The New Light that burned me

by czarofmischief 31 Replies latest jw experiences

• 

  bavman

  I understand how you feel as well czar. I remember so many times in the "eighties" explaining to people at the door how close we must have to be to Armageddon since the "last days" clearly started in 1914, the young ones who saw WW1 would have to be alive when the "end" came, and a generation is about 70 or 80 years. How stupid and foolish i feel now. I also remember talking to some "older' ones about "old' understanding and 'how could they have possibly thought the end could have come earlier.' Clearly, I thought, this was the time for the "end" to be near. The "older ones" just said ' well, it's just what we thought...' I remember being different, not being involved in sports even though i was asked constantly, and not going to college because the "end" was near. I heard the lies about "1975" and then witnessed the same sort of thing after the 1989 WT and the 'generation' arcticles. Instead of being helped to feel better on these subjects I too was made to feel like basic crap. A questioning, doubter, who was bringing discouragement to others. Let's all get drunk now!

  bavman
• 

  Carmel

  czar, I had those same sinking feelings of betrayal on the day I was baptized at age 12. I was being and had been lied to by family, friends and the leaders of the society (before the elder arrangement). When I expessed my dismay and disappointment I was brutalized for doing so. That very day, I left the society. It took me two and a half years to physically leave, but mentally I was gone. I have never regretted that decision as my life has been so rewarding and fulfilling, expecially when I compare it to my imediate family. No worms here!

  carmel
• 

  inquirer

  garybuss --
  
  inquirer
  1914 is only relevant to the appointment doctrine now. "This generation" now refers to the contemporary generation living when Armageddon starts. If Armageddon doesn't come for 1,000 years, the generation living when it starts will be "this generation".
  
  Did you know the Witnesses used to teach that the end of the world, the great tribulation, and Armageddon were three different things and they printed that the world ended in 1914?
  
  
  inquirer -- Wow, I liked the way they use to view things then! Somewhere along the line I must of got the doctrines confused. Anyway, Raymond Franz' book changed everything now, so I don't care about it much anymore. Thanks for clearing it up now.
  
  I knew about 1914 was the end and then they always covered themselves up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Bastards!
• 

  AK - Jeff

  Nice thread Czar -

  The 'retraction' of the 1914 generation hit me like a ton of bricks! But I remember discussing it in service with others that just had that "Oh well, New light again" attitude. I was in disbelief that the were so uninterested about such a change.

  I felt great anger that I had been preaching a lie to the people for 25 years! Yet no one else seemed to think it a big deal. Of course that is the way the Society plays the game. The presented it as just another Ho-Hum change, hoping that the R&F would just quietly play along.

  On an aside; I remember picking up a book in the library a couple of years earlier that had commentary on different religions - can't remember the name of the book now - anyway the author adamanantly stated that before the end of the century Jw's would change the doctrine because they would have to- or look the fool for not. I commented on that book to my wife after the event. The wall was crumbling for me then - but it still took years before I would admit I had been duped!

  My oh My how that religion holds one captive - even after common sense tell you to get out!

  Jeff
• 

  czarofmischief

  AK - I remember the same lack of interest in the doctrine in the service groups too. It was as if they were trying to just keep going. They had the conclusion already posted in their heads (we must be loyal) and then wiggled the facts around until they got to where they needed to be.

  I remember one guy, nice guy, saying, "I was disappointed in 1975, and I am still around." This was by way of being encouragement. Hm.

  I bitterly said, "I think I am going to become an apostate." Well, look at me now.... ha!

  I was never as innocent about the truth again. In fact, that year was when I started doing theater... and that hastened my eruption from the borg!

  But looking back on it, I think most of the older ones already knew that the "end" wasn't coming, and were remaining JW's for reasons that had more to do with socializing, etc. Good if you were in the "in" crowd. But what I can't get, is if you KNOW it's all a lie, why would they ever disfellowship ANYONE over such stupid shite like I got into? I suppose it's the desert island mentality. Either you build a cohesive community out the rubble of the fallen civilization, or you go Lord of the Flies on each other. I think I wandered from my home congregation into one that was falling apart and got caught in the cross fire! Bastids.

  CZAR of the "give piggy back his glasses" klass
• 

  garybuss

  
  inquirer
  No, I mean the Watchtower magazine printed on every page 2 in 1942 that the world already ended. The teaching was the world ended in 1914 (and the Holy Spirit quit working in 1918).
  
  
• 

  diamondblue1974

  Also being brought up in as a JW I was led to believe that 'millions now living will never die' and when the startling news that the view had changed the words 'goal posts' and 'moving the' came to light.

  It was then I started to gradually fade away and doubt the information I had been spoon fed since being little; I had the balls to raise this with an elder at the time and I suppose it was then I began my career as an apostate because I dared to doubt the word from the platform.

  I raised a very pertinent point in that why didnt Jehovah reveal this 'new light' earlier in the generation; why is it that this supposedly 'new light' only came to be when they were on the brink of being exposed? i.e when those people who had seen those times were on the way to passing over from this life onto the next...why why why?

  The answer i got was classic...the elder said 'you should be very careful about what you say and pray you ask the right questions'....

  The fade began not long after...
• 

  iiz2cool

  I was in disbelief that the were so uninterested about such a change.

  I remember that watchtower study? and I remember looking around to see how others were taking the change. It seemed like no one even noticed it. Or maybe they didn't care. It's amazing how over 6 million people will unquestioningly change their beliefs simply because of a single sentence printed on cheap paper.

  Walter
• 

  AK - Jeff

  The answer i got was classic...the elder said 'you should be very careful about what you say and pray you ask the right questions'....

  Diamondblue - That sounds so familiar to me. I was told by one of the local Pharasees after the watchtower study a few years back [in which I told truthful things about things going on in the organization, this was the start of real doubts I guess], that I was 'treading on very thin ice'.

  After that I asked one of the other elders where I could pick up my printed comments for the watchtower study from then on - since the one's I was making were not in line with official politics. He didn't like that!

  I guess I missed the lesson on; vat is goot for the broders to heer is vat ve tell you is goot for dem to heer!

  Just my opinion

  Jeff
• 

  Jahna

  It wasn?t until I stumbled across this board that I found out about the generation bit. This is several years ?after? I left!
  
  You know after verifying for myself the ?new light? on so many points of doctrine I can?t help but wonder, why does new light always seem to appear after the fact? It would have more impact if it happened BEFORE hindsight. Like in 1950 a new light happens, generation really doesn?t mean people in WW1 but.........(list new light here). Now that is something, this after the fact deal is more like, opps goofed again.
  
  Jahna