What if all JWs had put off having children? (page 2)

blondie

Just a tip, www.jwfacts.com has many quotes on many topics and a search function.

Chook

Then there would be no need to tell that poor little boy in the JW video who got a violin scholarship that it's evil to play a musical instrument with his wordly friends.

I always heard that it had more to do with the scriptures regarding "woe to the pregnant woman and the nursing mother in those days" than the desire to focus on serving Jehovah. The JWs I've spoken to about it seem truly concerned that, during the tribulation, things will be especially difficult for pregnant and nursing mothers, and they also don't want to subject children to the misery of the "last days."

I know a thirty-something JW couple who, although they've been married for over a decade, have not and do not plan to have kids in this system for those very reasons, even though they really do want kids. I just picture them in their golden years, still in this system, with no adult children to care for them in their advanced age and no little grandchildren to bring them joy. They're probably going to end up being that creepy childless couple that simply ADORES all their friends' and relatives' kids just a liiiiittle too much.

Too bad JWs are discouraged from pursuing higher education, since that often leads to better pay, and with a decent enough income, they could adopt. And just think about how perfect adoption would be for a JW. They wouldn't be bringing any new children into "the last days of this satanic system" but would be helping a child that already exists. They'd finally have a child to love and impose their religion on. I'm actually kind of surprised the Watchtower hasn't come to this conclusion yet. :p

BluesBrother

If there were no born-ins , all the J W's in this town could meet in the back room of a local tea shop (they would be too old and prissy to want to be seen near a bar) .There would be no money for a Kingdom Hall, no Assembly Hall .

If only the WTS could really have curbed the human desire to have sex and procreate...We can but dream!

Vidiot

Ding - "...It leads me to believe that the WT leaders really believed their own hype..."

'Course they did. They still do.

As I've said before, "always thinking you're right" is a very easy habit to fall into when you surround yourself solely with people who are never allowed to disagree with you.

Wayward

Nevuela, the Amish have started taking in foster kids and adopting. It's probably because their numbers are so low that the gene pool has become a very shallow puddle. I agree. Surprised the WT hasn't jumped all over 'rescuing' children from the evil world and raising them as 'true Christians'.

stuckinarut2

YES! Great topic.

Many times throughout the organizations history, they have implied that "spiritually strong" ones would devote themselves to the ministry and would "forgo having a family in this doomed system".

It was only the "weaker or less spiritual ones" that had families!

The irony is that without the growth from born-ins, the society would have suffered in numbers greatly!

blondie

Surprised the WT hasn't jumped all over 'rescuing' children from the evil world and raising them as 'true Christians'.

--

Wayward, I thought the same thing when I read that the WTS believes that the future of minor children is determined by what their parent(s) does about "serving Jehovah."

But adoption is not cheap and the WTS says your funds should go to them and they will dole them out to the deserving. Also, the WTS is afraid you will be taking on someone else's problem child. But I do know that jws have sought to adopt and their are many hurdles to get over.

Nathan Natas

I would offer that, as originally conceived (pun unintentional), the JW religion was NEVER INTENDED to "survive"!

C. T. Russell thought his job was to gather "the elect" out of apostate Christendom so they could be joyously joined at the hip as The Bride of The Christ.

As time passed and the CASHFLOW possibilities of the Brooklyn Org were realized, it was still thought that JWs would remain a minority religion until their loving YHVH killed 90% of humanity. THEN the faithful dubs would be vindicated and the entire planet would become of one mind with the rest of the Universe.

Today, however, the prophetic failures of the WTB&TS have given the leadership a rude wake-up call. They NEED to keep the CASHFLOW going; they NEED their phony-baloney jobs and their submissive flock! How else could they survive with a résumé that says:

"1878 to Present: Failed Prophet"?

No Apologies

Blonde thanks for the quotes. I knew the talk against child-bearing was big back in the eighties when I was newly married and pioneering. I didn't realize there were more recent admonitions on the privilege of remaining childless.

I know I was surprised when my JW niece told me a couple years ago she was planning to have a second child. I had never before heard a JW talk about choosing to have a child.

What if all JWs had put off having children?

Share this