Selling homes and property - pre-1975

by Bonnie_Clyde 34 Replies latest jw friends

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  Bonnie_Clyde

  I just had a discussion with a relative who attended the district convention. He gave me the booklet, "Keep on the Watch." According to him, the speaker who introduced the booklet talked about the people who were stumbled because of the change in understanding regarding "this generation." He then added, "You know, there were people who actually sold their homes and property thinking the end was actually going to come in 1975. (I assumed that was part of the talk also.) At this point I couldn't stop myself from saying, "Well, the Society encouraged us to sell our homes and property." He looked shocked and said that wasn't possible. I told him it was in the Kingdom Ministry. He said he wouldn't believe it unless he could see it. I told him I could find it, and I have--the May 1974 KM in the insert. I will give it to him this week.

  My next question, I think there was a comment in the Watchtower after 1975 criticizing anyone who sold their home thinking the end was coming in 1975. Does anyone know where it is?

  I also mentioned that we have a circuit overseer who on two separate visits to our congregation made the remark that the "Society was NOT wrong about 1914 and will NOT be wrong about 1975." That was in the early 1970's. My relative passed that off as only being the words of one man. I asked, "Where do you think he got that idea from--this was not just a local thing. Circuit and district overseers were talking about 1975 all over the country." He went on to say that he only believes what he sees in print. I mentioned the two-week study article back in 1968 about "Why are you looking forward to 1975." He didn't know anything about that.

  My next question: If a person should only believe what they see in print, why bother to attend the convention at all? Or for that matter the meetings? Wouldn't reading the Watchtower and other publications be enough? I don't attend meeitngs any more, but I commented that I do a lot of reading. He has admitted that he doesn't read much. Too bad--he could learn so much.

  I believe I was wasting my words on this relative, but I had to say something.
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  Elsewhere

  My next question: If a person should only believe what they see in print, why bother to attend the convention at all?

  I was just about to post that question and you beat me to it in your own post!

  Great job with your relative!
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  hemp lover

  Maybe when your relative reads it in the KM, he'll actually stop and think for a moment. you never know...

  Would you be able to post exactly what the KM article says? I'm curious.
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  blondie

  It is quite a long article, but here are the pertinent paragraphs:

  *** km 5/74 p. 3 How Are You Using Your Life? ***

  By carefully and prayerfully examining our own circumstances, we also may find that we can spend more time and energy in preaching during this final period before the present system ends. Many of our brothers and sisters are doing just that. This is evident from the rapidly increasing number of pioneers.

  Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world?s end.?1 John 2:17.
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  stillajwexelder

  I know of two brothers who cashed in their life insurance policies and stopped making contributions to their 401K/pensions because there was no point. They used the money to support themselves in very menial jobs so they could pioneer. This cult completely screws up peoples lives - it is absolutley disgusting. Words fail me
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  hemp lover

  Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world?s end.?1 John 2:17.

  Thanks, Blondie. I missed this article when I did my 1975 research.
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  HeyNow!

  Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world?s end.?1 John 2:17.

  Brothers, let me take your burden..I will buy your real estate @ 10 cents on the dollar! I know some of you wealthy elders are hording some fine investments! Yeah!! $35,000 land then in California is now worth 1,750,000!! Hope everyone donated to sucksociety in 70's!!

  They make me so sick!!! Poor brothers left with nothing..I feel for them...
• 

  barry

  Bonny Clyde, Why not take a diffeent tack on this one Im an SDA and at the beginning of our church a time was made for the second comming of christ in 1844. By talking about the SDAs you are not being too confrontational and I feel they would see that 1975 should be looked at more clearly. The date of 1844 is now reffered by Adventists as the date of the Great Dissapointement and the date is caculated by some of the same principles as 1914 [year day principle and is taked from Daniel 8.14 ]

  Here are some of the sad personal experiances by beleivers back before 1844 waiting the night before 22nd October 1844.

  And Jesus said; If thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Third Revelations three.

  Yes brother. Watch for Him. He will come in the clouds of Heaven.

  And with them that are raised from the dead. First Corinthians fifteen fifty two and first Thessalonians four sixteen Sister.

  There was but half an hour to sunset. THe portly Moses Clark who had once been chairman of the land commissioners at Landoff, suggested they should form the waggons in a cross. This was accomplished without the help of their discarded horses. They had the advantage that the rows of the seated now faced each of the quarters of the compass, and wondered why they had not thought of it before. Nathaniel Brett took up the count-down that was once the delight of the wag by the fence. Old Amos and Martha Gower held each others sparce hands. Mad Mary Chase prettied her little ones.

  They sang and they sang and the sun absconded with their dreams.

  Darkness fell silent. Adin Shortbridge rested his hand on the empty space beside him. George Florida, A blacksmith whose hot trade had numbed the breath in his throat so he had not been able to sing, fingered his collar. Within a week the Boston Liberator will report that he had hung himself with a chain. Mad Mary Chase nursed the youngest three of her daughters all together. Already she had started to cry. The same newspaper will record her finding under the dray, tomorrow morning, the bodies of the other two children dead from cold.

  Hitam Edson will recall, in a memoir. the way they passed the long night. They wept until the dawn came up.

  Continued silence from the church is an increasing distraction for them all. An hour after sundown , William Miller strode inside, alone, and has not yet come out. His brow was heavy. The corn of Adventist farmers stands unshucked in the field because he advised them so . Potatoes lie wet in the ground, their unweaned heifers follow irritable cows, their store-rooms are dark and empty, their windows are boarded over. They are in the eyes of the world a people jilted by their Redeemer.

  William Miller led them here. He led them into error, but the sound they now await is that of his invigorated step to the church door.

  Date setting has allways brought dissappointement Barry
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  Scully

  Actually, we saw the opposite trend where I lived: several JWs began building homes and taking on mortgages that came close to causing them financial hardship. Their reasoning was that 1975 (and the end) was so close, that they'd only have to worry about the mortgage payments for a few months and then they'd own the house immediately after Armageddon without having to make any more payments.

  By 1978, none of those houses were occupied by JWs.

  NOdenial might remember this as well!

  Love, Scully
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  izobcenec

  My next question, I think there was a comment in the Watchtower after 1975 criticizing anyone who sold their home thinking the end was coming in 1975. Does anyone know where it is?

  Yes, there was an article in 1976 or 1977 WT, criticizing those, who sold property...