So I had a conversation with an older brother...

by My Name is of No Consequence 23 Replies latest jw experiences

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  My Name is of No Consequence

  Recently, I was speaking with an older brother who is well into his 80's and is a widower. He explained to me that it is tough getting old and that "nothing works right anymore". He told me that he was able to get through his 70's with few problems. But now that he is in his 80's, he is having significant health issues. He seems to be taking it in stride though. I said; "Hey, pretty soon, you will be younger than me!" (I certainly do not believe that, but that is besides the point.) So he looks at me and starts laughing hysterically and says, "I sure hope so!"

  It was kind of funny and sad at the same time. Here you have an elderly man who has been a loyal subject for most of his adult life, lost his wife several years ago and now the paradise no longer seems real to him anymore. That is a tough pill to swallow.
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  Darkknight757

  The hall I attend (few and far between) has many older ones. They almost all sound like the gentleman your describing. I really feel sorry for these people and there isn't much you can do for them except help them out when you can.

  They cling to a hope that will never be realized and only in their old age are they starting to see this. Many haven't even prepared themselves financially for retirement so they are double screwed.

  Shame on the watchtower for misleading so many. It's a shame too that these people never took the time to research their beliefs. For them to wake up now would be truly devastating.

  Those who have woken up are fortunate.
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  Beth Sarim

  **But now that he is in his 80's, he is having significant health issues. He seems to be taking it in stride though. I said; "Hey, pretty soon, you will be younger than me!" (I certainly do not believe that, but that is besides the point.) So he looks at me and starts laughing hysterically and says, "I sure hope so!"**

  That has happened to me several times over the years, when talking Elderly people.
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  prologos

  possibly not only doubly,-- triply deceived, and they can sense it. If Wt could not even deliver the simple earthly paradise on time, now the only next hope is the resurrection, a much tough job, who will believe wt can deliver that? really? they know, that wt promises are not worth the paper they are written on.
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  steve2

  This has sadly reverberated down several decades.

  When I was a child in the early 1960s, our local hall had several elderly brothers and sisters who had been in the organization since before the 1920s and they had proudly once identified as Bible Students.

  All were old and frail - and all were hanging on for the end.

  All had expected the end to have occurred decades earlier. Decades.

  My maternal grandfather, only in the "truth" since the mid-1920s grew old and tired in this old system of things and lived through the hyper-excitement over 1975.

  He fell for it big time. I can remember him excitedly telling me in 1973 - the year of my baptism - that the end was so near because he had never before sensed that the Watchtower study articles were so urgent.

  He died in 1976.

  So, here we are 40 years later as younger generations of JWs become older, frail and face their own individual end whilst "this system of things" continues. Sadly wasted lives holding out for a world that never comes.
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  Beth Sarim

  **If Wt could not even deliver the simple earthly paradise on time, now the only next hope is the resurrection, a much tough job, who will believe wt can deliver that? really? they know, that wt promises are not worth the paper they are written on.**

  Thats what I think is the sentiment of a vast majority of JWs. They just keep practising the JW lifestyle because it feels right in their heart what they should be doing, just part of habbit and keeping up the social aspect of it all.
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  My Name is of No Consequence

  @ Beth Sarim:

  I agree with that. "Where else would we go?"
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  LisaRose

  I think older people are just as aware of the failures of the Watchtower as others, if not more so. They were around in 1975, they know, at least on some level, that their predictions were just plain wrong, they expected to be in the new system 40 years ago. They don't leave because at that stage in life it's too hard to start over with no friends and/or family. The organization obviously doesn't care about them, as their is no support or effort extended to those who gave their life for the organization and now don't have anything left to give. I am glad I got out when I was young enough to start over.
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  RichardHaley

  steve2 ....me in 1973 - the year of my baptism

  Hey, me 2! Oakland CA
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  sir82

  How long has he been a JW? We are now 41 years past 1975.

  He not only wasn't ever supposed to die, he wasn't ever supposed to grow old. He should have jumped right from middle age into eternal youth in a paradise.