I cannot provide any background info on my dad except to say that he is not an attender anymore, but is not apostate.
Years ago, my dad showed me why he thought 1975 was wrong, and he gave me a date like 2011, 2012...back in 2004.
It actually made sense to me back then, and obve's posts reminded me of my dad's calculations....
only my dad's calculations were not based on addition or multiplying of RANDOM CRAZY NUMBERS,
but actually were logical assumptions based on the scriptures as he understood them.
Here is his email to me...it might be lengthy, but it is easy to follow and understand.
(Sorry for the large font, it was the font he used in the email. I changed my name obviously.)
Hi (Eclipse). Regarding a date to armageddon , I don't have a clue. Regarding "that generation will by no means pass away" is the key scripture. The definition of the word generation is the key to understanding this scripture. But the most important factor is what did the word "generation mean to Jesus? If he meant a whole group of people from the time of their birth till their death living at the same time in a period of time that fits the description he discusses. When Jesus uttered these words, he was 33 and a half years old in 33 AD. He was predicting the destruction of Jerusalem . That destruction occured in 70AD, 37 years later. The generation of his days would have been people he was talking to averaging his age. of course there were old folks then who did not live to see that event, because of being too old at that time. So if Jesus had remained on the earth to witness that event, he would be then 70 years old. well within the average lifespan of humans. But alluding to the end of this wicked system of things, by adding the word " this generation will by no means pass away" indicates that generation could go to the last living individual, meaning that that person could be very well advance in age like say 101 years old. So this indicates that this generation would go to the very last survivors, having live longer than the average 70 to 80 years of age. So now a person born in 1914, a person living to a hundred would die in 2014. If this is the case, then that generation born since 1914, some are still living , though the few remaining are fast dwindling in numbers. So Armageddon is very fast approaching still within that generation that must not pass away before the end stikes. The witnesses , before thought that a generation would be starting at an age of understanding, about 14 years of age, and would end at 70 or 80 years of age. thence they reasoned that a person borned in 1900 would have been 14 years old in 1914. So if the average life span is 70 to 80 years, that would mean that that generation would end at most in 1980. From Bible chronology ,they had calculated that the end of 6000 years of human existence on earth since Adam's creation in 4026 BCE would end in 1975. Hence their calculation; because of there being no 0 Year The number 0 was invented by the Arabs centuries later, 4026BCE to 1 BCE = 4025 years 1BCE to 1CE = 1 year 1CE to 1975CE = 1974 TOTAL 6000 years So 1975 was dead center between 1970 to 1980 the average lifespan of humans of 70 to 80 years old born in 1900. So it made perfect cence that their calculations were accurate. Obviously 1975 and 1980 have gone by and no armaguedon. The witnesse had to re-evaluate the meaning of the word generation. Now they understand that a generation contains the full number of years of a complete lifespan. And some humans do reach the age of 100 + some even reaching 120 years of in some countries. In fact they, the scientists, are gathering the data of the diets of these natives and incorporating these plants in longevity diets. Back in the early 70s I did not believe that armaguedon would strike in 1975. I believed that 1975 was indeed the end of 6000 years of human history. It would appear from my standpoint that the starting point of counting from the Creator's point of view would start at the beginning of His day of Rest. Adam was created BEFORE God's day of rest. Adam was alone on earth for an unknown number of years. Say 30 years then Eve was created still BEFORE God's Day of Rest. Say 6 years. So say 4 years before God's day of rest. So 4026 BCE + 36 Years = 3990BCE We expect for the Creator to allow wickedness for 6000 years So 3990 to 1 BCE = 3989 years 1BCE to 1CE = 1 year 1CE to 2007 = 2006 years TOTAL 5996 years So 4 years later brings us to the year 2011, totalling 6000 years . If these were accurate DIVINE numbers , and of course they are not. that would put Armagedon in 2011 CE Remember these are assumptions!! But it illustrates that the Day of rest would be the START point of counting. So since no man knows that starting point they cannot calculate the excact date of the end of 6000 years of human rule. This is how I understood the count down to Armagedon back in 1970. So far these calculations are sticking to facts, but that does not mean that I am correct. Only time will tell. AS Jesus so pointedly said: "NO man knows the day or the hour!! So Eclipse, you can come to your own conclusions. More to come. I love you dearly Eclipse. Your beloved Dad