I did to a point, mainly because I was told I had to! But I always thought it was odd how the numbers were cherry picked........I guess that was my lack of faith!!!
I took the '1914 Generation' prophecy seriously, did you? Do you even remember it?!
by nicolaou 38 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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leavingwt
Yes, I remember it and yes, I took it seriously. It was the 'hook' that was the real kicker when my Dad began studying in 1984. This doctrine gave the work much urgency.
Moreover, I personally went door-to-door, spreading this message.
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GermanXJW
This was a very important teaching for my father and so it was for me. I took it seriously. I even told this crap to my working collegues. My father had also fallen for the 1975 bait before. He is still in and this month an auxilliary pionieer. For me, it was one of the main changes that convinced me that it was not the way to go.
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blondie
I have to add that I did not fall for the 1975 prediction. The Bible says that it would come at a time you think not....so I figured it was the Heisenberg principle of Bible chronology. I was surprised at the fervor of many jws at that time.
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BonaFide
Hey Nicalaou, we were born in the same year. I remember asking some of the elders, and my mom when I was 15 years old, (in 1980) "Are you SURE Armageddon will come before the year 2000? Their reply? "Of course, in fact most likely before that." I believed them, and the WT. So I made plans, I started to pioneer, I went to Bethel and MTS. In 1989, the January WT said that the preaching work will be completed "before the turn of this century." I kept the WT in my bookbag. Then, when I checked it in the bound volume, the wording had been changed to "preaching work will be completed in our time." I started to wonder, and worry.
A couple of years ago I asked my Mom about that. She said, "Well, its still closer than it was before."
BF
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Nellie
I remember studying with a young girl who was about to graduate high school and go off to college.
I remember encouraging her about the seriousness of the fact that the "generation" was nearing its end and with it would be the end of this system.
I remember saying to her how the society was encouraging young people not to go to college because it was a waste of time.
I remember feeling so sad when she told me that she was going to go to college anyway.
I remember sitting there at the assembly listening to one of my favorite brothers explaining the "new understanding" of the generation and wanting to throw up as the realization of what he was saying sunk in.
I remember listening to the audience break out in applause and thinking WTF or actually more like WTH - don't you all GET IT??? This is a MAJOR change in our doctrine and you're applauding??? What about all those people that we've told at the doors and studies with that the end was about to happen because the 1914 generation was sooo old??? Where is the good news that you're clapping about????
I remember looking at my husband in the car on the way home saying - What just happened? Where's the pamphlet with the apology that we need to hand out to everyone?
It was definitely a "looking behind the curtain" moment....and it still hurts!
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observador
Nellie and all, thank you for sharing this. Nellie, your feelings are so real, and your description made me go back in time when all those "wonderful" conventions would be held... oh boy.
This teaching was real; I took it seriously; not only that, but I would use that scripture along with the WT reasoning at the doors and show people that the end of this "wicked system of things" was soooooo near.
However, in 1995 I was already taking care of myself, going to the university and fine-tuning my professional skills, and so, though a fervent JW at the time, I guess I was a little sleepy at the meetings; not realizing the full implication of the teaching's changes.
What happened to me and many of you is so common: because JWs don't usually compare notes on what they read on their literature, they don't get the full implication of the teaching's changes until sometime later.
Observador.
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observador
This is the "generation" that wouldn't "pass away":
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Oh yeah. Like many of you, I took it seriously. Why do you think my life is so terrible right now? I stored up all my "treasures in heaven" during my youth and earlier adult years.
All those "treasures" got pretty well wiped out in the "Generation Crash I of 1995", and the "Generation Crash II of 2008". I just checked the "spiritual account" and found that the early withdrawal penelties are greater than what is left of the grossly underperforming years invested.
B the X
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Witness 007
I was supposed to be in the New Friggin System right now eating Pineapples! 2009 WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!