Hi Leander,
If its true that the WTS has manipulated historical dates and bible scriptures to support this date of 1914 then that would mean everything else crumbles.
And with the crumbling of the doctrine, so goes the religion too. It "crumbles" with it. And the WTS is very much aware of this.
However, some JW apologists on this board do not realize the signicance of such a "failure" before God. They do not realize, the failure of the teaching unequivocally makes JWs bonifide "liars" of the worse kind before the world. (Rev. 2:2)
For instance, you've noticed a few comments about 1914 made on this thread so far, like what You Know said below,
...Nonetheless, while it is obvious to me that THE KINGDOM OF THE WORLD WAS NOT GIVEN TO CHRIST IN 1914
, or any time since then, I am not willing to discard what appears to me to be a mountain of evidence that Christ’s parousia has been ongoing since that time. What such contradictions and uncertainty has brought home to me is the truthfulness of the Bible’s somewhat disturbing axiom: “Let God be found true though every man be found a liar.” / You KnowAnd Yadirf also added doubt to the accuracy of the date, suggesting the JW Organization had been "tricked by Satan" into mistakenly claiming the date. (Please compare his comments below.)
Here's the truth about 1914. http://4heavens.homestead.com/9.html
Look primarily at the purple document at the bottom.
I'm the author. Yadirf
The above shows they both doubt the accuracy and correctness of the doctrine of 1914 as currently understood and taught by the nation of Jehovah's Witnesses today. And in so doing, they "downplay" the importance of proper doctrine for the JW Organization, and their "christian" standing before Christ,
"...as one who has nothing to be ashamed of, RIGHTLY EXPLAINING the Word of Truth". (2 Timothy 2:15 NRSV)
They show above, the JW Organization has not done this. A "christian" responsibility that they should have discharged faithfully as a "christian" organization, in view of the time involved. As we remember, 1914 is a date the WTS/JW Organization has claimed for 125 years (1877-2002).
Now, they admit the teaching is not correctly taught.
Most who are familiar with JWs, know of the WTS' incessant emphasis and importance attached to the 1914 teaching in their publications. The "preaching" of this message, under Divine angelic guidance, and its powerful impact upon all earth's inhabitants, was said to accomplish much before God and man.
For example, take this quote:
"Let the honest-hearted person compare the kind of preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom done by the religious systems of Christendom during all the centuries with that done by Jehovah's Witnesses since the end of World War I in 1918. The are not one and the same kind. That of Jehovah's Witnesses is really "gospel," or "good news," as of GOD'S HEAVENLY KINGDOM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE ENTHRONEMENT OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST AT THE END OF THE GENTILE TIMES IN 1914. (Luke 21:24) The worldwide witness given to this effect under the barrage of international persecution and oppostition could have been given only by means of God's all-conquering spirit. It was accomplished neither by the spirit of man nor by that of Satan the Devil. It was done with the help of God's holy angels, as is indicated in Revelation 14:6,7." (May 1, 1981 Watchtower pages 17, 18 par. 3, taken from the study article: "If God Has An Organization, What Is It?")
Questions for paragraphs 3,4:
(a) How does the message as proclaimed by Christendom during the past centuries compare with the "gospel" proclaimed by Jehovah's Witnesses since 1914?
(b) How only could this have been accomplished under persecution and opposition, and what does Revelation 14:6, 7 indicate?
Now, I'd say, thats the real truth about 1914. It is a fundamental foundation teaching of the JW Organization. It is the teaching that sets JWs apart from all other religions and "put them on the map" as a "prophet" organization before the world. The teaching where Charles Taze Russell supposedly, was able to predict a key and significant "date" in Bible prophecy. Something the churches of christendom or religions of "babylon the great" have not done. It is their "claim-to-fame" doctrine.
Therefore, it would be very, very difficult for the WTS or JWs in general to admit the above as You Know and Yadirf have done. Though, I don't disagree with their "findings" about the date. But, the WTS (nor JWs) couldn't admit it, because they know if the teaching of the date of Christ's Heavenly Enthronement of 1914 comes up false in any way, then the following Bible principles automatically come into play:
"No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we acquainted you with the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.." (2 Peter 1:16)
"This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men [1914] as doctrines." (Matthew 15:8, 9)
"But turn down false stories which violate what is holy..." (1 Tim. 4:7)
If the WTS and JWs were to admit to the world the date of 1914 was NOT the date of Jesus' heavenly enthronement, then, they would be open to valid criticism and charges of teaching a false doctrine "in God's Name", and facing certain "extermination" for being found in the end, "false witnesses against God". (Zech. 5:4; 1 Corinthians 15:15)
Thats the truth about 1914.
bjc
