What's The Biggest Difference In Today's JWs And The Witnesses From Decades Ago? (page 6)

Qcmbr

Both were absolutely right about different 'truths'

outsmartthesystem

The only thing I miss is the Vess cola (later Shasta) and hoagies. :)

Balaamsass

These comments are a blast from the past.............

I remember listening to the adults in the 60s..cocktail in hand "speculating". - That kind of talk would have the entire group disfellowshipped today.

Old timers would openly say Rutherford was an "Ass" and openly make fun of the "Society's" old light..these were Gilead grads and Congregation servants! Today they would be "Apostates"! Knorr was liked but considered a proud but "imperfect man". Franz was liked but considered "Kooky" and people would openly roll their eyes about his writting style, long prayers and "flip flops".

We had props at the hall for demonstrations. Aprons, beards, robes, telephones, fishing poles, burlap Kafkans. Everyone laughed and enjoyed the meetings.

Congregation ballgames, bike rides, beach cookouts, ski trips, fishing trips.

Smoke breaks intermission at the Sunday meeting!! -For the "weak".

The real old timmers actually used bible concordances!

Funny group of old ex- bohemians. A lot of old "almost communist" union organizers. Cops. School teachers. Business men. Liberal Jews. Veterans. - Witnesses were ANTI big religion and top down control like the evil CATHOLICS- They enventually became what they protested about.... "Religion is a snare and a racket, serve God and Christ today!.

scotoma

Same thing happened in the first century. When Christ didn't return soon as he said he would:

Internal power struggles.

Ritualization of gatherings.

Catechism before confirmation.

Schism over doctrine leading eventually to war.

There seems to be something about the transition from 3rd generation to 4th generation.

Around the middle of the first century just about all expectation of Christ return became something that would happen in the distant future.

JW's are at that point now. Each generation that burries the previous generation loses half of their hope.

JW's are at an impasse. They have to repudiate most of their past doctrines and predictions. But they have nothing to replace them with.

2014 will be an interesting milestone.

minimus

Balaam, you bring many memories. The Witnesses, in the long run, lost their humanity.

3rdgen

Something else that comes to mind, (although I couldn't call it the biggest difference) is the delivery of the music. When I was a child every KH had a piano and usually several people who could play.

The piano player often selected the song. The public talk speaker picked the song to open the meeting. There was a grand piano at circuit assemblys and a full orchastra at the DC. And speaking of the district convention, there was a CHOIR!!! I remember dreaming of the time I would be old enough to be able to join. (some in my family were professional singers and musicians) Well no such luck. They scrapped the choirs long before I came of age.

dozy

Interesting points.

The main difference as I can see it is a few decades ago , JWs were mainly made up of people who were baptised , often as young adults , and had "come into the truth". Nowadays , virtually all the JWs younger than retirement age that I know are 2nd , 3rd or even 4th generation.

I honestly can't remember the last person who was baptised who wasn't a child of a JW or had some other family connection (other than an occasional social misfit who had been contacted in the ministry). http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=43578 - Contrast that with the early 60's...a video that also illustrates many of the points made by earlier posters about the fun times as assemblies & meetings in the past.

This change has meant that for most JWs the whole JW experience is very much essentially a social / extended family fellowship of meetings and often nominal ministry. There are very few JWs around who know their bible , as they are so used to being spoon fed by the society. In the past , there were decent scholars who did research & weren't afraid to criticise the WTBTS of they thought the society had got things wrong.

I was reminded of this in my last "shepherding" call when an elder popped by. He seemed unable to remember the location of any scriptures other than the couple (jotted down in pencil) that he had come to "share with me." He couldn't really think of any reason why I should go to meetings other than the old "where else do we go" lament. He had no answer to any argument & just shrugged when lost for words , but the sad thing was that he didn't really care. In the 50's & 60's - I think JWs really did care. Now most just go through the motions drilled into them from childhood. They know how to play the system & have no scruples about leading a double life where they deem necessary.

minimus

Dozy, interesting perspective.

When you get the impression that the elder really doesn't care, that tells it all!

exwhyzee

I honestly can't remember the last person who was baptised who wasn't a child of a JW or had some other family

Yes this is true. Our hall split several times in the last 20 years, had a remodel and a quick build and has 3 congregations meeting there. In that time there was only one new person that studied and was baptized. The rest of the growth came from JW's that grew up and had kids or moved here from another area. That one guy who actually studied and was baptized was married to a former witness who fell away. She was found in service and reactivated. She had two kids and was married so she convinced him to study. He had a pony tail and tatoos including a naked woman on his arm. He eventually got his hair cut so he could join the Ministry school and got a bikini tattoo'd on the naked lady. Later he became a MS who was often shown as a shining example of what applying the truth in your life can do for you. My wife had the daughter as a patient this week. She told her that sadly her Dad commited suicide 5 years ago, her brother has two kids and is a crack addict. The daughter (very pretty) is 24 already has three kids and is covered with tattoos. She has "fallen angel" tatooed across her lovely skin above a huge set of tatooed wings comming out of torn flesh on her back. The Mom is still in but the family is a train wreck.

dropoffyourkeylee

Incidentally, there a half dozen or so other videos at the site mentioned earlier by dozy from the British newsreels.

An example

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=35321

Wow what a trip down memory lane

What's The Biggest Difference In Today's JWs And The Witnesses From Decades Ago?

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