Do JWs really believe the end is near?

by keyser soze 49 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • keyser soze
    keyser soze

    Or do they merely pay lip service to the idea? I have no doubt that some of them sincerely believe. But when I was a kid, growing up in the '80s, I didn't know of a single witness, myself included, who didn't believe the end was close. But I just don't see that attitude prevalent today. At least it isn't reflected in their behavior, or the way they live their lives.

    A prime example of this is my oldest brother. He is one of the most hardcore dubs that I know. He is presiding overseer of his cong, and a substitute CO. He and his wife have been regular pioneers for over 20 years. And yet, he also has been planning for the future by putting money into an IRA account. It seems somewhat contradictory to me to go to people's homes, and warn of impending doom, while at the same time, saving for a retirement, some 20+ years in the future. I suspect that there are many others like my brother, who are beginning to doubt if armageddon will come in their lifetime, if at all. They are simply going through the motions, either to appease family and the elders, or because(which is more likely in my brother's case) they have simply invested too much of themselves to leave, and find something else.

  • bronzefist
    bronzefist

    Overheard one sister say to another that at the DC a speaker said, "The end isn't around the corner anymore it's one step away." Don't know if that's been said before. I always felt the end is near talk is a bunch of BS.

    brzfst

  • asilentone
    asilentone

    well my JW family always invest their money even though the end is near, they(and I) think we should invest our money because we do not know when the end will come, so when the big A comes, they will of course stop investing. It is all about being wise in financial matters. It is never good to be broke at any age.

  • keyser soze
    keyser soze
    well my JW family always invest their money even though the end is near, they(and I) think we should invest our money because we do not know when the end will come, so when the big A comes, they will of course stop investing. It is all about being wise in financial matters. It is never good to be broke at any age

    But the point is that JWs in the past never saved money for retirement. Many of the elderly are broke, because they were so certain they'd never grow old before armageddon.

  • searchingforfriends
    searchingforfriends

    I think there is a lot of apathy, but there are some (like my parents) who think it could happen at any moment.

  • asilentone
    asilentone

    yes, I have seen that, you are right most of them did not invest their money because they think it would be worthless to invest their money because they think armaggedon will come very soon.

  • SirNose586
    SirNose586

    One of my JW friends goes by a saying he heard elsewhere: "Be ready like it could come tomorrow, but plan like you're going to die in this system."

    I don't know where he got it, but it's good to know that upcoming generations of dubs will at least try to have some semblance of a normal life. Given that one of my dub friends just got his master's at 24, I certainly hope this is a shade of better things to come...

  • BFD
    BFD

    I'm getting the feeling that for the first time in history the end will be out of reach for JW's. I think the morph in the religion new light is taking that promise away from them. I just can't figure out what the new carrot will be. Not that I give a flying f*ck. It's just that the last carrot stole my mom's life from her and it pisses me off.

    BFD

  • Jeremy C
    Jeremy C

    Many Witnesses are able to switch hats on demand. One hat is that of an urgent expectation. Any major news story regarding a natural disaster or middle east skirmish will bring out the "End Is Near" hat. When that news story blows over, they are able to take that hat off, and put on the more pragmatic "Take Care of Business" hat.

    This is truly a bizarre compartmentalization that takes place in the mind. A person is convinced that the end is a matter of months away, yet they are still able to go to Home Depot and pick out a jacuzzi the following weekend. The motto seems to be: Keep On The Watch! . . . but mind your affairs.

    Many people are not emotionally equipped to maintain this kind of mental on and off switch. Those are the kinds of people who become depressed, neurotic, and turn to food or alcohol. Others, simply give up this crazy-making and join forums like this.

  • flipper
    flipper

    KEYSER- I agree the witnesses are more and more paying lip service to this " false" hope. The more years that go by without anything happening - we will see more of them jumping off the ship I believe

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