If the WT dumped 1914 tommorow ...?

by faithfulslavedriver 70 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  faithfulslavedriver

  This is my first post here. I've been a lurker for awhile but had no particular desire to join until the other day.

  Anyways, do you think that if WT decided to face the fact that 607-1914 is an indefensible pile of crap that has been artificially kept steaming for way too long, would it really kick off a mass exodus or anything? In the short term the FDS/GB might lose some authority, but they are hemorrhaging people anyways keeping it around (607 started me on the road to this place).

  If WT stopped talking about 1914 for awhile then later killed it, blaming it on "further research" or something, and acknowledged some uncertainty in 607/587, I really doubt that very many of the R&F would think much about it. If I had to bet, I would also say that even the most diehard 1914 apologist must realize that it is ultimately false, or at least not as important as the WT says it is.
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  dinah

  How about sticking with that "nobody knows the day or the hour" argument?

  I wasn't supposed to start Kindergarten but I'm 44 now.

  Thanks, God, for not killing me and stuff.
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  stuckinamovement

  Welcome! They are going to have to do something. The rotten teaching of 1914 and 607 is the foundation of the entire organization. Once it is wiped out they won't have any way to say that jesus selected them as the FDS and one true religion.

  SIAM
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  james_woods

  Well, it would depend on how they dumped it.

  For one thing, they further tied themselves into it with the impossibly silly notion of "overlapping generations" of 1914 seeing the end.

  That would have to get dumped too.

  The easy way would be to just stop writing about it in the literature - like they did about the nonsense of the 7,000 year long creative days.

  BTW - welcome to the forum.
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  Amelia Ashton

  Welcome faithfulslavedriver

  From talking to a still in JW it wouldn't matter a jot. Whatever was said would just be considered "noo lite" and any significance would pass over their heads.

  Any doubts they would not voice out loud as they would be worried about being labelled apostate so most likely would keep quiet.
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  ziddina

  Welcome to the board, FaithfulSlaveDriver!!!

  Nice to have you here!!

  "If WT stopped talking about 1914 for awhile then later killed it, ..... I really doubt that very many of the R&F would think much about it. ...." OP

  Unfortunately, I think that's probably a correct assessment of the situation - though, I do suspect that such a change would cause some to exit...

  We may get to find out!!!

  We'll have to see what happens as 2014 rolls around...
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  leavingwt

  Welcome!

  Have you read Steve Hassan's first book?

  The problem is not one of doctrine. It's one of authority.

  Even if they dumped the 1914 teaching, where else would the JWs go?

  90% will follow the WT, no matter how the doctrines change.
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  NewChapter

  Welcome FSD!

  I think that the org is already letting go of 1914 gradually. They greatly deemphasized it when they changed the generation understanding. How is that date even relevant anymore? The generations allow this time of the end to go on ----- forever? They can't just drop it, but doing so gradually will ensure that individuals old enough to remember how important the date was will become outnumbered by younger ones who always believed in overlapping generations.

  NC
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  Amelia Ashton

  90% will follow the WT, no matter how the doctrines change.

  And the rest will hopefully find their way here
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  faithfulslavedriver

  The easy way would be to just stop writing about it in the literature - like they did about the nonsense of the 7,000 year long creative days.

  Agreed. Now why don't they implement it?

  The problem is not one of doctrine. It's one of authority.

  That is the root of the problem. How else do you set yourself