Overlapping Generations (page 2)

The Fall Guy

Why hasn't there been a mass exodus? My closest friend in my last congregation sums it up: "Where else can we go?"

"Better the devil you know" attitude!

zeb

"She knows some teachings are BS, but still wholeheartedly believes they are right about most things."

So the org is not directed by the holy spirit then? and if its wrong that does not matter as "there is a meeting on Wednesday".... and isn't that so exiting!

So little people are held is suspense denied education, denied any little festivals that might distract them e.g. birthdays, are told repeatedly the borg is right the world is wrong and besides ......I have a meeting on Wednesday...

I attended a jw funeral. On the steps of the funeral home immediately after the funeral service was one sister asking about "field service arrangements"...

JRK

SBF,

Or 1930's Nazism.

Hello Dachau,

We are headed for a repeat and rinse.

JK

waton

The time when jws worried, cared about doctrine, beliefs are over.

Sail Away

Back when they actually responded to letters that we wrote, I wrote in about several doctrinal issues over the years, including blood fractions and the fact that the dates in the new Isaiah's Prophecy book just didn't add up.

When I heard the overlapping generation teaching at the District Convention, my first thought was, "That's crap!" I was also dealing with a very difficult family situation, the harshness of disfellowshipping and shunning family members, together with the hypocrisy of the elders at the same time.

The cognitive dissonance nearly killed me. I ended up in the emergency room due to over medication for severe clinical depression and PTSD. I was losing my mind. I knew I just couldn't do it anymore. I chose life with my family who had all left the organization over the hope of living forever in Paradise Earth alone without them.

I walked away after 42 years. The overlapping generation teaching was my tipping point doctrinally, but it took something highly personal to break through the indoctrination.

dropoffyourkeylee

I think the 1995 generation change had more significance than the overlapping generation change. Before '95 most people really did believe in the 1914 generation thing. After '95 I think the average JW, if they didn't leave then, just took it as 'whatever', so the overlapping change didn't mean a lot because they were not committed to the generation teaching post '95.

exjwlemming

The overlapping generation joke was one of the final nails in the coffin that sealed my choice to leave the org. I was never surprised that many more haven't filed out of the "kingdumb hall." Most have too much invested to leave and don't have the strength or confidence to leave. Others are lost and need direction and to be told how to live their lives. They can't think for themselves. I find that most could care less about the drivel that comes from the Warwick compound. The PIMOs, that I know, just roll their eyes and keep their heads down and carry on. The membership has become more of a social club that provides some identity for those who don't have one since they don't have anything invested outside the org. They claim to be morally superior to the rest of mankind and support the view of being a "spiritual master race." They live in their own little subculture world. Some members will leave but there will always be replacements experiencing some life changing catastrophe that fall victim to the JW propaganda and their twisted Bible interpretation. I do believe that the org will continue to see more people leave and less new converts. The downward trend will continue.

Ding

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain...."

_Morpheus

@lemming- its interesting, otwo has remarked in the past that the 1995 generation change was the one that shook him. I was around for that but i was just back from bethel and on the verge of getting married... life was moving at a fast pace and i really didnt pay a whole lot of attention i suppose. I really think its a matter of being mentally ready to see the truth.

flipper

JRK- Hey my dear friend, saw this thread when I woke up this morning. Great thread, good points you make. As you stated both for your mom , and for myself with dealing with my JW parents when they were alive - they too had so much invested in the WT organization - that it would have virtually destroyed their perception of what they considered to be " reality " for 60 years if they had seen through the overlapping generation theory in their mid to late 80's.

That being said I do believe that the majority of JW's stay in this organization out of FEAR indoctrinated into them by the GB and WT leaders and writers. The JW's that still believe in it stay in out of fear of being destroyed at the imaginary " Armageddon " - the JW's that don't believe in it and think it's a crock of shit - STILL stay in the organization out of FEAR of losing family members if they left. It's still the element of FEAR controlling all of these JW's - just fear of different things whether they believe - or not still.

Kind of how I see it with what little contact I have with JW's these days, which is just very rare talk with JW relatives once in a blue moon. Take care buddy, peace & hugs, Mr. Flipper

Overlapping Generations

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