The 1914 generation is still going strong 100 years later - 2014 study article.

by THE GLADIATOR 443 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  tootired2care

  Well one thing that is clear from this, is that they've pinned themselves into just two consecutive generations for the time being. They probably did this to create another false basis for urgency in the R&F, like they did with the dwindling numbers of annointed in past times. Unfortunately with such trusting and low information members, this will probably work for a few years, before they change the teaching to be 3 generations and lather rinse and repeat the time tested formula for urgency.

  This stuff makes my blood boil.
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  neverendingjourney

  There was a study article along these lines back in the late 90s, maybe early 00s. It provided several lines of "proofs" that the new system was just around the corner.

  One of those proofs was that the anointed were dying off, and since their number had been sealed in 1935, well, there couldn't be that much more time since there would have to be some of the anointed alive when the great tribulation broke out. They've since tossed the 1935 date out the window.

  Another line of proof was the generation teaching. This was after they got rid of the literal "70 to 80 year" generation but before they replaced it with the generation = the anointed. The line of thinking was that the generation, although not tied to a literal number of years, could not extend very far. That idea has also gone by the wayside.

  You can pick anytime in the Watchtower's history and give a list of "proofs" that the end is just around the corner, and those lines of reasoning will all be proven false with time. You can go back as far as William Miller, who himself gave independent, ironclad reasonings why the end would come no later than 1844. CTR supported his biblical dates with the Great Pyramid of Giza, pyramid inches and what not.

  The more things change the more they stay the same.
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  steve2

  It would not be a coincidence if elastic was also invented in the USA. Growing up in the 1960s, I recall my JW grandparents even back then warning us all that "some" were growing tired of waiting for the end to come and that much work remained to be done but that the generation who saw the events of 1914 was rapidly dying out. What a f*kg loaded message! Now about 50 years on, the organization adds a new, totally invented twist to the 1914 doctrine.

  Charitably, I do not view the Witnesses as evil for perpetuating such unsupportable nonsense. As ever, the most harmful ideas are promoted by totally sincere people. Still, underneath all the special pleading over the significance of that year, there are encouraging rumblings that the masses are waking up. As I've said before, you can stop people from talking to one another about their doibts, but you can't stop 'em having doubts in the first place. Expect greater levels of nominal membership as time passes - this would not be the first time a religious group splutters to a state of irrelevancy.
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  NewYork44M

  The second group included in “this generation” are anointed contemporaries of the first group.

  (a) They were alive during the lifetime of those in the first group, and

  (b) they were anointed with holy spirit during the time that those of the first group were still on earth.

  So there is now two criteria for redefining "this generation." I noticed they did not even attempt to provide a scriptural basis for this new criteria.
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  neverendingjourney

  I noticed they did not even attempt to provide a scriptural basis for this new criteria.

  It's an "evidently" on top of another "evidently" on top of another one, until their "biblical truth" bears little to no resemblance to what's actually in the Bible. They do this a lot, by the way, on a wide variety of subjects.

  Evidently, Matthew 24 has a secondary fulfillment in the distant future. Evidently, the end times started in 1914. Evidently, the generation applies to the anointed. Evidently, there are not one but two groups of anointed. Evidently, those groups overlap. Evidently, the second group are contemporaries of the first group.

  You get the picture.
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  Finkelstein

  Jesus says .. " I never knew humans can be such idiots "

  I was talking to the people who were living when I was on earth..... GOD !

  
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  konceptual99

  I've said it before and I'll say it again. This is not the first time this idea of scoping the overlap has been presented by the WTS. It, in itself, is not "new light".

  Having said that, it is by far the most direct and public presentation. It does make assertions that have not been presented before such as there are those of the current annointed who are not part of either group. It is absolutely a stake in the ground. It is absolutely an effort by the GB to stamp down on any speculation that the big A is a way off. It is absolutely a mechanism to ensure the sense of imminance and urgency is the default setting for the entire congregation of Witnesses worldwide.
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  THE GLADIATOR

  How comforting it is to know that the younger anointed contemporaries of those older anointed ones who discerned the sign when it became evident beginning in 1914 will not die off before the great tribulation starts!

  The Watchtower 15 June 2010 - page 5

  The cornerstone teaching that had, for more than a hundred years, predicted the end of the present world within the lifetime of those who witnessed the 1914 world war is now obsolete. The generation with the earthly hope had expected to live long enough to enter the new world and cheat death. Those belonging to the ‘little flock’ with a heavenly calling had been promised they would receive their reward within their lifetime.

  Beaten by the passage of time the Watchtower Society has been forced to move the date for the battle of Armageddon on - indefinitely. Now the ordinary members are to take comfort in believing that the younger anointed contemporaries, will carry the baton - to infinity and beyond.

  You couldn't make it up - but, thank god, the Watchtower Society are at your service to make it up for you.
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  cantleave

  Jesus was referring to two groups of anointed Christians.

  What scriptural proof do they give for this statement?
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  pixel

  @ Phizzy. Lol. They are going more direct, "not evidently", but "Jesus was referring"... I wonder if the apostles catch that there would be 2 overlappings annointed classes, since the WT/GB/FDS had said that the apostles knew Jesus was referring to them when he said "this generation".

  What is sad is that when you read Matthew chapters 23 and 24, whenever Jesus speaks of "generation", he is referring to the bad guys.