1974 and all that

by Number 6 24 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Number 6

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzNh9IcM1Os

  I came across this footage recently whilst searching for something completely unrelated and it blew me away!

  It's from the August 1974 Convention at Murrayfield, Edinburgh and you can clearly see the stage set up still keeping the 6000 years and 1975 mantra going.

  What makes this very personal for me is that I was here. Not being filmed directly, but its entirely possible I am in the background somewhere. But 4 year old me was there at that convention.

  Also, this is the convention my mother was baptized at as a young 26 year old.

  She's now 75 and I am 53. So much for "any day now" some 49 years later.

  But what made me very sad looking at it was that even the middle aged people and older in that footage will all be dead now. A lot of people my mothers age will also be gone as indeed will some my own age. Thousand upon thousands in that stadium that weekend pinning their hopes on 1975 the next year. All let down and failed by The Watchtower.

  What a waste.

  The YouTube poster has lots of JW Cine footage over the decades. Well worth a watch, but being honest, left me feeling very weird after watching it.
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  Cool, shame they wasted so much footage on the lame dramas. More views of the audence would have been more interesting, looking back at it 50 years later.

  I was at a convention in '74, don't recall where.
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  Teddnzo

  This is pure gold, the next time they try to deny what they said about 1975 or even worse when they actually try to put the blame on others for thinking the end would come in 1975.

  it’s unbelievable but true, they actually criticised anyone who wrongly believed the end would come in 1975

  but before that date if you hinted at doubting the end would come in 75 you were labelled apostate
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  HOTB

  That was great to see. So many assemblies and memories from Murrayfield :)

  I was there. I was 14 years old.

  I scoured the video for familiar faces and was able to make out just one on the platform.

  I was responsible for costumes and make-up for the drama many years ago. Tam Shepherds was the shop to go to for fake beard material!

  Thanks for sharing :)
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  Gorb

  Same feelings here.

  Gorby
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  Fisherman

  keen eye
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  BluesBrother

  In 1974 , the 6000 years thing was still very big. We used to think about the end coming in, not years but months….

  I was not at Murrayfield for that convention but I remember the drama from Twickenham , the exploding alter and wasn’t it the Sons of Korah being swallowed up by the Earth ?

  I used to enjoy those dramas, hammy thought they were . You knew it was your own people out there and you wished them well. The slick videos of today don’t have it for me.

  The camera captured the spirit of those conventions ….rain ! but British making the best of it and still enjoying themselves. We had food at those times too!
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  jhine

  I'm confused. I've watched the film and can see the numbers going up to 7000 on the front of the podium.

  What am l missing?

  Jan from Tam
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  St George of England

  I have watched many of his videos over the years (tothe field) and found them "enjoyable". The quality is not great even though they were filmed on 16mm colour film, very expensive in the 60's and 70's.

  That particular convention, or assembly as we called them, at Murrayfield brings back memories. I was there with my wife, we stayed at the Pollock Halls, halls of residence for University of Edinburgh students. Easy drive along Princes Street to the stadium each morning.

  I am older than you and your mother so share the feelings of wasted years, although in my case it could have been worse. So many of my peers of the day have long since gone. I often say to my wife that it's not so bad for "worldly" people. From the day they are born they know they are going to get old and die. We, as JW's were brainwashed into thinking we would never get old, or even go to school in this old system.

  George
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  dropoffyourkeylee

  I've watched the film and can see the numbers going up to 7000 on the front of the podium.
  What am l missing?

  Good question. As I recall, they were still teaching the chronology that 6000 years of man's existence, that is from the creation of Adam, was to end in 1975. The gentile times would end and usher in the next 1000 years (hence the '7000' on the platform) would be the Millenial reign. After that a perfect existence of eternity. The 7000 was the 7th creative day, and jived with the belief that each of the creative days was 7000 years long. All preposterous of course, but that is the chronology they inherited from the Russell days and still taught into the '70s.