JWs & "generations"

by Magnum 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Magnum

  We all know what a mess the JW "generation" teachings have been. But, there is one hard and fast truth concerning JWs and "generations" - that is, that many generations of JWs have died without the realization of the hope they were promised.

  There were many before my grandfather's time, but I'm going to start with his. His generation, his peers, lived at a time when JWdom was exciting, bold, confident, seemingly deeper and scholarly, seemingly genuinely concerned about the preaching work and saving lives. There were exciting district conventions with deep discussions at hotel poolsides at night. The end was near. The great oracle (F Franz) was still alive, the publications were deeper, etc. But..... the years dragged on and nothing happened, and they all died. My grandfather and the last of his peers are gone - either rotting in the ground or sitting in urns as ashes. They're gone, and JWdom is nowhere near what it used to be.

  My mother's generation will be next. She is about 80, and her health is starting to deteriorate. I can't think of many of her peers who are still around.

  And next... my generation. I believe many on this site are in my generation. I'm approaching 60. I believe that my generation is the last one that will remember the old book studies during which we studied the deeper, thicker Franz publications. We can remember the old times - the exciting times - the deeper times, but we'll be gone relatively soon, and there won't be anyone around who can remember the old times - the old JWdom. I talked with a 30ish JW in a parking lot in the last year or two (posted about it on this site); she didn't even know who F Franz was.

  It's so sad, but true. Many generations of JWs, probably including a lot of good, well-meaning people, have died disappointed. I am disappointed, often depressed because of the hopelessness. I have little hope now. I don't want to grow old and die. I feel that I'm becoming less and less useful to society and more and more viewed as being old and the on the way down. What happened to those happy times when JWdom was exciting and I thought I'd never grow old? What happened to the exciting district conventions in big arenas where we thought we might get new info about the imminent end? I can still remember the fruit bags and the chatter during intermissions. But, it's all gone... gone. JWdom is a joke now.

  So, the JW "generation" teaching is a joke, but one true thing about "generations" in JW land is that generations of JWs die without realization of their hope. How sad.
  
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  The Fall Guy

  The very first talk at the convention this year is now telling the present generation of JW's to expect the end soon.

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6618103304683520/anybody-know-if-full-programme-convention-available-video

  JW's clearly believe that "soon" is a bungee word - it can be stretched to be as long as necessary.
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  waton

  There is a strange thing about old people, the people in their 80, 90, that they are happier than the young folks.

  They don't remember past predicaments unless they work at it. The generation question is a wt problem a real serious one*, but not theirs. If your mother is a natural 80 year old, and not in pain, having successfully reproduced, and have gotten to that stage, should make her content.

  The really scary, hidden thought for them is, that if the wt survival promise is wrong, the resurrection, immortal souls promise might be wrong too, so: do not bring the subject up, but concentrate the conversations on the good of life itself, the offspring. the spring.

  *I have seen only one attempt to seriously debate a glaring inconsistency of the current wt proposition.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Magnum, you have summed it up most eloquently!!

  I am of your generation (without the need of an overlap) and reading your post brought back some vivid memories and strong emotions. As JWs then we were "special"! We had The Truth(™) and we knew it! Hell yah! We had the deeper things! The "Babylon the Great" book and "Then is Finished the Mystery of God". (Thank you, Freddie!)

  I recall a COW (Co's wife) who refused to pass over the rectory or parsonage when in field circus. She wanted to "take on" the minister and debate WT/Bible doctrine with them! Now Cart JWs turn-tail and run if someone approaches them and want to talk/debate doctrine. They can't defend shit! (Maybe that is the problem. This new WT "shit" that they are peddling cannot be defended!)

  The younger (30-ish) generation of JWs are just in it for the Social Network. It's their group of friends. It doesn't make any difference what doctrinal changes are made as they never knew the old doctrines so what difference does it make that they change? (The won't know the new doctrines either -- "Just go to JW-dot-Borg!" That's all they need to know!)

  Yes, my wife and I are like you -- disappointed. Disappointed and disillusioned -- that we were so f**king dumb and bought this snake oil for SO many years. So many years beyond what should have been. Why didn't we wake up over the 1975 fiasco? Why wasn't that enough to wake up every JW of that time? Nope! Took us almost another FORTY YEARS! Despite all those nagging doubts we ignored for over a decade, we hung in there.

  The thing most disturbing for me, I think, is the realization that there will not be a reckoning of "justice" any time off in the future. No Sky Daddy who will make everything all right. It is what it is. Sometimes some things in life suck! It's just the way it is. Habakkuk (prophet or not) was still right when stating that the evil sometimes prosper. That's life. Nobody said it would be fair. Or, if someone did, they were all wrong!
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  DesirousOfChange

  JW's clearly believe that "soon" is a bungee word - it can be stretched to be as long as necessary.

  BUNGEE WORD -- Priceless! I'm gonna plagiarize that!
  
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  Magnum

  DesirousOfChange: "The thing most disturbing for me, I think, is the realization that there will not be a reckoning of "justice" any time off in the future. No Sky Daddy who will make everything all right. It is what it is. Sometimes some things in life suck! It's just the way it is. Habakkuk (prophet or not) was still right when stating that the evil sometimes prosper. That's life. Nobody said it would be fair. Or, if someone did, they were all wrong!"

  That is extremely disturbing to me, too. In fact, I recently prayed really hard about it. (Yes, I do still try to communicate with a higher being. I don't know whom/what, but I'm still giving it a shot.) I recently finished an EMT class. It was seven twenty-somethings and me, the old guy. I felt so out of place. They were all wonderful young people, and I fit right in with them, but inside, it hurt badly. I wanted to be young again so badly.

  Anyway, back to the point. I would go out at night and pray up into the sky about how I felt so out of place relative to them, yet, it should be the other way around; they should feel out of place around me. I gave my life. I suffered and sacrificed because I genuinely cared. I cared about justice. I cared about suffering in humans and animals. I cared about ruining the planet. I sought truth. I really cared and I suffered for decades, giving up the prime of my life. These young people are just pursuing their own plans without so much as giving a fading thought to bigger, higher issues and being willing to sacrifice, yet, I look like the loser, and they all look like (and, really, are) winners.

  There were three young, pretty, smart, happy college girls in the class. One is planning to go to medical school, and the other two are going to physician assistant school. They are becoming EMTs just to get clinical experience they will need to apply to med school or PA school.

  It's just so unfair that I gave my whole life and am now suffering greatly for it, and they have given nothing, yet, they have wonderful lives now, and it looks like they'll have wonderful futures. It truly is unfair. Where is my reward for all my suffering? My reward is working a low-paying job until my body rots out from under me.

  I would love to be young and have the prospect of going to med school, but I gave up my prospects. These young folks gave up nothing and seem to have everything. Where is the justice?
• 

  Vidiot

  "Watch Trek: The Overlapping Generation"

  (cue Alexander Courage)

  
  
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  steve2

  An end-times religion is fuelled by urgency and, by definition, is not meant to last beyond the immediate short-term. So, when the end fails to come, a problem of legitimate authority becomes an increasingly vexed issue.

  What JW organization faces at present is a crisis of legitimacy because its message of urgency is just a few months shy of 140 years (1879 to present).

  Will the organization make a big deal in 2019 that the Watchtower Society has been a legally incorporated body for exactly 140 years? No. It will keep silent.

  But exJW activists might fruitfully publicise in 2019 just how old this end-times religion has become - and still failing to utter correct predictions.
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  waton

  they'll have wonderful futures. It truly is unfair. Where is my reward for all my suffering? My reward is working a low-paying job until my body rots out from under me.

  that is where wt bears responsibility, and stands condemned. but

  others had their future enhanced though, helped out of problems, shyness, meeting on par pretty non-college girls, virgins even.
  
  
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  blownaway

  If I had a nickel for every time they said soon I would have a shit load of nickels.