Is there any evidence that the WTS stated the 20th century would be the last?

by TTWSYF 22 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  smiddy

  If nothing else says that the Jehovahs Witnesses are a cult religion and they should be avoided at all costs is the fact that they "doctor" their own statements found in print.

  As late as 1989, the WTS was still claiming that the end would happen 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.

  And lets not forget how they tried to shift the blame of the 1975 date for Armageddon in their publications onto the rank and file JW`s as being over-enthusiastic wanting the" end" of this system and the start of the" New System of things" under Christ Jesus and jehovah
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  Vanderhoven7

  Marked
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  James Jack

  I had a discussion with an Elder about this Subject, he denied our publications every said this. I went back to the KH Library and pulled a 1990 Awake Bound Volume, there on page 2, "Why the Awake is Published" : ... this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away. ( Everyone that was alive back in 1914 are dead now)
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  Vanderhoven7

  Well, almost everyone anyway. But Jesus was certainly talking about a thriving group who would witness the tribulation.
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  Splash

  Here are 10 references spanning about 30 years:

  Awake! 1961 Feb 22 p. 7
  That now-operating kingdom in heaven will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the entire earth of wickedness... Can you not see that the twentieth century is the century indicated by the prophetic language of Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, and 2 Timothy 3?

  Awake! 1961 Feb 22 p. 8
  ...is it not only logical that whatever else is recorded in these above-mentioned Bible chapters must also come upon the twentieth century? ... Revelation 16:16 calls it the "war of the great day of God the Almighty," Armageddon. This war will come in the twentieth century. ...Now is the time to heed Bible prophecy concerning the twentieth century and live forever in the sunshine of God's new world.

  Awake! 1962 July 22 p. 32
  But how many realize that it contains information of special interest to those of us who live in this climactic twentieth century?

  The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah (1971) p. 216 para.9
  "Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day of Jehovah" will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom."

  True Peace and Security (1973) p. 72-73 para. 7-8
  "What does [God's] word say regarding our day? It describes events of this twentieth century."

  Let Your Kingdom Come (1981) p.11
  ...now in our 20th century, we have come to the time for harvest — "a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels"!

  Watchtower 1984 March 1 pp.18-19
  "Some of that "generation" could survive until the end of the century. But there are many indications that "the end" is much closer than that!"

  True Peace and Security (1986) p. 69 para. 3
  "The Bible clearly describes events of this 20th century"

  Revelation Climax (1988 - removed from the 1996 revision) chap. 34 p. 246 par. 1
  The John class today also wonders with great wonderment as events unfold in fulfillment of the prophetic vision. If people of the world could see it, they would exclaim, 'Incredible!' and the world's rulers would echo, 'Unthinkable!' But the vision becomes a startling 20th-century reality.

  Watchtower 1989 January 1 p.12 (loose copy magazine):
  "He was laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century."
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  BluesBrother

  *** Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15 ***

  If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the 'last days' in 1914, Jesus foretold:'This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.' Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.

  
  

  &Know Jehovah - How?& p216 (released 1971)

  9 Shortly, within our twentieth century, the “battle in the day of Jehovah” will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom. The ancient “soil of Israel” pictures the realm in which Christendom has operated. It pictures the standing and relationship that Christendom has claimed to occupy with God by means of his “new covenant” of which Jesus Christ is the mediator. Now is no time for anyone in Christendom to rely on any righteousness on the basis of his own merits and to boast of his own self-righteousness. Jehovah’s “sword” of warfare will cut off from this position that Christendom’s clergy claim for her all religionists who depend upon her having an acceptable standing with God.
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  Awakenednow

  Bungi bill and stuck in a rut... that's one of the main items that woke me up. I looked up both references, as I had the original bound volume, and saw the change. it was blatant deception and obvious attempt to cover over error. In a courtroom it could be evidence of fraud, maybe? Anyway, I threw out all of my wt publications in anger after that and never went back. John 8:44 they always preached, in reference to other religions.
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  Awakenednow

  Great list-splash
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  kairos

  Reasoning from the scriptures page 200:
  
  (8) Last days: They believe that we are living now, since 1914, in the last days of this wicked system of things; that some who saw the events of 1914 will also see the complete destruction of the present wicked world; that lovers of righteousness will survive into a cleansed earth.

  
  
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  steve2

  In the 1990s, the Awake! magazine dropped its front inside-page statement that the generation who saw the beginning of World War One would also live to see the end of this 'wicked system of things'.

  That statement had been in the Awake! for several decades - and it literally disappeared overnight without comment.