1914 'Big A' WT Retraction/Apology?!

by lurkernomore 26 Replies latest jw experiences

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  steve2

  Of course anyone can make mistakes. But the JW organization is not "anyone".

  That organization has arrogantly promulgated beliefs in the name of exclusive truth only to subsequently discard those beliefs.

  Yet if any of the rank and file had expressed misgivings about those beliefs at the time, they'd have been warned to shut up and, if they didn't, threatened with being kicked out and shunned by family and friends.

  Has the organization ever apologized about THAT aspect of its long history of shunning? Thought not.
• 

  Village Idiot

  lurkernomore, yes the Watchtower did issue a mock apology for it's 1975 debacle in 1980. That's probably what your friend is thinking about though she got the date wrong.

  They said that they were responsible for some of the high expectations for that year. That so called admission still put the blame on the rank and file claiming that they - the Governing Body - did not dampen these expectations (as if those expectations originated from the rank and file in the first place).

  "6 In its issue of July 15, 1976, The Watchtower, commenting on the inadvisability of setting our sights on a certain date, stated: "If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises." In saying "anyone," The Watchtower included all disappointed ones of Jehovah's Witnesses, hence including persons having to do with the publication of the information that contributed to the buildup of hopes centered on that date." Watchtower March 15, 1980

  I remember reading this Watchtower and later, during my Appeal Committee for disfellowshipping, the elders made reference to it.

  For a detailed quote from the Watchtower and analyses of their statement you can go to http://www.culthelp.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=331&Itemid=8
• 

  Splash

  That WT quote in red is no apology, it's merely saying that the WT publishers, like everyone else, were disappointed that they focussed on a date.

  That is in no sense an apology!
• 

  steve2

  "If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises." In saying "anyone," The Watchtower included all disappointed ones of Jehovah's Witnesses, hence including persons having to do with the publication of the information that contributed to the buildup of hopes centered on that date."

  This must take the prize for longwindedness and exceptionally awkward wording - especially the wording of the underlined portion. Talk about fudging the issue. It is a shameful example of appearing to apologize but not doing so.
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  lurkernomore

  VI - Exactly my thoughts at the time, she must have been thinking of the whole '75 debacle. I would have found something on 1914 by now...
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  Zoos

  "Would you be so kind as to find the literature that contains the apology over 1914?"

  
  That's a great idea. Make her feel like you could reconsider your position if you were to learn the organization humbly apologized. Put the burden of research on her and let her go.

  If she really does take your salvation seriously she is going to have to do an awful lot of reading through that old Rutherford crap, ending in failure to find an apology. It's a win/win.

  Just might be the ticket to awakening yet another mind.
• 

  Mad Irishman

  There's been quote a few mentions of 1914 and how the organization was wrong about what happened then. Was there an apology? I wouldn't call it that, but they've printed many times how the brothers then got it wrong about what was supposed to happen.