I have not been in contact with JWs since around 1988. I initially got out at the age of 15 in 1987, then there was some back-and-forth-crap, I went to some meetings, but then I was thru, in 1988. The only contact after that was one time, in 1989, when my grandmother died (she was a JW), and the service was held at KH. Anyway, the point here is: It was new to me that the WTS is in the process of moving away from the 1914-doctrine. and moving towards a more "liberal" kind of "well,never mind what we said about 1914, we are the last generation and the signs are there"-doctrine, without even trying to define whatever that means. Basically, that could mean that "the end" could happen anytime from right now till the year 20 334, or something like that, because they have allready "opened the door" to the possibility that people that were alive in 1914, do not have to be alive on Armageddon-day. It appears that they are moving away from the "the generation that experienced 1914 will not have died out before the end comes". The initial steps to do this, was taken in 1995. If you got out BEFORE 1995, there is a chance you don`t know this (unless you`ve read a lot, kept track of what they`ve been up to, etc. In my case, I`ve blocked it out for many years, and am only now confronting it again, at the age of 31). Anyway, I urge you to read this, if you to haven`t kept track of their continually changing doctrines. How on earth the JWs are able to swallow this though, is beyond me. Anyway, I urge you to read this, if you got out long time ago.
Apocalypse delayed again
by Hellrider 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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talesin
Yes, I didn't look at the link, but agree with your comments whole-heartedly! Truth be told, I can time that 'new light' to the month my father stepped down as an elder.
talesin
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Hellrider
Wow, I`m sure it must have been horrible, whole families in crisis, on the brink of loosing their faith and all. How did they take it, Talesin, the average JW, I mean? Was it like that? Arguing and things like that? Or did they just gobble it down like always? LoL, I sure would have liked to be a fly on the wall when that happened, though. Maybe asked for the microphone, and said "well,yeah, had to call it off, seems it was the four horsemens horses that had to get new shoes, and you know, counting in biblical times, that may take a thousand years, or something". Ha ha
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blondie
I was a JW in 1995. I will tell you that a large number of JWs didn't even understand that anything had changed and still don't understand what changed. It effectively undercut the idea that a generation was 70 or 80 years making 1994 the last year that applied to. They had to come up with something to explain why the end hadn't come yet for those JWs that actually paid attention. Just like with the 1975 fiasco, many JWs have edited their memories just as the WTS edited the foreword on the Awake. Most just don't understand, just like they don't understand how the WTS arrives at 1914 using 607 BCE and 2,520 years.
Blondie
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Sith
I left (actually DFed) in '91. I had no idea that the 1914 generation doctrine had been changed until just a few months ago when I joined JWD. For years, I had been waiting for the 1914 generation to die out and for the DUmBs to finally realize that they had been hoodwinked. I knew about previous doctrine changes and explanations for them, but I was convinced that the 1914 teaching would eventually be the downfall of the WTBTS. How clever the Borg is! All they had to do to escape their self-made trap was to change their definition of a single word..."generation". How diabolically simple.
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Wasanelder Once
For years a close friend of mine and I were debating how the FDS would wriggle out of the generation thing considering they were all dying off. When we got the mag on it I ran to him and said, "Look, this is how they are getting out from under it, its inspired!" (pun intended!) We laughed and discussed how the R&F would eat it up considering it was "NEW LIGHT". I deleted myself as an elder about 6 months later due to various issues of which this was the capper. I'm waiting to see what light will flash so they can ditch 1914 from the mantra. Whatever it is it will make perfect sense I'm sure.
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willyloman
I will tell you that a large number of JWs didn't even understand that anything had changed and still don't understand what changed... Just like with the 1975 fiasco, many JWs have edited their memories ... Most just don't understand, just like they don't understand how the WTS arrives at 1914 using 607 BCE and 2,520 years.
This was the turning point for me, as well. I was stunned at the '95 WT article and couldn't wait to see how the congo reacted during the WT study of this 'new light.' What a shock it was to watch the dubs parse the paragraphs and completely miss what was being said. Except for one elder who offered the standard "this is new information from the slave" comment on the pertinent paragraph, the rest of the zombies sat there with that glazed look on their faces, day dreaming of the free afternoon that lay just moments ahead. It was a lightbulb moment for me. Alas, it took several more years to break free.
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Hellrider
Right, I`ve read thru the link I provided one more time, cause there`s one thing I still don`t understand. Hope someone can explain this to me. What EXACTLY does this new meaning of the word "generation" mean? I tried and tried, but for the life of me, I can`t figure it out. God, the doctrine used to be so simple and straightforward, and clearly defined, with time-range and all, and now it`s just all messed up!? The Watchtower, November 1, 1995, says:
"However, we "bring a heart of wisdom in," not by speculating about how many years or days make up a generation, but by thinking about how we "count our days" in bringing joyful praise to Jehovah (Psalm 90:12). Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term "generation" as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics. "
Ok, I think I understand the "contemporary people of a certain historical period"-part. This must mean that whatever the deal is with 1914,the signs are clearly there that we are living in the end-times (you know, wars and earthquakes and all, LoL). And obviously, the new meaning of the word "generation" must obviously mean that it can extend longer than that of a persons life, that even if the...(correct me if I get this wrong) people that were alive in 1914 were all to be extinct tomorrow, the generation is somehow...still alive? In some mystical, paranormal way? Because, as I understand, the year 1914 still stands as the year of the beginning of Jesus invisible presence? So the word "generation", does it mean those that lived in 1914, or does it mean ANYONE that are alive now in the end times? But the part I REALLY don`t understand, is this: "not by thinking about how many years or days make up a generation, but by thinking about how we count our days in bringing joyful praise to Jehovah". What on earth does this mean? That the way we count our days in "bringing joyful praise to Jehovah" is something relevant when it comes to deciding how longlived a generation is? This sounds just amasingly metaphysical and mystical to me. Anyway,and however this is understood, I doubt that the average JW (as Blondie pointed out) understands the logical effects of this doctrine change. If not even one of the people born before 1914 has to be alive on Armageddon-day anymore, this could mean that Armageddon could come tomorrow or in thousands of years, as the bible then doesn`t give any timeframe on how long the end-times are! - or how long this mystical generation-thing is going to last! No wonder most JWs haven`t left because of this, the argument and the logics of this doctrine change is to wide-reaching and to difficult to understand for most people! Ìt`s mystical and strange, and Yeah Blondie, you`re probably right! They just don`t understand it! I bet most of them still are in "1914-mode", that they, at least subconsciously, believe it`s going to happen before the generation that experienced 1914 (in the "old" meaning of the word) has died out. The doctrine change is done quietly and gently, so that when the old people of the congregation in 2015 on their death beds ask "why hasn`t it happened yet?", it will be easy to point out that "oh no, we changed that doctrine long time ago...didn`t you pay attention? Now, just sign here, at the bottom of this paper, oh no, don`t worry, it`s just your house, don`t worry..."... This is all so devious that they should get a price!
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Hellrider
Sith wrote: "I had been waiting for the 1914 generation to die out and for the DUmBs to finally realize that they had been hoodwinked"
I hear you, oh dark one I kind of feel cheated on this one too. I had been waiting for their religion to crumble, so I could laugh at them. You know, if I was to walk by one of those idiots from when I was a kid, the ones that shoved all that demons and Armageddon-crap down my throat till it wrecked my nerves, I could just laugh at the person, or maybe just smile diabolically and arrogant. Payback! Well, I got cheated out of that. Should have guessed that they would wiggle out of it. Well, I take some comfort in the fact that the ones that still are JWs, due to the fact that they don`t understand the logical implications of the doctrine change, obviously are so stupid that I should really just pity them. (Well, I don`t, but I pity their kids, and every child in that organisation).
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Qcmbr
I'm at a loss to understand why date setting is such a fundamental part of the JW mindset although I can understand the shudder power.
The late (lds)Hugh Nibley wrote a paper and identified a specific 'no later than this' date and I remember going to sleep that night and wondering what was going to happen and feeling a certain amount of involuntary trepidation. Of course nothing ever did. I felt similar on the eve of Y2K becasue of the pc systems and I'm sure I'll have the butterflies in 2012 for no other reason than it might happen.
I do however think we are in the last days but whether that will be in my lifetime or not I'm not certain.