Yup. I remember those days, Jim. It DID RAWK!!!
I was love-bombed in the front door back in '73. Such a sorry cult it turned out to be. I forced 'em to dF me by February 16, 1992.
Frannie
35 Yrs ago today - We rocked!
by Amazing1914 72 Replies latest jw friends
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Frannie Banannie
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JeffT
I was baptized in 1973, the 1975 hysteria was going full force. But there were a lot of fun times. I think things like the congregation picnics were a major force in drawing me in. I don't know why anybody with the brains God gave gravel would want to become a Witness now, with all the rules against anything that might be fun.
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Farkel
Good work, Jim!
Most people know that I left the org in the early 1970's so I can vouch for your experiences as being accurate. I can't count the number of "Truth" books I sold, but I ordered them 25 at a time. Actually (for me at least) the best times I had as a dub were in the 1960's. We had many gettogethers, picnics, skating parties and the like and actually did charitable things for those in need in our circuit.
Starting from about 1970 until I left, the org. became increasingly meddlesome in our personal lives: telling us what kind of marital sex was and was not acceptible, precisely how to dress, what kind of music we could not listen to, what kind of dances we could not dance, demanding chaperones on dates, what kind of games (chess) we could not play and so forth.
The only thing that came along that seemed redeeming was the elder rotation arrangement. This was particulary welcome in my congregation because the PO was a tyrant. The society tried that for a while and (after I left the dubs) decided that the older tyrant PO arrangement was better afterall.
If I ever had a decade to live over again in my life, it would definitely be the 1960s.
Farkel
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seven006
Jim………………
The watchtower never said Armageddon was coming in 1975. You read too much into what they said and printed. It is not their fault all their followers misunderstood what they had said. Demons took over their pens, pencils, notebooks, and tape recorders then wrote and taped things they never said about 1975 at assemblies. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. -
Amazing1914
Hey Farkel,
I stared associating in 1968, and can recall the pre-meddlesome days. After I was married, I recall the Society publishing an article prohibiting oral sex between married people. JW couples were told to stop and repent of this practice. Some even went and confessed this stuff to the elders. Yikes! But then, before the end of the 70s, they allowed (indirectly) JW couples to have oral sex again, as along as they both enjoyed it ... and then in the early eighties, (I think) they told the elders not to meddle in such things. Gawd only knows what they tell the JWs today?
Jim W.
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Room 215
I was baptised in 1959, and it's been my contention all along that this just ain't the same organization; oldtimers would simply not recognize it.
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Amazing1914
Seven / Dave,
Demons loved assemblies back then. I think it was the slightly warmed up canned food you ate standing up at makeshift plywood tables and served in metal army cafeteria trays that attracted them. I remember the metal army trays being the only thing that gave the warmed up green string beans any flavor. Aaaaaa the misty water colored memories.
Ahhhhh ... the coffee was sinfully delectable, like nothing that Starbucks could ever immitate!
I had a couple of really cool demon experiences. It is time to bring them out, dust them off, and give them a coat of JWD paint.
I recall having the privilege of loading trucks up from local storage buildings. We loaded stacks of metal trays, pots, and all kinds of goodies. We did the same for Circuit Assemblies when the Society used to feed us fairly decent meals. And the cost was very reasonable. Then, they got greedy, and then ended food altogether.
If you go to a Dawn Bible Students convention, it is like the old Circuit Assembly days, with good food at reasonable prices. The Dawn never got the memo about streamlining the process like the Watchtower.
Jim W.
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Room 215
This is one of my older threads; I think it's relevant here......
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Amazing1914
Hi Room215,
Yes, I read your link. Excellent point about the eight-day assemblies. When I joined, they were just five-days, but the JWs still talked about eight-days. Our conventions also started at 7:30 AM to go preaching everyday, and then lasted until 9:00 PM. I recall sitting in the fog at Kesar Stadium, San Francisco in 1971 trying to stay warm under a blanket while we watched a long-long drama. Kesar was about the worst stadium they could have ever rented.
1971 is the convention where they released the book, "The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah - How?" What a hell of a title. The " - How?" at the end just really screwed up a good title and a good read. That was also the convention where they announced the elder arrangement.
Jim W.
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purplesofa
Great thead.........Although, I did not come in till '86........the same progression of feelings and excitement is about the same. The very org that taught us so much takes away the very life and spirit from a person.
Great writing.
purps