by mickbobcat 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
For some people, it’s all they have and all they know.
I see my in-laws, diehard witnesses and have no family or friends on the outside.
For them, it’s all they have. They will never leave.
Do they believe it all? Who knows. The Jehovah’s Witness religion is really quite silly at this point. Other churches in our area are back to meeting in person yet they are still doing Zoom???
Can’t Jehovah save them? Won’t he bless them for meeting?
It's not about Covid at this point.
If Zoom meetings caused them to lose too much money, they'd be right back to meeting in person.
Likely, Zoom has reduced expenses for physical buildings, and they have managed to convince enough people to continue their regular donations online so that they are doing even better financially.
I expect more Kingdom Hall selloffs. They might keep some assembly halls for megachurch style meetings periodically for extra donations.
Watchtower is interested in money, money, money. How to spin it doctrinally is a minor consideration.
I'm sure any of us old timers could come up with two good sounding Watchtower articles easily, one FOR going back to in person meetings and one AGAINST.
Anyone have 20 minutes and want to give it a try?
The immediacy definitely isn't there like it used to be. In the past there was always a kind of mental calculation from 1914 - that has all changed now with the change in the generation doctrine.
But even the Society itself no longer seems to believe. They just keep on building and flipping - Ramapo isn't due to be finished by 2026. If they really thought the end was near they would just rent a few buildings , subcontract everything and focus 100% on preaching.
The prior two posts remind me that back in the 1990s and/or 1980s I asked why does the WT Society keep on building more more buildings for their headquarters, since they teach that the great tribulation is very near? I accepted the explanations I was given by fellow JWs but now I wish I hadn't. I probably would have gotten better grades in high school and college and better jobs after college (or at least had more time for doing things I like) if I hadn't put so much time in pursuing "kingdom interests". By time in pursuing "kingdom interests" I mean studying for Kingdom Hall meetings and also reading WT literature/articles that isn't/aren't used at meetings, attending Kingdom Hall meetings, preparing for field service, conducting meetings for field service, participating in field service (including as a pioneer), and accepting only jobs which don't require work on Saturdays.
Disillusioned JW,
Answers to all your questions is available in that Lancet study I provided. (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(21)00648-4/fulltext) I go by what Governments say. They made it mandatory, hence I took two doses of vaccinations.
that he had carried on being faithful even though he had been let down by the promises made on Jehovah's behalf by the WT during that era
Black sheep They phrased it like that?😳Wow. It's like they just don't care if it's true or not.
One thing that has changed that I think is quite telling. Witnesses used to laugh or shrug it off if you challenged their beliefs. Now they get angry.
DIOGENESISTER:
Regarding the 1975 comment mentioned by that poster: it’s shocking.
I wondered if the deceased may have done something extreme like sell his house and possessions and lived off the proceeds like some JWs did!..Then when 1975 came and went and everybody heard ‘crickets’..he had to start all over again possibly struggling for the rest of his life(?) This is what I got out of that remark.
Well…history is apparently repeating itself to some degree because some JWs have done similar foolish things. More financial suicide. Again, selling homes and living off the proceeds, quitting jobs before retirement age to go where the ‘need is greater’ and running out of money and being OVER age sixty..in a bad economic world climate.. and with Covid no less! Who would want to be anywhere around these people?
I knew two families that were living in house trucks in 1975, both because they were putting all of their resources and efforts into the final push before the end, despite Rutherford and Russel having already trashed the Watchtower's track record before they joined.
Black Sheep,
My wife’s family were really good friends with a couple who sold their home prior to 75 and bought an RV to travel and preach the end.
The husband later became a CO, still living in the RV till just a few years ago when they finally just bought a house again.
Guess they finally gave up the idea that the end was near.😂🤣😂
