Welcome Uboat.
Yes, the Society did teach that the end would come before those born in 1914 passed away entirely:
*** Awake 1993 3/22 11 Why Such Eager Expectation of the New World? ***
Jesus also indicated that this composite sign would be completed during the life of the generation that saw it begin in 1914. At Matthew 24:32-34, he said: “Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”
Then, in 1995, came a dramatic change (new light). The term ‘generation’ was re-interpreted to mean all the wicked people living since 1914, even those born recently.
*** Watchtower 1995 11/1 19 A Time to Keep Awake ***
12 Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, “this generation” apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways.
See also: Watchtowers 1997 - May 1st p29; June 1st p28; Sept 1st p19.
Suddenly Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had been convinced that the end was near because the generation born in 1914 were so old, were faced with the prospect of a generation which could last indefinitely. Obviously, the removal of this time limit (lifespan of humans since 1914) meant that all the people born in 1914 could now pass away. It logically follows that the ‘end’ might be further away than they first thought. This makes the comment in paragraph 15 of the 1995 Watchtower all the more bizarre, it is in fact dishonest:
*** Watchtower 1995 11/1 19 A Time to Keep Awake ***
15 Does our more precise viewpoint on “this generation” mean that Armageddon is further away than we had thought? Not at all!
Official figures for memorial partakers worldwide:
10,523 -- -- -- 1973 (!)
10,723 -- -- -- 1974 (!)
10,080 -- -- -- 1977
8,795………1997
8,756 -- -- -- 1998
8,755………1999
8,661………2000
8,730………2001 (!)
Bear in mind that these people were supposed to have been born before 1935 when the door was closed for being anointed (bar the odd falling away) so they will be very old now and statistically should be passing away a lot faster than this, NOT increasing like they did last year!
Many countries, especially in the developed nations, are showing zero or negative growth, the most notable of which is the USA, Japan and England. However last year overall growth was 1.7% (still a big drop on last year’s 2.3%, 2% in the year before that and 3.6% in 1998) This growth is being generated solely by third world countries where the Internet has yet to make an impact.
