Posted by Duncan [Duncan] on October 24, 1999 at 15:58:22 {f8eW6hUOe2BBHl/RZxBc4uXMiiHhZQ}:
In Reply to: *"We won't be coming..." posted by AF on October 24, 1999 at 09:15:41:
Thanks for this, and other posts confirming what I'd pretty much already guessed. I guess the truth of it is, there was back then - probably still is now - a kind of two-tier doctrine structure: a "written-down truth" and a "word-of-mouth truth", which often went way beyond the official Watchtower teachings, were useful in motivational purposes for the rank-and-file, but of course were subsequently deniable by the Society.
Even as I write, I am reminded of an occasion - late in 74, when I was a pioneer and we had a new, young dynamic C.O. assigned to us. This guy could obviously see which way the wind was blowing, 75 just around the corner, nothing looked like happening, so he started (or was passing on) what seems now in retrospect clearly to be a cynical and calculated whispering campaign, designed to soften the brothers up for an expected disappointment.
In the Pioneer Meeting during his visit (Pioneers only, no reg publishers) he *confidentially* told us that his (read "the society's") feeling was that there was "so much work to do" that Armageddon might be 5, or even 10 years off!! He had entrusted us with this observation because we were spritually strong and mature etc etc. Be careful who we told etc.
Of course, the comment was immediately passed back through friends and family, told and retold around. Within a week this had become "word of mouth truth" in our congo.
I know that flies in the face of what Ray Franz says in his book about the brothers in Brooklyn Bethel believing it right up to the end, but still, it happened like that where I was. And it certainly had its effect in damping down expectation right at the end of 74, going into 75.
This mind control stuff is tricky business...