Setting the scene
Pastor Russell died in 1916.
Those who had 'followed' him were known pejoratively as Russellites. You could call it a 'cult of personality' if you wanted to sneer. But the fact remains plenty of people subscribed to his magazine,The Watchtower, and read his 6 Studies in the Scriptures.
A countdown clock was ticking
Would the Watchtower Society of Bible Students be "up for grabs"? Would a new leader be able to step into Russell's shoes and continue his work, or would everyone go their separate ways?Would the failure of Armageddon in 1914 turn these true believers away? What could unite the flock and keep them busy and distracted while the Judge Rutherford takeover occurred?
________________
Rutherford had to pump up the home team and rally them around the countdown clock to Armageddon.
The audience was listening!
What could the Judge say that would keep the butts in the seats and prevent divisions from happening which would turn people away?
THE GIMMICK
September 25, 1920, “The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living Will Never Die” by J. F. Rutherford in Los Angeles on February 24, 1918.
What was this all about?
Rutherford, by creating a COUNTDOWN MECHANISM leading to 1925,
bought himself time to consolidate power.
______________________________________________ The 1925 date came and went, but Rutherford had taken over inside a space of eight years, and that was "mission accomplished." Freddy Franz kept at it. You can hear him thinking out loud . . . "Now, just for the sake of argument, let's say that *maybe* somehow our calculations are only one JUBILEE cycle off." The a big smile brightens his face. "Look what we get: 1975!" _________________________________ In the meantime, the Watchtower tore off a piece of the failed Countdown and used it as a way of lighting the fuse to Armageddon. What was that fuse? The "generations" teaching. "How would you feel if proof is given that what you believe is wrong? For example, say that you were in a car, traveling for the first time to a certain place. You have a road map, but you have not taken the time to check it carefully. Someone has told you the road to take. You trust him, sincerely believing that the way he has directed you is correct. But suppose it is not? What if someone points out the error? What if he, by referring to your own map, shows that you are on the wrong road? Would pride or stubbornness prevent you from admitting that you are on the wrong road? Well, then, if you learn from an examination of your Bible that you are traveling a wrong religious road, be willing to change. Avoid the broad road to destruction; get on the narrow road to life." You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, pgs. 32-33 _____________________________ "Generation" GIMMICK EXPLAINED As the people who had seen the events of 1914 began to age and die, Jehovah's Witnesses would look at their extinction as a fuse burning to Armageddon. Why? Judge Rutherford had said millions of them would never die! - Awake! 1962 Sept 22 p.27 - "The word "generation" at Matthew 24:34 is to be viewed in an ordinary sense, as at Acts 13:36 and Mark 8:12. Acts 13:36 speaks of David's very own generation, a literal generation. The generation of persons living in Jesus' time, who sought a sign, according to Mark 8:12, was a literal generation. That a symbolic application to a "generation" of wicked persons is not meant at Matthew 24:34 is apparent when we read the preceding verse: "Likewise, also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors." Since Jesus was foretelling conditions prevailing now at the world's time of the end, the generation now living is the one to which he pointed forward in his prophecy of the last days. - w75 5/1 p. 277 par. 22 Why We Have Not Been Told "That Day and Hour" Which "generation" is that? The one that has witnessed the events in fulfillment of prophecy since 1914 C.E. There is no doubt about the truthfulness of what Jesus said. Forcefully he added: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away." ______________________ Notice how tightly reasoned and specific the following statement is made, in effect leaving NO room for a looser, sloppy overlapping generation. - Watchtower 1988 Oct 15 p.4 - "Might it be, though, that the sign could occur over the span of many human generations? No. The sign is to occur during one particular generation. The same generation that witnessed the beginning of the sign will also witness its climax in "a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation." Matthew, Mark, and Luke, recorded Jesus assurance of this.." Can you imagine the panic? The countdown clock is proving the Watchtower's claims of divine God channeling is dissolving every minute! Let us peek in and watch as they squirm and cheat! WT 54 10/15 p. 612 A Message of Encouragement and Value "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." What a consoling fact that is! All these things would happen in one generation! The sudden worsening of world conditions since World War I, which broke out forty years ago, was here foretold to end within one generation, within the lifetime of people who are now at least 40 years old! Awake! October 8 1968, page 13 "Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the last days began. Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914." ________ Watch these Jehovah-channeling-clowns set limits and then violate the limits set._____ WT October 1, 1978, page 31 "Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the 'generation' logically would not apply to babies born during World War I." _________No babies, right? Watch what panic has done 10 years later_____ Awake! April 8, 1988, page 14 "Most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it. ... Jesus' words will come true, "this generation will not pass away until all these things have happened"." _______Eventually, it is way too embarrassing, and this happens______ _________________ Funny how that happened. This is the solution to their self-destruction. They could never confess to ignorance or human error! The GB has no humility. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practiced to deceive." The New Testament begins with a really clear presentation of just how separate and distinct generations really were. The bible shows that generations did not 'overlap' _______________ Mat 1:17 "All the generations, then, from Abraham until David were 14 generations; from David until the deportation to Babylon, 14 generations; from the deportation to Babylon until the Christ, 14 generations." The intellectual dishonesty of the Watchtower religion is nowhere more evident than by this switcheroo which lasted almost 100 years, like the Chinese water torture! to everybody. This is an Organization of nitwits! |
I believe that lid came off the paint can and the painting of themselves into a corner began with the QUESTIONS FROM READERS in the September 1, 1952 WATCHTOWER magazine. On page 542 the question was posed: