We helped my Wife's 83 year old Mother move this weekend (30year Regular Pioneer). She's having memory issues now and is moving into a nice little apartment built off the back of her (elder) Son's house. Among a lifetime of memories, kids report cards, black and white photos of long dead swans etc., I found stacks of old Society publications from as far back as the 1920's including bound volumes and Rutherford Books. I also found a manuscript she typed for Albert Schroeder (G.B) for a talk he gave at the District Convention back in 1974. "Pressing Forward Toward the Prize of Everlasting Life" (P.S. he died about 8 years ago).
My Brother in Law (41year old elder) knew about the old literature since childhood but never paid any attention to it until now. As we were packing up the old books I showed him the old drawings of Jesus on the Cross or pointed out some of the crazy old beliefs. I opened the bound volumes up to some of the articles containing the failed predictions and flop flops we've discussed on this site. I casually handed them to my brother in law and had him read certain key paragraphs. I made no comments, just let the literature speak for itself except for once when I showed him how they changed the masthead of the Awake! magazine and dropped the part about the 1914 generation not passing away before this system ended. I said "It would appear they knew back in the 90's that these folks would die off long before Armageddon came and were little by little backing out of their predicition. Funny how they didn't make it official until 2 years ago when 2014 was bearing down on them and there was no way out if it. He said in a vague sort of half joking way " Yep...the light keeps getting brighter". I said in a half joking but sarcastic way "Might have been nice if they'd have let us know this "brighter light" back in the 90's so we'd have had a chance to plan our lives accordingly. A lot of people put off having children, stuck with dead end jobs, put off medical needs or didn't invest in retirement because they were told those, very elderly people would still be alive when Armegeddon came." .
He had sort of a sick far off look on his face as he read some of the stuff I was showing him and said something about donating the books to the Kingdom Hall but then one of the (M.S.) Grandsons came in and he remembered that the Society wanted certiain publications returned to them. I (gently) mentioned that I'd heard that some of this old literature is an embarrasment to them and the reason they want it back is because they are trying to get rid of it so it doesn't keep coming back to haunt them. They both looked like they could see why this would be true.
I also found a full color magazine sized booklet that was sent to her from the Society called "Charitable Planning to Benefit Kingdom Service Worldwide". Has anyone else seen this ? Using Prov 3:9 as its theme " Honoring Jehovah with your valuable things" This publication outlines all the options a JW has for handing over their money, property and valuables to the Society. They also show how you can set up an annuity with the Watchtower and receive an income for life, based on ones life expectancy. It goes on to give examples (with photos) of smiling happy individuals who are participating in this program and furthering Kingdom interest and getting tax benefits because of it. Along with the brochure she had been sent some form to fill out. I didn't want to overwhelm him but when the time is right I'm going to ask my brother in law (who now manages his Mom's money) if he knew that they had sent her this information. I'm guessing he did not. (He's been having trouble with her buying unnecessary things from salesman, loaning or giving away money to family members without telling him) I know it won't sit well with him if they have already convinced her to sign anything over to them.
I kept the "Charitable Planning" brocure and can probably still get my hands on the old literature. I have bro. Shcroeder's talk and was thinking I'd scan it and make it available if anyone is interested. There's lots of bold language in it from back in the day when they were really "out there". Lots of declarative statements with no evidence presented as back up. (see below)
Incidently, last month at Bethel I was talking to some of the fine Brothers about Satan and his Demons. They [ the demons] are all spiritual drop- outs and so they have been going on the decline. But why does Jehovah God, from the Blble, have to execute Satan and the demons and doesn't allow them to go to the full limit or the point of decline? They are not physical, but their hold on life is so powerful that what possibly would be involved here is that it would take hundreds of thousands of years for them to deteriorate to the point where they'd wear out and Jehovah won't wait that long. So the angels and Satan are on death row. They have been sentenced by Jehovah as meriting execution. It's just a matter of tme before they are eliminated from the human scene forever.
This weekend was pretty emotional not only because it's very sad to see my once vibrant mother in law who firmly believed since her youth that she'd live into the new system, declining so rapidly but because it was chock- full of reminders of how deeply entrenched my life is and always will be, in the JW religion.