Do JWs really believe the end is near?

by keyser soze 49 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Mary
    Mary
    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 found that many Witnesses in the 1980's still had no plans for retirement......After all, 1984 was the "70 year cut off" date for "this generation", so why plan anything? But when they changed "this generation" doctrine in the Novmeber 1995 WT, alot woke up and realized they better do something. My former best friend, who is a fanatical die-hard pioneer for the past 20 years, had never believed in buying a house or doing anything that might suggest setting roots down in this 'wicked system of things', yet after that study article, she and her hubby bought a house........

    The younger generation still had time to save for retirement, but my parents' generation is the one that got royally screwed, as it was too late for many of them to buy a house, contribute to a pension plan or even put money into RRSP's. I know countless Witnesses in their 70s or 80s now who are literally living hand-to-mouth, simply because they were given advice from the Feckless and Indiscreet Slobber Class not to do anything that hinted of stability.

    I wonder when we can expect to see an apology in the literature for screwing over hundreds of thousands of Witnesses out of a decent life.

  • Witchettygrub
    Witchettygrub

    Intelligent witnesses would have a foot in both worlds, the spiritual - keeping their 'eye on the prize' - and also on their daily life such as putting money aside for their later years. The latter unheard of back in the 70's and 80's.


    Witchettygrub

  • whitman
    whitman

    Thanks for the warm welcome Jgnat. From what my mother was saying it seems they are skipping the step of the government turning on all religion. I'm not sure if this is a change in policy or whether it is simply just a murky issue now. It's a pretty specific sign so perhaps blurring the edges of that prophecy serves there purpose.

    I am unsure whether everyone in this forum is an ex-witness, or whether there are people who are still involved with the church. For those of you who have defintely left - does anyone ever have a sudden and completely irrational fear of the possibility of armageddon? Or nightmares?

  • jamiebowers
    jamiebowers

    From what my mother was saying it seems they are skipping the step of the government turning on all religion. I'm not sure if this is a change in policy or whether it is simply just a murky issue now.

    If this is true, I wonder if the WTB&TS is skipping the step of the government turning on all religion and jumping right to persecution of the jws in order to explain all of the sex abuse and blood issue lawsuits to the rank and file.

    Welcome to the board, btw. Yes, many people who are out have fears and nightmares about Armageddon. It wears off after a while.

  • OUTLAW
    OUTLAW

    ..Every JW believes the end is near.....I`ve watched the older generations of JW`s preach and believe the "End is Near!".....They all died......... JW`s will continue preach and believe the "End is Near."......And..Like all JW`s before them..They will die......................Is that a Big Surprise to anyone??!..LOL!!................Laughing Mutley...OUTLAW

  • Billy the Ex-Bethelite
    Billy the Ex-Bethelite

    WTBTS is setting the standard. Incessantly preach that the end is at hand. In reality, plan construction projects for the next 7 years. The paradox used to drive me crazy. Now that I understand that the end has been at hand for about 2,000 years, planning for reality is what is really at hand.

    B the X

  • Ex-smoker
    Ex-smoker

    While i dont agree with the witnesses i think the general feeling in christianity is that the end is close. With the current world events im inclined to agree. Acording to my brother not a JDUB But a christian who went to a seminary school for a year, China is going to march against Isreal to please the arab nations. China becoming very industrilized and is going to need lots of oil. Acording to him theres a body of water thats being damned up and a road in china being built that leds right up to this body of water. All china has to do is take there 250,000,000 man army and march right on to isreal and that is god is going to intervine the rapture will happen and blah blah blah. I kinda take it with a grain of salt but like i said with the current state of the world idk it could happen.

  • Billy the Ex-Bethelite
    Billy the Ex-Bethelite
    China is going to march against Isreal to please the arab nations. China becoming very industrilized and is going to need lots of oil. Acording to him theres a body of water thats being damned up and a road in china being built that leds right up to this body of water. All china has to do is take there 250,000,000 man army and march right on to isreal and that is god is going to intervine the rapture will happen and blah blah blah.

    I've heard tons of JW speculation my entire life rise and fall. It gets easier to spot the flaws. A Chinese 250M man army isn't going to sneak up on Israel. China's superdam isn't on wheels. Israel has the bomb. China makes a move and BOOM. The damn is gone, floods rage through the Chinese lowlands. Nukes fly. China knows that would happen, hundreds of millions of Chinese would die, their land radioactively fried for centuries.

    For the JWs and all other doomsday watchers, any possible event is a reason to pee their pants with speculative excitement.

    I don't doubt that there will be major problems for Asia and the Middle East in the very near future. I don't see the Bible giving a detailed explanation, or a true prophet, or a miracle-working messiah pointing the way to salvation, or any god who gives a damn.

    B the X

  • White Dove
    White Dove

    I suppose a few are skeptical. I was when I realized that my parents were not even supposed to start kindergarten before the end came.

  • chickpea
    chickpea

    all i can say about those dubs that still kind of
    tangentially touch my life are die hard end timers

    a couple of "sisters" that came by this spring
    to invite me to the memorial and drop off a few ragazines
    were having what might be called a "normal" conversation...
    about the school district budget, yada yada, normal stuff

    then all of a sudden they were telling me the "news"
    about the kool-aid edition of the WT ( which i already
    knew from JWD) and when the one said: you can really tell
    they are written "just for us" because they really point out
    how close the end is

    then the other one in the car leaned forward and
    got this glazed stepford wife look in her eyes as
    she echoed: so close... sooooo close

    these are not old people.... neither one is 50 yet....
    so at least for some of them, the end is soooooo close

    ugh... it makes ya kinda throw up a little in your mouth, doesnt it?

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