How many decades/centuries before 1914 becomes irrelevant?

by jwfacts 73 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Sulla

  Never. 1914 is the only JW dogma; it can never be changed because it explains the validity of the entire church structure. Blood and disfellowshipping may pass away, but 1914 always gets doubled-down.

  The GB may have their problems. But they do -- it seems to me -- genuinely believe what they teach. You simply need to understand what they teach as core doctrine, which is simply that they are the group that Jesus selected to be the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church in 1919 (or 1918, I can never get that straight). It can't change because without it, they can't justify their existence; say what you like, they have to justify their status.

  The single unalterable JW belief is that their inherent superiority led to Jesus selecting them above every other religion. They don't believe any of their other teachings -- at least not in the sense that they wold hold them if they didn't want to. So, they can change the meaning of a word -- generation -- they can change blood if they wanted, anything, really. But the claim that they cracked the secret code and that something really important happened in 1914 can't change.

  It is the founding event of the JW self-conception. It is their Resurrection.
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  wasblind

  What was I thinking? _____Brinjen
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  wasblind

  double post
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  jwfacts

  Sulla - It can't change because without it, they can't justify their existence; say what you like, they have to justify their status.

  If that is the case, then the question is even more important. By what year would the majority of believers have fallen away, because 1914 is just to distant to make any sense?
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  Jeffro

  jwfacts:

  If that is the case, then the question is even more important. By what year would the majority of believers have fallen away, because 1914 is just to distant to make any sense?

  1914 doesn't make sense now. It never really did.

  Most of them do zero research and just accept whatever they're told.
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  cantleave

  I guess within 30 years the Watchtower theology will bear no resemblence to what it is today.

  For a certainty 1914 will be relegated to some thing insignificant and the 144000 will be a figurative number.
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  Pyramid Scheme

  I think next year will be a real eye opener for some.

  2014 - 100 years on the job? We have people that were born the 1940's and 1950's passing away regularly now. My grandparents weren't even born in the 1910's (1920's).......and they passed away years ago. It just seems like such a dead horse at this point.

  Even though 99 isnt far from 100, I think that century mark might have significance for some to see the "light" - just the same way psychologically $99.99 is a good deal but $100.00 is too much.....I mean, the hard core "wait on Jehovah" crowd will hang in there, but I think a lot of people will start questioning it more and more.

  I am very curious how the WT will address that (spin it)
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  wasblind

  Never. 1914 is the only JW dogma; it can never be changed because it explains the validity of the entire church structure. Blood and disfellowshipping may pass away, but 1914 always gets doubled-down.

  The GB may have their problems. But they do -- it seems to me -- genuinely believe what they teach. You simply need to understand what they teach as core doctrine,_________Sulla

  Here's what they said about their core doctrine

  JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

  " What beliefs of jehovah's witnesses set them apart as different from others ?

  (8) LAST DAYS: They believe that we are now , scince 1914, in the last days of this wicked system of things; that some who saw the events of 1914 will also see the complete destuction of the present wicked world."_________Reasoning from the Scriptures book page 200

  .
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  2+2=5

  I think 1914 is at the end of its tether now. When you put 1914 in the WT library cd search you can see the occurences drop off in the last 10-20 years. The 1914 doctrine use to get a good run in the publications, now in the Bible Teach book it is left to the appendix in the back pages.

  I think they would like to ditch it but it is to messy. They have been proclaiming 'Look! Here is the Christ!' for a hundred years. I think they are trying reduce its significance by not harping on about it but it really is the foundation of the whole movement. They will have to stick with the date I believe.

  That date already has no feel for younger ones. It's relevance is limited to WWI, Jesus becomes King, and something they read in the bible teach book. It does not inspire any urgency or have any faith strengthening value.

  I might be thinking wishfully, but I reckon the WTS is on a slippery slope.
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  gingerbread

  1914 is seen as a pivotal date in history - both on the earth ( the start of the first world war ) and universally ( Christ's enthronment ). The significance of this year won't evaporate in JW teachings. The events of 1914 are connected with the "beginning of pangs of distress". The unfolding of events in connection with this year could go on for many years. The extention of the generational timeline - almost 20 years ago - pushes the finality of the last days into the indefinite future. And, we are taught that a day for Jehovah is literally - and exactly - 1000 years.