JW's Would Stay With The Org Even If 1914 Was Dropped

pale.emperor

I asked the question on Quora:

If the governing body abandoned the 1914 teaching, would you leave Jehovah's Witnesses or you would remain a member regardless?

https://www.quora.com/If-the-governing-body-abandoned-the-1914-teaching-would-you-leave-Jehovahs-Witnesses-or-you-would-remain-a-member-regardless

Their replies were unanimous. They'd still stay with the org!

I would absolutely NOT abandon my faith. - Ben Gordon Burns

I’ll stick with Jehovah God and whatever organization - Brandon Wilson

There have been many adjustments to our understanding of the scriptures. People have been taught lies for centuries. - Mary Crosby

I would remain with Jehovah’s Witnesses, because I appreciate being in a religion that changes a belief when they realize that it’s wrong. - Sam Thorne

I would stay a Jehovah's witness for as long as it had Jehovah's blessing. - Mick Tunbridge.

It was only Edward Smith who refused to beleive that they'd even do it.

Not going to happen. - Edward Smith

I guess Edward will have a hard time with cognitive dissonance when the time comes.

The cornerstone of the entire belief system was always 1914. Now it seems the emotional attachment is more stronger than pesky facts.

_Morpheus

Ive long believed that, pale. The gb could change any teaching, it wouldnt matter.

Lets review: its a cult

I can't see them ever dropping 1914. Think about it......it's already so long ago that nothing they said about it is remotely true. Everyone from that (non overlapping) generation is dead. No Paradise. No continued increase in converts. AND YET, MOST JWs ARE STILL BELIEVERS IN IT! If it ain't broke, why fix it?

The JWs who are still in are either so old and have so much of their life invested that they can't leave it behind, or they benefit from the business contacts or social contacts, or, they just aren't too bright.

OnTheWayOut

The organization grew when 1914 wasn't what they said it would be, when the prophets were not resurrected in 1925, when the end did not come in 1975 and all those other years, SO YEAH- they would mostly stay.

Londo111

Were I still in, that would've been a showstopper for me.

Of course, it was researching 607/1914 why I woke up in late 2011.

But then, most couldn't seem to explain in back then and zoned out whenever it was discussed.

Giordano

They are captives of a corporation and damn proud of it.

StarryNight9

I think JWs as a whole care less as time goes by about their doctrine's history or source material. Most probably couldn't defend half of what JW lore is on their own. It was their grandparents (or parents) who actually cared about that stuff - they just grew up inside it. It's like hearing about a parent's obsession with trains growing up. You could probably quote some train facts, but don't really care to dig into it yourself. Why do you think the GB now puts so much emphasis on "obey even if it makes no sense" rather than "we'll prove we're right"? It's like a train club association desperately trying to keep their membership once the parents are gone - group loyalty becomes about the social/belonging aspect rather than the train facts/history.

Vanderhoven7

The GB, when Ray Franz was aboard, thought of changing 1914 but it was voted down. If 1914 is dropped, other dates, such as 1918 when the saints arose 1919 and when the F&DS were appointed would be suspect as well.

Tameria2001

From my own personal experience, when I left the JWs, I had first sent a letter informing them of my decision to leave the JWs, and why. A few days after I had sent them off, a couple of elders came to my door, making sure I was the one who actually sent them the letter. After I told them yes it was me, they asked me why, because in their eyes this happened totally out of the blue, you see I was in good standings with the organization.

I brought up the scripture in Deuteronomy 18:15-22, where it talks about false prophets. I told them that my mother became a witness in 1974 on the sole promise that she would once again be reunited with my older sister who had just passed away. My sister was only 5 years old when she died. I said 1975 came and gone, and that it was now 2001, I brought up a few other points as well.

Their only response to me was not to convenience me to stay, but all they said to me was "It's true what you said." That was the last I ever heard from them.

Even if what I said wasn't about 1914, the same holds true. People do leave when the Watchtower does this yo-yo stuff with the dates they have claimed up in the past.

minimus

I can see Jehovah’s Witnesses changing the 1914 doctrine. Because nobody really cares about it. It does not affect anybody’s life. I could see them changing that and at the same time saying that 144,000 is not a literal number. Once again nobody would really care.