The 1975 Generation---are they still around?

by minimus 47 Replies latest jw friends

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  OneEyedJoe

  In my experience those that were in some way around for 1975 (most that I know were in their teens or early 20s - those of my parents' generation) are the last of the old-school, studious, "scholarly" JWs that actually know their stuff. The ones that stayed after that disappointment are more firm in their faith than those that have come after. They had to learn, early on, to reject contrary evidence and push on with faith, and now it is impossible for them to see that they might have been wrong - they are too proud for that.

  The book When Prophecy Fails describes a similar situation with a small cult that predicted the end of the world. When the end of the world failed to materialize many left, but those that stayed in had even more conviction that it was true. In fact, it was only after this failure that they started proselytizing (sound familiar - JWs post 1914...) and the theory goes that it is their own insecurity about their beliefs that drives them to convince others they're right. If you can convince someone else to join your side, then it bolsters your confidence that you've joined the right side.
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  Worldling9

  My 80 year old aunt is still in. This is how 'in' she is: Her husband died of complications from coexisting diagnoses a few years ago...she insisted on an autopsy so she'll be able to explain to him his exact cause of death when she sees him again in the new system.......
  

  
  

  wl9
  
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  OUTLAW

  The 1975 Generation---are they still around?

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  TimeBandit

  How on earth could such a profoundly failed and disappointing thing have been overcome by most JWs? The WTS led everyone to believe 75' was going to be THE END. Of course, after nothing happened they backpedaled and denied and blamed everything on the rank and file.

  People sold their homes, misspent their life savings, did all kinds of misguided things because they were led by the WTS to do so. Can you imagine how devastating it must have felt for those who did so when they realized it was for nothing? And yet most stayed loyal and kept following the piper.

  Even if most of the JWs at the time didn't go to extent of selling all their valuables and mis-managing their money, I bet they knew someone who did, or at least heard of it happening.

  And they kept following the piper...And KEEP following the piper with each new failed hope. They are still focused on that carrot dangling in front of them. It would be interesting to see the results of IQ tests performed on people who are still chasing the carrot...

  TB-

  
  
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  Phizzy

  I was born in, in the early 1950's. I remember well the 1975 nonsense.

  My experience seems to be very different from many, from most I guess, probably because of the Congregation I was in from early 1969 onward.

  This Congo. did not make much of the '75 stuff, hardly a mention, and saw itself as very independent in the way it conducted itself. Our Meetings were often like Old Time Music Hall, with comments loudly from the audience causing hilarity, and really undermining the seriousness some would have liked to impose.

  Doctrine as presented by the W.T was always perused, and often torn apart. Rules and Regulations that other Congo's observed ( Suits only, no Beards etc etc) were derided and given short shrift.

  As a probably unique and wholly liberal Congo. many who felt oppressed in their proper Congo. moved to ours, so that it soon became the largest in the Circuit, and as such was kind of untouchable. A C.O told me that previous C.O's had warned him about us, they did not know how to handle us, as we did not fear them one bit. What could they do ? Disband the largest Congo. in the Circuit and risk a revolution ?

  I am not "still around", nor are many who made that Congo. the kind of place even Phizzy could remain in, survive in ?, it is now two Congo's, very much clones of all the others I guess, the old Rebels, which I was part of, have died, or got Dementia, the Borg has finally tamed the Beast.

  Some of those old 75ers that I knew are still active JW's , they must have subsumed memory, and they really must have faith. Faith based on total crap of course.
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  stan livedeath

  i was a pioneer and a servant in the late 60's--married in '68.

  1975 was all we ever heard--and believed. by 71 i decided enough was enough--and was out.

  i remember visiting like minded friends in '76---and had a good laugh we were still alive !

  what a load of old baloney. i bet the watchtower just hopes it all goes away--along with russell--rutherturd--blood transfusions----all the old twaddle they used to peddle.
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  Giordano

  My wife and I were way way out long before 1975.

  However if it counts........ we were in time for the first Woodstock in 1969. A far more significant moment.
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  JWdaughter

  I was 9 in 1975. I remember it well and I remember thinking that something huge was supposed to happen in 1975 (and then, maybe a little later, dates might be off). Well, I was a kid. I only heard what I heard at the meetings. My mom claims to this day that she didn't "believe" 1975 was it. I do know that she got my dad to go to meetings for a short while, but he flat out stopped very very soon. Anyway, all my expectations and then disappointment regarding 1975 were purely WT/KH/JW induced. I was a little kid. I don't claim to know all the excitement, but I do know that I had a total persecution complex. I was ready for it, baby! I read up on holocaust accounts and accounts of those escaping from brutal regimes. This was more when I was about ages 9-11 and it REALLLY had to be soon (remember the Eve theory?). I had a bunker attitude back then, honestly. I saw signs up about trespassers being prosecuted (persecuted in my doofy kid head) and wondered why they would do that just because you walked in someones yard. I went out in FS a lot and there were a LOT of JWs in my area, even then. I thought the signs were to keep JWs away. Anyway. My 9 year old brain was not doing independent math. I was buying what they were selling.

  My mom is a JW and an aunt recently came back (about the 3rd or 4th time with drugs and alcohol featuring greatly in the in-between times) and is pioneering along with her very compliant husband (that she dragged into the mess.) All the cousins (except the one that murdered her cheating JW husband and his JW mistress in her bed) are out. My uncle is dead, all his kids and 3 ex wives (all JWs while married to him and divorcing him) are out. There were dozens of more distant cousins, but all are out now or dead(murdered!). Oh wait. The one that accidentally killed his baby brother on a hunting trip is still in. Forgot him. I have a lot of whacky and nutty relatives on my mom's side. That the freakiest seem to be JWs might just be because they are, but that leaves a lot of nuts in the rest of the bowl.
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  minimus

  Funny thing I was in that drama about the people who were upset over the expectations they had for the 1975. I was the brother studying to be an elder LOL
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  minimus

  It's embarrassing but true JW's such a bullshit religion it isn't funny. sad really.