by rekless 38 Replies latest jw friends
Don't remember that at all. I still have my Lamp book, never asked to give it back. In fact, a page in the back was signed by you and the congregation servant/overseer "Record of Christian Baptism". It was considered a document ordaining you as a minister of Jehovah God.
"In accord with the example and commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ on [Date] at [Place], I was baptized in water. (Matt. 3:13-17; 28:19) I am now an ordained minister of Jehovah God."
Blondie
Poztate,
I remember an announcement that if anyone had old publications they were not using to please turn them in.The reason stated was that the books would be given to newly formed congregations so that their libraries could be completed. I wonder if the real reason was just to get all that"old light" out of the hands of the rank and file. I think this was in the 70's.
Yes, you are correct on both counts. The Society has always hated and feared its own older literature as the supposed "new light" is published.
Jim W.
My hubby and I recall an annoouncement, but we both recall it had to do with building libraries.
I do very clearly recall a pionner sis who was" in the "know'" telling me not to read the older publications. I jasked her why not. She said it was not advised by the wts, and I asked again why. She said the apostates were using it to discredit the org . I said I was stable enough to read old literature and not be confused by it. She looked at me suspiciously
.who knew
I remember it!
My mum gave over loads of old KM's which had my father's handwriting all over them (Mum kept them for all sorts of reasons...mostly sentimental I imagine)
What would the society want with such old stuff??? guess the dutiful elder who she gave them to never imagined why the borg would ask for them.......dohhhh
Makes me mad, as some of them were lates 70's n 80's.
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY MONEY.
Like unsold newspapers: In most western countries, unsold papers and magazines are returned to the publishers, who can then reclaim the money in lost sales against taxes.
Booksellers can try to sell them off as remainders and claim the loss of revenue against tax.
Betcha thats what Good Ol' Mommy did. Bet it brought in a few million for salmon fishing holidays.
HB
I remember the announcement about building libraries in other congregations being made. Dont remember the other stuff.
Hi rekless
Sorry to hijack your thread but I don't think my PM's are going out because I use a mac w/Safari. I think you may have known my mom from the Clearlake cong. Her name was Judith Curtis and she was married to Jim Curtis at the time.
Eva
Come on, folks!
The books were ordered destroyed for a good reason: to avoid confusion!
Just think about it: a book came out five years earlier boldly saying "this wicked generation will not pass away" and then a new book is released that reads "we have to penetrate deeper into the meaning of 'generation' as spoken of by Jesus. By using the word pho-ni-laus-kas, usually translated by greek scholars as 'contemporary', he clearly showed we ought to have the long view in mind... blah blah blah...".
The brodars and sistahs at this point are thinking "what the #$&$%*#@"....
You see? That's bound to cause some confusion, as you can imagine... So what's the best solution? Let's make a little bonfire of the damn old books. Problem solved.
Observador.
I remember the big push every January to place 2 older books together, we were told these older books were still valuable tools and we had no announcements to hand in older books, quite the opposite. But obviously they needed to get rid of so many of them hoping people wouldnt actually read them.
Little did I realize these older books would lead to us walking away from it all
I was df'd and then reinstated in the early eighties. The announcement was made after 1985 because I remember very clearly sitting at the KH with my husband when the request was made. I paid very careful attention at every meeting because I was still in my "trying to prove how repentant and good I can be" phase. Anyway, the reason given in our congregation was "there is a wealth of historical information and knowledge in these older books and we should cooperate with this request so that they can be kept in the library where everyone in the congregation, including newer ones can have access to them and enjoy them." Sounds great! And they were kept in the library for a number of years. Then a request was made that no one should just go and help themselves to the books on their own but they should sign them out with an elder so they could keep track of them. Then it was requested that they only be researched in the library and not taken out at all as some were not being returned. Still, sounds innocent enough. Later the books quietly disappeared out of the library, no announcement or explanation given. I asked my husband where they had gone because I was bored sitting in the library with my very noisy baby every meeting and I wanted something to read and he told me they had gotten rid of them to make room during the renovation. I had no idea this was going on in every KH and so thought nothing sinister was afoot.
Now, I am inclined to believe this was a very gradual reclaiming of the old information to take it out of circulation. I have a real love of history and old books and literature and decided on my own to add to my classical collection by collecting all the society's old books on e-bay. I found a first edition of Russell's Divine Plan of the ages on the internet. The one with the pyramid on the cover and the chart in side.
When I showed it to my closest friend she told me that we were not supposed to read those old books. I asked her why not as it was a part of our history. She told me her father, who is also a PO in the cong told her the society had told the elders not to encourage the publishers to read them as too many people were becoming confused about their faith. This was news to me, but sure enough, anytime I showed an elder my "rare find" they would get this surprised look on their face and show a definite lack of interest in looking at the book. This was just a couple of years ago. Now I am more determined than ever to collect some of the earlier writings. If I could only get my hands on all those bound KM's and mags my father used to keep. Although, I am sure he has dutifully turned them all in. He does love to follow the rules.
CD
