Drop Off in Mentioning 1914

by steve2 51 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  steve2

  So many switched on comments, a frequent one being that as the generations pass, issues that have led earlier generations of JWs to doubt and/or leave are no longer the issues they once were - because the GB have either provided (convenient) explanations or the issue has faded from being mentioned on the platform or in the publications - so, yes, later generations of JWs don't see it as an issue.

  I remember, for example, when I first heard - and then checked - that Russell pinpointed 1799 as the start of the time of the end, I couldn't believe JWs in my congregation were either indifferent or sanguine about this "disappeared" old teaching. Were we even looking at the same teaching? Yes, but it simply didn't bother them - or they would say, "It shows how much brighter the light is today" and then switch the topic.
  

  BTW, the line, "We don't serve a date - we serve Jehovah' simply becomes a license to remain asleep and unaccountable. This line was first uttered decades ago in response to questions about the 1975 fiasco - and now it has entered common JW parlance. Again, how convenient!
  
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  Finkelstein

  The WT has compensated for the 'drop off in mentioning 1914'

  by 'increasing mention of $$$$$$'. Sounds fair!

  Love it eye2
  
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  Londo111

  I haven't kept track in recent years.

  How much do mention 1914 in the Study edition of the Watchtower? Or in the monthly broadcasts?
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  Pete Zahut

  As someone who grew up in "the truth" I remember back in the 1960's and 70's hearing about certain beliefs that early JW's had and I remember how everyone use to chuckle over how cute and quaint the old understandings were.

  I remember how was easy it was to dismiss how important those beliefs were to the JW who went ahead of us and who held them as the gospel truth and were ready to die (and did die) defending them. I suspect that when it comes to the year 1914, many young or new ones today couldn't care less about what that date meant to us. I also know that many of those who relied on the significance of those dates and what they meant in terms of them growing old before the end came, are gone now or are close to being gone.

  It's human nature to be predominantly concerned about ones own lifetime and saving ones own skin. No one ever predicts the end will come after they've gone, they want to believe it will happen during their lifetime. Each Generation of the Watchtower Leaders made sure to predict that the end would come during their lifetime so they not only wouldn't have to worry about growing old and dying themselves, it ensured that they could string their followers along and keep that the donations they were living on, kept rolling in.

  Now because of the accountability of the Internet, they are keeping things more generic and providing a "feel good" religion that tickles the ears of their followers without being too specific about anything lest they get called on the carpet in a few years when once again, nothing happens.
  
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  eyeuse2badub

  Keeping the "kingdom" message vague, benign, and ambiguous and inventing doctrines like the laughable "overlapping generations" seems to be working poorly! IMHO!

  just saying!
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  Vidiot

  I think Ray Franz called it "cherished error".
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  steve2

  Rutherford liked to say that the haughtiness of the churches of Christendom was best shown by the way they stubbornly held to their "false" and "ungodly" doctrines even after being exposed by Jehovah's organization.

  And now, once JW organization is exposed as being in error over its doctrines and practices, it arrogantly declares it will never abandon those doctrines and practices (E.g., "We will never change our views on the two witness rule").

  Cherished error sounds pretty close to cherished haughtiness.
  
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  sparrowdown

  Ah Rutherford what a guy.

  "Always wrong but never in doubt" should be on his tombstone.
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  baldeagle

  Excellent comments and observations by everyone on this subject.
  

  How this lame religion can still have over 8 million members, I'll never understand it.
  
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  joe134cd

  If they know what’s good for them they will drop it.