I was reading the thread about 2015 being the "new" end of the times and had a question to those that were in the borg around 1975 when the end was to come then. I was only 7 and new to the borg, so I don't remember, but what exactly was everyone expecting? Fire and brimstone? What did the Society say or predict the end was going to be like? What was it like to await such an aweful event? How did the Society prepare you? And, just one more question.....what in the world did the Society say to those faithful followers when 1976 rolled around?
to those that lived thru the "end" fa...
by scootergirl 9 Replies latest jw friends
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teenyuck
Hi Scooter!
Armageddon was predicted. Numerous Watchtower and Awake magazines, as well as other books, predicted "something major" at the end of the "times as we know it"...this will be 6000 years since Adam's creation....somehow, after all the failed predictions, they came up with 1975.
People were expecting all the worldies to die and have their flesh fall off.
People sold businesses and went on spending sprees...who is going to need money in paradise?
People did not have children in the years leading up to it because why have a child in the old system when you can have a perfect child in the new system?
People dropped out of high school to preach....the more the merrier after the big A!
I, as a 13 year old, was expecting everything the Paradise book described....people (worldy) running in terror of fire coming from the sky. I expected the animals in the zoo to suddenly become free....
I did not try to hard in school because I was going to be perfect and in paradise. I would be froliking with the wild animals (now of course domesticated and not carnivores) and playing in sunshine all the time.
Look at old magazine covers (Watchtowers) and see the people running in terror, then the "good" people smiling as an old dead relative walks out of a grave. That is what we expected.
At least I did, and everyone in my cong seemed to be on the same wavelength.
The society said nothing for a long time and then blamed the R&F JW's for reading more into what they said then they meant. In other words, we were a big bunch of dummies for believeing them and we should have known better.
When 1976 came I was disappointed...I stayed up and watched Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. I waited in anticipation because I thought for sure that it was going to start (armageddon, not BTO on stage) and I could see it on camera and then run for cover.
Nothing happened.
My mother was at a JW New Year's Eve party....they too, were anticipating something and figured that there was safety in numbers. Why she left me home alone, I don't know. My sister, aged 16 was out with worldly friends. She did not believe it was coming.
I was disappointed to say the least. I had gotten baptized that year, in anticipation of making it through.
What a waste of energy and time.
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scootergirl
Wow puff......I can't even imagine! How scarey for a child to go thru that.....the anticipation!
Flesh falling off? YIKES......
People raising from the graves? I see images of Michael Jackson's thriller video! Another YIKES.......
And the fact that your mother left you home alone......that must have been terrifying to be awaiting such an ordeal (plus while Dick Clark was on nonetheless! LOL)
What a slap in the face from the Society for making people feel like idiots!
See, this is what I have a hard time fathoming, how can people go blindly from one false prediction to the next and still faithfully believe? I just don't get it.
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teenyuck
Many, most, dubs do not know the history of the borg. They have done zero research on the sect and when a nice JW comes to the door, they ask some questions (when did you start, etc) and they get canned answers. The dubs know Russell started in and then Rutherford, etc.
They don't know about the failed predictions. My mom, a faithful dub for 35 years, never heard of 1918, 1925, etc. She said "Huh?" when I asked her about those failed predictions. She has no recollection of vaccinations being bad, etc.
My mother, I would hazard a guess, is like many current dubs....if you don't know about the history and past, you don't have to make a decision that will alter your life.
If you learn about the history and still remain in you are, IMO, an idiot. That is why they don't try. Decision making time. Lose all friends and family and become shunned. It is too hard and easier to spout the canned answers...."Jehovah will take care of it" "They are imperfect men....they make mistakes....that does not mean Jehovah's message is not true." How many times have you heard that?
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Undecided
Hi Scootergirl,
I wasn't in the org. in 1975 but I was 35 years leading up to 1975. I dropped out in 1973 because I was fed up with all the control of my life and I just burned out. I didn't really believe it any more. As it turned out I was right, the end wasn't in sight. Twenty some years later I logged on to H2O and learned the real truth about the "TRUTH". I really don't know what the feelings were of the rank and file JWs. Many just left as the figures show. I have a few relatives who still tell me I "need the organization". For what , I wonder? To tell me lies?
Ken P.
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BONEZZ
Growing up a child in Dubdom is something that should not be thrust upon any kid. It was cruel to say the least. Every world event triggered a nervousness, especially when your parents, who you trusted implictly, would say, "well this could be it", or "this might be the start of the end". So when events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, 7-Day War, 1975, etc. happened it was pure hell. A child should not have to worry about such things but we did...and if you were less than a perfect angel, like myself, you worried that you would fall into the earth or get hit by God's firey meteorites because you told a lie to your mother or ate a birthday cupcake at school. Oh yes being around the Org for so long has lasting repercussions too...and then of course if you're still involved when you have kids, you pass all the neurosis' onto them. My own kids (& myself at the time) felt the Berlin Wall coming down was the start of something..and of course the Gulf War...and it goes on and on. Fear is a big motivator and the Society of Scum in New York know how to manipulate their following.
-BONEZZ
" When the Truth is found to be lies, you know all the joy within you dies." - Grace Slick
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DazedAndConfused
puffsrule said:
The society said nothing for a long time and then blamed the R&F JW's for reading more into what they said then they meant.
I remember this very well because of being close to an elder that deemed it his life's pleasure to mold us. It was just a couple of years before 1975 that my father started giving public talks. This was at the time that the brothers were given a subject matter and they had to write their own talks. No outlines at that time. When the society decided to blame the brothers for their take on what the society had strongly impled, they also then implimented the outlines for all public talks. This way no brother could teach things other than what came straight from the society. Granted, this made it much easier for the brothers, but even as a teenager I thought this was strange...hand feeding ALL information. I felt that part of the fun of giving talks was being able to look up information and "making the truth your own" to coin a phrase.
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joannadandy
Thanks for this post...
I was not born in 75, but I recall the same emotions being raised a witness even in the 80's, that eventually the end would come, etc. As I got older, my parents and other congregation members told me to not worry about college, I wouldn't need to go because the paradise would be here by then. I also recall the afore mentioned "nervousness" I used to cry as a kid thinking about nuclear war. I was inconsolable a few times, crying myself to sleep cuz I didn't think it was fair that everyone would die, even if a paradise came later.
Also, my parents were both in "the truth" in 75, and neither one of them set up retirement plans...who needs to when armegedon is just around the corner. Meanwhile after my father retired a few years ago he had to take another job because he and my mother did not prepare like people should...
It's all so sad, and thinking about all the things you let pass you by for a better reward is just really sickening.
Edited by - joannadandy on 10 June 2002 16:59:16
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Fizzgig
Well I also wasnt alive in 75 :P but for me 94 was just as big!!! While they never came right out and said "armageddon: this year" all the comments to "look for.." and "times changing" obviously when they constantly talk about the generation not dying out and gene= 80 years it had everyone thinking it...they didnt have to say it! I remember being worried sick that I wasnt baptized yet and all the conventions in my area had passed that year! I thought for sure I would die! Somehow I was aware of the 2 year discrepancy of 607-605 (I was 16) so the same thing happened to me in 96!! WONDERFUL!! :P 97 was the end for me! I couldnt believe us all studying the watchtower and no one even thinking how strange it was that they changed the generation to "generation of wicked people"...how convenient that I just got the crap scared out of me for 2 years and they just change the doctrine like that!! :P Must be easy for them! Everyone I knew just accepted it...like it was no major change at all :P
Fizz
Jewel: "9/11 Jolt of pure panic" I felt exactly the same way! thank you for putting that into words :) It was only for a moment but it was there!! and I remember thinking "how after all this time could I still be worried??" :) Tragic? YES Not armageddon!!
Edited by - Fizzgig on 12 June 2002 23:4:43
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Lady Lee
1975 Yup I was there
In 1972 when I got pregnant my mother chastized me because "she will never even get to school in this old system" Well she went to school grew up, graduated and her daughter is now in school.
I remember 1975 very well. I was 22 and had been going to meeting for 11 yrs and had been baptized for 4 yrs. Everytime there was an earthquake or war or storm we wondered and waited for it to start thinking we would have to escape the cities and hide out in the country somewhere. I knew some brothers who had bomb shelters ready with enough food and weapons - yes weapons to defend themsleves in case worldly people attacked them My husband and I decided we would let Jehovah protect us from the destruction.
At the summer convention we listened intently. We thought that the assembly would be a good time for it to start because we were gathered together making it easier for Jehovah to protect us. Nothing happened.
We looked forward to Oct 1 when there would be the annual meeting. Surely it would start then - How appropriate that it would start at the beginning of the "right" year. And since all JWs would be gathered all around the world in groups then THIS would be the right time. Anxoiusly we and all the friends went to the meetings. And all of us left with mixed feelings. It didn't happen - New Light - needed time for naming the animals and creating Eve and then their sinning. Ok just a few more years but certainly not long now.
They kept us hanging - dangling the carrot in front of us and constantly moving it just beyond our grasp and then telling us it was our fault of expecting it so soon. And we bought it hook line and sinker.
Edited by - Lady Lee on 13 June 2002 0:15:30