by TTWSYF 22 Replies latest watchtower scandals
I know that other early dates are well documented leading up to 1975. It did seemed that the WTS learned to stop setting dates, but I seem to recall talk about the 20th century will certainly be the last according to God's perfect timing. I can't recall specifically where I heard such blatant rhetoric though.
anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
I don't recall the WTS *ever* saying time would end.
They did very strongly imply that 'the end of this wicked system of things' would end in 1975.
JWs have long believed that the earth itself would continue on indefinitely and life on earth would never end. Just the wicked people would be destroyed, but not the earth or dates and time.
See the article about 1975 on jwfacts.com for quotes, photos and recordings about the WTS proclamations regarding 1975.
Is this what you are looking for?
https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/quotes/20th-century-2000.php
From JW facts:
Awake! 1961 Feb 22 pp.5,7,8
"But then it also speaks of a group of people preaching about the righteous kingdom of God, a war of God against all wickedness, followed by a paradise earth without death - all to be realised in the twentieth century. ...
That now-operating kingdom in heaven will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the entire earth of wickedness. ...
Revelation 16:16 calls it the "war of the great day of God the Almighty," Armageddon. This war will come in the twentieth century. It will come right on schedule, as have the wars, food shortages, earthquakes and other events foretold. This generation will see its fulfillment."
As late as 1989, the WTS was still claiming that the end would happen before before the close of the 20th Century
- see The Watchtower, January 1, 1989, page 12, paragraph 8.
Typically, though, the reprint of that issue of The Watchtower (i.e. in the "Bound Volumes") edited out all references to the "20th Century" and instead substituted "Our Time" in its place.
Exactly what Bungi Bill said.
Originally that 1989 WT said "This work will be completed BEFORE the end of the 20th century"
Then the bound volume changed it to "This work will be completed in 'our day'"
Did the Awake! Mag also change in the 1990's at the end of the magazine? It changed from in this century to in these times or something like that?
nonjwspouse
For many decades, Awake carried a statement on its inside cover to the effect that "The Generation that was old enough to understand the beginning of the Time of The End in 1914 would still be around to see the End of the System". (It wasn't quite worded exactly like that - my memory is no longer that good!- but that was the substance of the message they put over).
Then ....... after a certain year, which in the Gregorian Calendar is numbered AD 1975, that statement was modified - just a little!
It now read to the effect that "The Generation that saw the beginning of the Time of the End would still be around to see its end".
I understand that this statement was again modified in the mid-1990s, although others will have to tell us exactly how, as I had parted company with them by that time.
Other than that, I am not aware of any 20th Century type remarks in Awake that were subsequently reprinted.
I think the united in worship book says it.
