Dear JW,
On October 2, 1914--a hundred years ago today--Charles T. Russell announced, “The Gentile times have ended; their kings have had their day.” For almost 40 years, among other predictions for that year, 1914 had been looked to as the end of Armageddon, ‘false’ religion, and all governments, and the beginning of paradise on earth and the resurrection. Nothing predicted for 1914 ever came to pass.
On that October 2 morning, Russell said, “Anyone disappointed? I’m not. Everything is moving right on schedule!” Now a hundred years have passed. Confident predictions were made, among other things, about the year 1925, about 1975, about the generation living in 1914 never dying off before the end. A hundred years and still no Armageddon . Sadly, not one prediction made has ever materialized.
Deuteronomy 18:22 says, “When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word is not fulfilled or does not come true, then Jehovah did not speak that word. The prophet spoke it presumptuously. You should not fear him.”
Were the Watchtower’s predictions “food at the proper time” made by God’s channel of communication? Or were they spoken “presumptuously”? Deuteronomy 18:22 is very frank advice that might make us uneasy. The question is: will we heed it?
If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses who has been wondering about these matters, there is no time like the present to begin a period of deep research. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says,“Make sure of all things.” There is nothing to fear in such a search. The more a matter is examined, the more truth holds up to scrutiny, the more a lie crumbles.
But where would you begin?
There are many great websites out there.
Nothing can beat: www.jwfacts.com
And you might want to look at:
www.jwsurvey.org
Lastly, I'll put out my feeble effort: www.JWlove.org
JWlove.org is mainly a quick way to link Youtube video series that analyses the following subjects...
607 BC: http://www.jwlove.org/607bc
1914: http://www.jwlove.org/1914ad/
The Faithful Slave parable: http://www.jwlove.org/faithfulslave/
The Great Crowd and Other Sheep: http://www.jwlove.org/greatcrowd/
Whether door to door evangelizing is a Christian duty: http://www.jwlove.org/door-to-door/
Whether the Bible forbids blood transfusions: http://www.jwlove.org/blood/
And much more...
If you wish, you can link directly to the Youtube playlists here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnXY0-N67N4a5a8eKbar-iw/playlists
This website and video series should not be the endpoint in your research, but the beginning. Scrutinize everything...including the articles and videos on this website.