GB members, are you listening? Of course not.
The disappointing history of non-apologies from the WT leadership is one of the main reasons I lost all respect for them.
Everything about the quote from the 3/15/1980 WT which Designer Stubble cited is a perfect example of a complete failure to take responsibility and admit error. It's actually a wonderful example of rationalization and self-justification. The way the GB equivocates, shifts-blame, deflect and minimize their error actually betray a certain awareness of their wrong coupled with a complete disrespect for truth and the dignity of their followers. They have taken hypocrisy to a new extreme. Politicians should study this as a shining example of the art of lying.
The WT writers have mastered the art of doublespeak:
Let's analyze this point-by-point:
In modern times such eagerness, commendable in itself, has led to attempts at setting dates for the desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of persons throughout the earth.
Notice they sort of admit to "setting dates," but immediately minimize by labeling it as mere "attempts." They then excuse it by justifying their acts due to the "desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of ..." everyone on earth. OK, so it's acceptable to be wrong because they had the welfare of all humans in mind. I don't think so. Remember, according to their "theology" God's going to kill 99.99% of all humans at Armageddon.
Also, notice that the wrapped this minimalistic admission of error in a blanket of "eagerness" which is further dressed in a garment of "commendability."
So when you undress this non-apology, you're left with the naked truth: Prophetic error. But they shouldn't be judged for their mistake because they were only being eager, which is commendable, and they really, really, really had the best intentions.
With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God, and its comments as to how appropriate it would be for the millennial reign of Christ to parallel the seventh millennium of man’s existence, considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975.
Ok, let's examine this sentence. First notice the extensive use of the passive voice. Things happened, but apparently no one was responsible for any of them.
The book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God appeared, as if by divine providence, with no apparent cause. The words in the book apparently did not have human authorship, but the specific passages in question are referred to as "its comments" as if the book gave birth to them itself spontaneously. These "comments," which impose an obviously erroneous prophetic interpretation regarding the millennial reign of Christ as being parallel to the seventh millennium of man’s existence, are surprisingly described as being "appropriate" even though they were wrong. How curious!
Finally, note again the use of the passive voice used in stating that "considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975" while conspicuously avoiding identifying the actual person or persons responsible. Clearly, it was the book's fault! "Bad book, bad book!"
There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility.
Again, the passive voice is used to say, "There were statements made." Who made them? What was there source? Why can't they humbly admit, "We said the wrong thing?" They just can't do it!
Also, it is telling to notice that--immediately after passively admitting that there "were statements made"--they back-track, minimize and justify claiming that what was stated was "was only a possibility" and they feel the need to remind us that these "statements" which aroused "considerable expectation" actually were always "stressing" that it was "only a possibility." If you missed that extremely important point, then that was your fault.
Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility.
Interestingly, we now learn that indeed there were not only "statements made," but also that "there were other statements published" which may have added to the misunderstanding on the part of the JW R&F. Now we must remember that these "other statements" which led millions of people to believe their hopes were "more of a probability than a mere possibility" as in the previous statements were in fact only "implied." So again, the inference upon which millions based their hope was in fact a mistake made by the masses and not the leadership. Again note that this sentence clearly says that these "other statements" were similarly wrapped in a blanket "cautionary information" similar to that discussed in reference to the first sentence.
Having trouble keeping this all straight? That's their hope!
Now, let's get to the final sentence of this masterpiece of doublespeak and obfuscation:
It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated.
Ah yes, "It is to be regretted." Such a lovely phrase, is it not? Notice how this actually passes the responsibility of regret from those that should be begging for forgiveness from their followers onto the followers themselves. Now the followers are the ones that supposed to feel regret!
The message is finally clear: You R&F JWs, how could you have let yourself be misled by these multiple "statements" which in fact only implied "possibilities" and "probabilities" and were served up on a bed of "cautionary information"? What's wrong with you?
So there we have it. This lovely little gem of a paragraph is one of the closest the WT leadership has ever come to actually taking responsibility and admitting error. But in fact they never actually do either. Instead, in this very carefully worded statement, they minimize and shift-blame, passively pointing to words in a book which no one apparently will admit to writing.
If and of itself this is shameful proof of religious leaders that have clearly lost the thread. They are more in love with their position, reputation and pride than they are with truth and the values exemplified by the Christ. They clearly have no respect for those they have misled, but instead seek to shift at least some of the blame on to them for basing their hopes on implied possibilities while ignoring alleged "cautionary information."
When compared to the genuine and specific apology issued by the leaders of the Worldwide Church of God (a supposedly "false religious" sect), we see such a stark contrast that the hypocrisy of the WT leadership is painfully obvious to anyone except those under the influence of cultish mind-control.
The fact that millions continued to follow the teachings of the WTBTS after this fiasco sadly proves the incredible power mind-control can have on otherwise intelligent human beings.
