JWs use 1914 as proof that the devil was cast down, but...

by cultswatter 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Pahpa

  yadda

  All the "proof" is in the interpretation of the events by the Watchtower. JWs did not see Christ. They did not see Satan. There was no visible evidence that Jehovah selected the Watchtower. (In fact, the organization was pretty much in disarray at the time in 1919.) Since Russell had predicted that the Bible students would be raptured in 1914 or thereabout, many were disappointed when nothing happened. So a few of the diehard faithful relied on Rutherford and his interpretation of scripture to explain away Russell's failures. The shifting of the date from 1874 to 1914 was one way. And the identification of 1914 as the beginning of the time of the end instead of its end was another.

  It reminds me of what happened to the Adventist movement after Miller's failure. Some said that Christ had come to the heavenly sanctuary (invisibly) and was "tarrying" until he came on the clouds to render judgment. It was a convenient interpretation that could not be proven. SDA church still holds to this explanation, I believe.

  It will be interesting to see how the Watchtower will deal with the 1914 date as we approach the 100 year anniversary in 2014.
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  unbaptized

  The WTS did not have to make an annoucement of this event. Jesus had already given them and the world the sign of his presence. Only a ignorant person would conclude that these aren't the last days. Read the scriptures
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  Pahpa

  unbaptised

  I used the same argument in the early 1950s when I became a JW. I just knew that conditions in the world couldn't get any worse than they were. Now, over 50 years later I look back and smile at my naivite.

  C.T. Russell used the same argument when he dated 1799 - 1914 as the "time of the end." Russell was wrong in spite of his sincerity. We look back now on those dates prior to WW I as the "good old days."

  Christians down through the centuries thought their time was the "end time" because of terrible conditions that existed that seem to fulfill the same Bible prophecies. But they were wrong, too.

  The Watchtower has a deplorable record concerning "end time" dates: 1799, 1874, 1878, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1943, 1975. This should, at least, raise a flag of caution among its members that the Watchtower Society has not been a reliable source of prophetic interpretation.