Does anyone remember the special tract work that was going on just prior to 1975? The time was so close they came out with special tracts that were to be given to the householder with a sense of urgency. Also the length of time studying with people was cut to six months because there wasn't much time before the end and as many people as possible had to hear the word. Quite the scam wasn't it?
Let's just get something straight about 1975.
by WTFBBQPWNT 170 Replies latest jw friends
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moshe
I was baptised in 1972 and was in the middle of the 1975 era. Elders routinely encouraged us at our KH meetings to be busy in the work- only 22 months are left until 1975, 18 months 13 months,etc. Nobody ever got slapped for saying stuff like "stay alive 'till '75", etc. After a Bible study had went on for 6 months they either started coming to the KH or we warned them about the big bad 1975 date and gave them an ultimatum. Come to the meetings and get baptised or else be destroyed at Armageddon, which was only months away. And yes, I remember those tracts- delivered many of them after snowstorms and all the roads were closed- except for brave JW's who had to warn everyone - one last time!
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JWdaughter
When the excuse article in '80 or so came out about 1975, an elder who had been an elder during 1975 told us of how he took advantage of HIS absolute certainty of the WT teachings regarding 1975. He had a few sketchy business deals going down that he seemed somewhat abashed about. He totally acknowledged that the WT teachings led him and others to an abosolute conviction of 1975 being the end.
Not to mention, I was there. I was constantly told of what kinds of persecution to expect. I was constantly shown those pictures of what happened to those who were not 'in the truth'. I know my mom even now admits that she was expecting it-between the articles, the sunday talks and the conventions. . .Sunday talks used to be big 'clue finding' sessions, hoping that something would be 'revealed'.
I think the fireman analogy of the first page on this thread is absolutely on target. Yelling that you see flames and smell smoke and then saying "but I never said FIRE" is just dishonest.
shelly
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Lady Liberty
Here we go I Quit,
Thanks to Blondie posting this for us all back in June:
To get every JW and non-JW ready for 1975, the WTS had six tracts distributed from 9/73 to 11/75. Note the titles.
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 16 DISTRIBUTED 9/21-30, 1973 (Is Time Running Out for Mankind?)
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 17 DISTRIBUTED 12/22-31, 1973 (Has Religion Betrayed God and Man?)
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 18 DISTRIBUTED 5/3-12, 1974 (Government by God—Are Your For It?—Or Against It?
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 19 DISTRIBUTED 11/1-10, 1974 (Is This All There is to Life?)
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 20 DISTRIBUTED 5/2-11, 1975 (Would You Welcome Some Good News?)
KINGDOM NEWS NO. 21 DISTRIBUTED 11/1-10, 1975 (Your Future—Shaky or Secure?)
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freetosee
So WTFBBQPWNT,
what do you think? Is it realistic to say the wt leadership pointed to 1975? or was it r&f going over board?
Please give a reply on your thread. I was in awe when I first found those clear statments in the publications. Interestingly the wt Index does not take you the the ones posted on this thread.
fts
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Bonnie_Clyde
Our circuit overseer on two separate visits (early 70's) made this statement: "The Society was NOT wrong about 1914, and they will NOT be wrong about 1975." One of the brothers went up to him afterward the meeting and asked him exactly what the Society had said about 1975. He refused to answer.
Oh yes, Clyde and I remember all the hype. It amazed both of us how after the date came and went, the very people who were promoting it denied that they had ever believed it.
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Dismembered
Touche JWdaughter,
I was constantly told of what kinds of persecution to expect
I vividly remember being jolted with "watchtower chills" from an elder who was spraying the audience with his flying saliva with the pronouncement, that WW2 would be "paradisaic" compared to what were in for when the "Great Trib" comes. 1975 came & went much to his bad breath chagrin.
Dismembered
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JWdaughter
Dismembered, I think we went to the same hall. I had nightmares until my mid 30's. I think at that time I finally 'healed' from my early JW experiences. I have other things I am still t/o'd about, but the fear is gone. I will NEVER do that to my kids. I would NEVER allow them to be exposed to that intensive torment-and it was just from the WT/elders/cong/Borg. The wicked earthly gov't never gave me nightmares, Babylon the great never did. Neither ever persecuted me. Heck, I've never even been arrested! I have been 'pulled over' by the elders, interrogated by them and condemned by them. Who needs armageddon?
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jimbo
Don't be so hard on the birdie...... Jehovah in all his mercy has extended the time so more people could learn the "truth". The end must be very close now!!! Sell your homes, start pioneering,don't persue a secular education. You can get the equivilant of a college education by reading Awake magazine once a month.
Be thankful it didn't happen in 1975. Look how many more have joined the organization since that date.
But the end is close!!! So be on the gaurd.
jimbo (of the on gaurd class)