do all they could to survive. How disilliusioning it must have been to survive through that Hell, only to come of it and find out it wasn't even the great tribulation at all and also to realize that the leaders of the religion hadn't suffered one bit. These survivors had to start all over again and their old friend, the carrot of the New System was still there being dangled in front of them but only after the real great trubulation came first.
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  zebagain

  The bethel boys were safe in NY. Had they gone to the US State Dept before the US engaged hostilities with Germany and asked, could have been sponsor of persecuted ones in Nazi dominated lands. No? did they? when so many could have been got out via 'non aligned ' or neutral countries. Nope the wts wanted martyrs.

  The german jw when released they wanted to get a house or apartment and live in dignity and try and put their lives back together after months or years of terror, living around their own faeces, dead people, daily murder and starvation. Who can blame them for wanting what the world called normal. What right the bethel boys to call down judgement on them for being ....'materialistic.'

  I ask. Have any of the GB at any time ever visited Aushwitcz?

  Locate and read a book "While Six Million Died" for this work gives a broader picture of things happening outside of the holocaust. In one part of this work it reports the Australian government (under PM Menzies, Liberal) refused refugee entry, immediate repatriation to Australia of 100,000 Austrians when Hitler took over Austria.

  The reply to the panic stricken Australian Embassy was "We dont have a Jewish problem, we dont want one". None survived.

  Sir82: " a boulder of salt".. love it.