JW changes over time

by larc 70 Replies latest jw friends

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  garybuss

  
  Welcome got my, You left home to get away from the JW's and my sons left home to join them. I guess it all works out.
  
  My parents were so important to me, I could not even think about leaving the Watch Tower because leaving the Watch Tower would equal leaving the family. Watch Tower Corporation sponsored events was the only time my family or origin got together besides the rare summer family picnic. It took a tremendous amount of pressure to get me to quit associating at age 30. I fought to stay in, in spite of everything. In the end I lost and here I am.
  
  For a company that focuses a huge amount of their resources and time to attract new members, they seemed to work equally as hard to make it hard to stay a Witness. It seems like there is an equal and opposite effort to purge members. If they worked as hard to retain members as they do to recruit new ones, they would have a HUGE membership today. GaryB
  
  

  The Way I See it http://www.freeminds.org/buss/buss.htm
  
  
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  Guest 77

  Gary, your coment "If they worked hard as hard to retain members as they do to recruit new ones, they would have a HUGE membership today" is so true. When I heard how many were being disfellowshipped yearly, those were my sentiments. As time moved along the love that they kept talking about and didn't practice it, was slowly slipping away for me. I really don't miss any of the activities though I enjoyed them at the time. For me it was a learning experience. I'm not into getting people out, my life has taken on another dimension and I'm content.

  Guest 77
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  Zapper_1

  How sad that you should have to say that, Gary.
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  Zapper_1

  Nothing they promised me ever came true. - GaryB

  Oh, one thing did come true. They told me if I ever left, they would shun me. They have kept that promise.

  Those are the things I feel sad about!
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  Blueblades

  Hi Larc! 1969 was the year they got me.33yrs later the family is out.I'm 60 now,lost 30--- something yrs.Yes,we gone through many changes that have already been posted here.

  But ,I want to share one "DELUSION"that had me captured for so long.That is the very close association with the "ANOINTED".A number of them were in our congregation,we prayed,sang,worshipped,ate and drank together.Heard how they became "ANOINTED"What an impact this had on us!

  We had a ticket to the "New Order".More than anything at the time,we knew we would never die,the Brothers of Christ was our ticket to" Living Forever On a Paradise Earth".

  Very good post,as a look back for us old timers.

  Blueblades,whose family is no longer "DELUDED"
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  larc

  Gary Brusselman, I sent a rather lengthy e-mail to Jim Penton regarding my knowledge of Rutherford's mistress. I asked him permission to send it on to you. If I get such permission, you can post it here. If Jim does not want me to send to you, I will rewrite it, and start a separate thread on the the subject.
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  garybuss

  Cool! Thanks Larc.
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  wednesday

  Larc,

  I am about 50 and have seen it all too. I never knew anythting but JWS and even though my family was somewhat inactive in 50's,, we were treated kindly, not like today.. We met in store fronts , like gary mentioned, and i often remember hearing spirited discussins at the KH , people had different opinions and this was considered good. Study was SERIOUS, and we did Hard time with those prophecy books. I've been thrown off doors due to the war issues, but at my time it was Vietnam, and all the WW2 vets who hated our guts. We were suspect of being "commies" and my mom tells the story how the FBI infilitrated the org during WW2 jws were very much hated during ww2 and going in service was dangerous. By the time i was finished with jws(mid 90"s) service was stopping at burger king and laundry matts and making RV's that we knew were not home.

  What is that song that goes

  "...mommie told me not to come... i've seen so much, I don't want to see anymore.."
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  High Castle

  Q: Is there posted anywhere a chronology of the various changes posted here. Especially those changes that occured at the 'kingdom hall' level? I find it fascinating to match up my childhood memories with the changes that adults were grappling with. The smoking ban impacted my family.

  It's ironic that much of the institutional memory of this sect is now in exile, posting on sites such as this. Reading these posts triggers memories of the 'kingdom hall' that my family attended. It was a long established building. If you prowled around the basement storage areas - as a kid is wont to do - you got a sense of it's hidden history. The 'service board' is an example of this. Now I am trying to recreate the basement in my mind. Is anyone into Witness/Bible Student collectibles? I guess I should check E-bay to see if anyone is selling Rutherford era gramophones etc.
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  larc

  Gary, I just sent you an e-mail regarding Rutherford's mistress. It is circumstantial evidence, but very strong. Obviously, I did not catch them in bed and take a photograph. I was only two at the time of Rutherford's death. Nonetheless, I find the evidence to be compelling. For many years, I did not share this information with anyone. This woman was a member of my family.