by UnshackleTheChains 68 Replies latest jw experiences
This is obviously a question for the older generation. I'm really curious what it was like to be a witness in the 60's and 70's?
Was the society as strict as it is today?
Did you feel proud to be a JW back then?
Were the brothers more loving in those days?
Just wanted to hear some experiences to compare with the way things are today
Pre 75 it was the end is coming in 1975 so do all you can sell your house and whatever else you can and get out preaching.
I think they were more strict then some congro's had a no jeans policy at social functions and other stupid man made rules.
Karter.
Is it true you could disassociate yourself prior 1981 with no restrictions? And how did you treat people who choose to leave?
I grew up with a father who was a fanatical is. By six years old I was selling maz. door to door by myself. I had guns pointed at me and dogs order to attack me. People in our area of IL hated jw. My first 4years of school I was always made a example of by the teachers for not saluting the flag. When hoildays came around I usually had to face sitting in a corner in the library as punishment for refusing to celebrate the holiday. I was made fun of for my parents belief's in front of the whole class. If that was not bad enough the PO of our congregation try to kill me for catching him raping my childhood friend. Then the Vietnam war was going great guns all my parents talk about that when I graduate from high school I would no doubt go to prison for not going to war. Finally the big A was coming and if you don't measure up to what God wanted you would die a horrible death. Of course being a teenager at the time most of my thoughts was on my hormones not selling maz. and I knew for sure I was dead meat. The congregations I was with where mostly made up of very old people. Ones who personally knew Russell and Rutherford. They always look on the young ones with a critical eye. No I never felt proud to be a jw. Mostly felt abused by the whole experience. Still Totally ADD
Mom studied with an anointed sister, Lillian Grobel, when I was a tot, in the early '50s. Our library, away from the Carnegie down the street, was my mother's bed, strewn with WT publications, movie and astrology mags, Bibles, etc.
The studies were heavy-duty, out of such publications as The Truth Shall Make You Free and Let God Be True. In the 1960s, I studied Things in Which It Is Impossible for God to Lie. Make Sure of All Things and All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial, useful in research, were among my very favorites. Of course, Aid to Bible Understanding, which I worked on pre- and post-publication, tops the list.
What stood out to me was the large number of anointed remnant throughout congregations I associated with. Do you know who they were? They were, as we were taught, the remainder -- remnant -- of Christ's brothers here on earth during the time of the end. So many prophecies and their latter-day fulfillment centered around these brothers and sisters.
The Truth was taken very seriously and my acquaintance with these remarkable people was, as the Scripture states, our taking hold of the skirt of a Jew and saying we will go with you. Very serious, deep stuff! BTW, the older brothers and sisters I knew were not kooky but had a deep knowledge of the Bible, were incredibly generous and kind; and their number one objective was to spread the Good News.
I loved my religion and the sincere and goodhearted people in it. They took a real interest in me. My quitting college and career to be with these people was never a question of being the wrong thing to do.
We, who are now the old timers -- I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! -- were totally into the reality of the New World. It was truly "just around the corner"!
Well, enough for now . . .
Looking back on it now, those years seemed to be a time of mad people and mad ideas.
For sure, the JWs in my first congregation were friendly, open and helpful types. However, I now know that they more reflected the community that they sprang from rather than anything else.
- i.e. this was a remote, thinly populated part of the world, in which people (even today) still tend to be helpful and generous by inclination.
There were beach parities, sports event between congregation,social affairs(parties folks), and the assemblies were great. We were having a great time before our worldly family and friends became bird food, we were safely on the Ark, we were special with special knowledge. You talk about being full of yourself, Wow that was us......We believed( adults) that we were seeking the best life for you young ones our kids.....
What was it like being a JW in the 1960's and 1970's..
Was the society as strict as it is today?
Yes
Did you feel proud to be a JW back then?
Being a JW Kid sucked..
Were the brothers more loving in those days?
No..
They were as full of shit then, as they are today.....And..
No Matter Where You Went..
The Topic of Almost Every JW Conversation Was..
Answer = intense, a lot of fear and anxiety perpetrated by the Bogus dating of mankind's existence of 6000 years calculated up to 1975, a lot of teens dropping out of school, a few suicides.
The 1969 summer Assembly was 7 days long, there were 3 official meetings a week and longer as well.
By the way in case people dont know the 6000 year dating calculation was twice used before by the WTS, once in the early 1900's, once in 1941 and again in the late 60's.
