When I was a witness we used to believe the generation of 1914 would not die before Armageddon came. Do they still teach that?
The 1914 generation thing?
by Mandybp 12 Replies latest jw friends
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Gopher
That teaching was discontinued in 1995. There was an actual Watchtower article that redefined "generation" as a group of people alive during the last days, rather than a time period stretching from the beginning till the end of the last days.
So in other words, the generation that will witness the great tribulation is whatever group of people happens to be alive at that point!
The back-pedaling from the 1914 doctrine started at that point, and was necessary because the idea that the "generation that saw the events of 1914 will not pass away before God brings about a new world" was really not promised by God after all. Too much time had passed (81 years), and Armageddon still hadn't occurred.
Either God changed his mind as to what things mean, or God doesn't speak directly to Jehovah's Witnesses.
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Mandybp
Wow - amazing how they change things isn't it. That is just wierd, so wierd. That was one of the things that kept me in the 'truth' at the time and is part of this lingering fear of Armageddon that I so need to dump.
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benext
I was just reviewing some of this material last weekend. Check the 5/15/95 WT for the series of articles.
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Mary
What's really bizarre about the whole 1914 doctrine, is that they still refuse to dump it altogether. The GB still maintains that Jesus "returned invisibly" in 1914. Now that's all fine and dandy for most Witnesses as long as they don't examine it too closely. If Jesus really returned at that time, and if the Last Days really started at that time (which they still teach), then to whom was Jesus talking when He said:
"When you see these things START to occur, lift your heads up because your deliverance is getting near."
Like I said, if the Last Days really STARTED in 1914, then Jesus must have been talking about the people who were alive at that time. But according to the Watchtower's new and improved doctrine, the "generation" that is spoken of in Matthew 24 is not the generation of 1914!! So who was it that would see "these things START to occur."????
Ask your local elder body this, or any faithful Dub and watch them squirm.......................
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BluesBrother
Mary, I liked your logic. But I did check the context of Luke 21 : 27 - 28. The preceeding verses discuss "The Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory". Since 1994, the WT teaching is that this refers to a future event that precedes Armageddon , almost like the Rapture of some Christian teachings. It need not refer to the 89 years since 1914.
That is not my belief, just what the borg are teaching these days
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Mary
Since 1994, the WT teaching is that this refers to a future event that precedes Armageddon
Really? Geeze, I guess I wasn't "paying close attention" at the meetings, cause I somehow missed that "New Light"!! Isn't it wonderful how today's "present truths" become "yesterday's nightmares"???
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refiners fire
Now if Christs Kingdom was established October 22, 1914. The furthest extent of a Biblical generation is 80 years, which brings us to October 22, 1994. The November 1 Issue of the WT is the next issue after that to reveal the new light, but why was it the November 1 1995 Issue, instead of November 1 1994 issue?
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rocketman
Refiners, God lives pretty far away, so it took a year for the message to arrive.
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refiners fire
Well its a good question rocket, and 5 years ago I would have known the answer, but I forget now. I think the Jewish new year commences before ours, so it cant be that line of thinking. Wheres there a brainy boffin when you need one?