Yesterday I noticed, at the home of my leaving-but-not-quite-left parents-in-law, the photo montage for July/August on the Organization's calender. On the top of the page is a photograph of a bunch of JW children at a convention in 1941, holding up a copies of the book Children, which had been distributed just to them.
Here are two quotes from that book, some of which was written in a hokey first person dub-voice:
Should men and women, both of whom are Jonadabs or 'other sheep' of the Lord, now marry before Armageddon and bring forth children? They may chose to do so, but the admonition or advice of the scriptures appears to be against it ... The prophetic picture seems to set forth the correct rule, to wit: The three sons of Noah and their wives were in the ark and were saved from the flood. They did not have any children, however, until after the flood. They began to have children two years after the flood. (Genesis 11:10,11) No children were taken into the ark and none were born in the ark, and hence none were brought out of the ark. Only eight persons went in and eight came out of the ark. (1 Peter 3:20; Genesis 8:18) That would appear to indicate that it would be proper that those who will form the ‘great multitude’ should wait until after Armageddon to bring children into the world. -- p. 312-3.
Our hope is that within a few years our marriage may be consummated and, by the Lord's grace, we shall have sweet children that will be an honor to the Lord. We can well defer our marriage until lasting peace comes to the earth. -- p. 366.
It was eerie, looking at the photo of those children, most of whom are now sexagenarians. I wondered how many tried to wait before Armageddon, thinking to defer marriage and childbearing until then.
Beneath the photo from 1941 was a more recent one, in which another group of children, back in the 80's, held up copies of the Young People Ask book. The juxtaposition was startling and disturbing -- the content of the books is irrelevant; to the Organization, both books are true and valid and worthy members of its literary canon.
Dedalus
[edited to correct math error]