"In the early 1920's, a featured public talk presented by Jehovah's Witnesses was entitled 'Millions Now Living Will Never Die.' This may have reflected over-optimism at that time. But today that statement can be made with full confidence." -- Watchtower 1997 January 1 p.11
Judging by their terrible record of any accuracy, its likely readers years from now will be reading similar back pedalling and spin doctoring. Imagine the Watchtower of January 1, 2086 on p.11 saying:
"In the early 2000's, Jehovah's Witnesses continued to live in expectation of the end and in their ministry zealously proclaimed that many then living would never die. This may have reflected over-optimism at that time. But today that campaign can be carried out with full confidence!"
Watchtower says Millions Living in 1997 Will Never Die
by LUKEWARM 28 Replies latest jw friends
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LUKEWARM
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Mattieu
Another failed promise that is blamed on the rank and file for showing too much optimism! What about a more refershing statement such as "We were wrong, had no idea then and still have no idea now...."
That reminds me: What do you call a Deer with no eyes? No idea... A deer with no eys & no legs? Still, no idea... A deer with no eyes, no legs & no penis? Still no f*%#ing idea....
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nicolaou
We often criticise the Watchtower for selective quotations taken out of context so, in fairness, here's the whole of paragraph 18. Try not to laugh;
18 In the early 1920’s, a featured public talk presented by Jehovah’s Witnesses was entitled “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” This may have reflected overoptimism at that time. But today that statement can be made with full confidence. Both the increasing light on Bible prophecy and the anarchy of this dying world cry out that the end of Satan’s system is very, very near! The Memorial report for 1996 shows that 12,921,933 attended, of whom only 8,757 (.068 percent) indicated their heavenly hope by partaking of the emblems. The restoration of true worship nears completion. But let us never slack the hand in that work. Yes, Haggai 2:4 states: “‘Be strong, all you people of the land,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and work. For I am with you people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies.” May we be determined that no strains of materialism or worldliness will ever dampen our zeal for Jehovah’s work!—1 John 2:15-17.
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nicolaou
Oh yes, and this was the official printed question for that paragraph in the Watchtower study;
18. (a) Why can we confidently expect that “millions now living will never die”? (b) Why should we zealously heed Haggai 2:4?
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Black Sheep
From Millions.....
The admirable way in which you have marshalled
the sayings of the Lord Jesus, of the apostles, and of
the prophets of old, and supported them by abundant
secular evidence, all going to show that a time would
come when millions then living would never die-and
that we are now living in that time-will inspire hope
and confidence in the mind of every honest, truthseeking
reader.Therefore we may confidently expect
that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham,....Ahh, so the thing is.... they weren't fully confident back then. That makes it all OK.
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freddo
Nice catch, Lukewarm! And thanks to Nicolaou for the icing on the cake!
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carla
marking, thanks.
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chickpea
priming the pump for the next generation
of pitiable born-ins who will snap out if it
in middle age and look around saying "WTF?"sad
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AwSnap
marking as well