Drop Off in Mentioning 1914

by steve2 51 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  steve2

  Videos from the summer JW conventions ("Be Courageous) show the "urgency" about the end racheted up several notches. Paranoia rules supreme!

  Curiously, though, very few, if any, statements in the convention program about 1914 and the overlapping generations.

  Past conventions frequently reminded us we were deep into the time of the end because the generation that witnessed the events of 1914 would still be alive when the end came. Now, of course, they cannot say that because of the "overlapping generations" teaching - but I've noticed they talk very little about the overlapping generation

  Is this a softening up so they can drop the 1914 doctrine altogether?

  Your views, please
  
• 

  sir82

  Long ago the WTS taught that the "last days" began in 1799. Eventually that date was embarrassingly far in the past, and so they replaced it with 1914.

  1914 is just about getting to the point that it is embarrassingly far in the past.

  They will drop it more quietly this time - no replacement date, but just mentioned less and less, and finally almost never at all.

  Same method that they used to drop the "each creative day was exactly 7000 years long" teaching - just mention it less and less until no one thinks about it any more.
  
• 

  Magnum

  I agree with sir82. Also, once those of us in maybe our 50's and above die off, I don't think it will be that big a deal to just quietly drop the date. We're the last of the group who really remember all the hype. Those of the 40's and under group that I've talked with are not aware of the old "generation" teaching, all the 1914 hype, etc. They don't even know who F Franz.

  I would like to hear from some, though, on whether they're still mentioning 1914 from the platform or in print.

  .
  
• 

  dubstepped

  Oh, I've figured that they would abandon 1914 as generations that were taught that die off. I think a lot of this new JW look and feel, like this "Christian Life and Ministry" meeting and the CCJW designation is them trying to mainstream more as a general Christian religion with less doomsday cult. As doomsday never happens I think they'll just get away from the dates that place limits on things and go with more of a perpetual "it's coming" that keeps just enough pressure on people.
• 

  User99

  It is now fairly common knowledge that the embarrassing parts of their history are being overwritten online. I wonder how much longer it will be for the entire 1914 teaching to be replaced/updated in their online books, magazines and other materials. I wouldn’t be surprised if that is their current direction.
• 

  cobweb

  1914 used to be a load bearing wall. It couldn't have been taken away without everything else falling down. It is still their most significant date in the sense of JW history so they can't admit to being wrong about it - not for a long time yet. But I don't think its holding the building up in the same way anymore. If 1914 was taken away, people would be unhappy but I think the structure of belief would still mostly keep standing.

  The reason they don't mention 1914 is because it is connected to the new overlapping generation doctrine which is just so ridiculous, embarrassing and confusing that nobody wants to talk about it. So it exists but is ignored. More and more it'll become a doctrinal vestigial organ, like an human appendix, that people know they have in their body academically, but never need to think about. It need not be taken out as long as it does no harm.
• 

  jookbeard

  well they wouldn't, they made an utter ass of themselves with this insane prophecy, its a total embarrassment to them, all the more reasons to give to them with both barrels when confronting them while they doss about in the locality
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  Wow, dubstepped and cobweb, right on the money. I couldn't said it better myself.
• 

  jookbeard

  the thing is Cobweb, we can forget all about our appendix, tonsils,goosebumps,tailbone etc as they serve no use to us, "The generation that saw the events of 1914 and who would not pass away until the creators promises that will be fulfilled by the end of the 20th century" cant be forgotten, its embedded in their history ! even if they have stopped production of old publications and the only publications they make available online are only a few years old us merry band of activists have all of it stored in sheds,garages and personal libraries across they world, my god thats wonderful
• 

  LevelThePlayingField

  My God, that's great!