Mark Jones writes:
Re: Watchtower Magazine, dated May 15, 1984. Take a look at the title:
I cannot stress to you enough how a big a deal this statement was. You see, when Charles Taze Russell first founded the Bible Student movement in 1881 (which would later spawn into different splinter groups, one being the Jehovah’s Witnesses) he taught that Armageddon would end in the year 1914.
"But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble. Zion's Watch Tower 1894 Jul 15 p.226
As you can imagine, some people back then were interested in what Mr Russell had to say and why he thought this. For an explanation of how he came to this date see Facts about 607 B.C.E. and whether Jesus started ruling in 1914
So he and his followers went around preaching this. Of course, 1914 came and went without any sort of Armageddon. Jehovah’s Witnesses cling to the idea that “hey, WWI started in 1914, so he was right in that something happened.” Watchtower were then quick to deny that they ever taught that Armageddon would come in 1914, instead they claim that they predicted that “something” would happen.
"Jehovah's witnesses pointed to the year 1914, decades in advance, as marking the start of "the conclusion of the system of things." Awake! 1973 Jan 22 p.8
"Jehovah's Witnesses have consistently shown from the Scriptures that the year 1914 marked the beginning of this world's time of the end and that "the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men" has drawn near." Watchtower 1993 Aug 15 p.9
So, here’s were a doctrine change came in… in 1935 they changed their doctrine and taught that ONLY 144,000 anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses would get to go to heaven. And not only that, but that:
- The 144,000 were chosen from those who were alive in 1914
- Had witnessed WWI
- Understood that it signified the start of the end
So, EVERY Jehovah’s Witness was taught, and believed, that Armageddon would come BEFORE the 1914 generation of Witnesses would die off. Hence the title of the Watchtower “The Generation That Will Not Pass Away”.
But then, something unexpected happened… they all died.
They all died and still no Armageddon as propheciesed by the Watchtower society. Bear in mind, that many people became Jehovah’s Witnesses (and still do) because they’re taught that Armageddon is “just around the corner” and that only those associated with the Watchtower society will survive.
"Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the "great crowd," as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil." Watchtower 1989 Sep 1 p.19
Also, speaking as an ex-Jehovah’s Witness myself, the main reason we believed we had “the truth” was precisely because no one else was teaching about 1914 and Armageddon. We felt like we were privy to special knowledge that other churches hadn't been clever enough to understand.
So what would the Watchtower society do now after another failed prediction? Prepare to put your common sense and intelligence on hold now…
I was sat in the Kingdom Hall during the Thursday study, I turned the page in the book we were studying called Gods Kingdom Rules and I saw this:
The Watchtower society redefined the word generation. Whereas everyone knows that the word generation means:
noun
noun: generation; plural noun: generations
- 1. all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively.
The Watchtower society, however, were actually trying to convince their followers that when Jesus said “this generation will by no means pass away…” that he actually meant TWO generations. One that would be chosen in 1914, and another generation that would be born during their lifetime who’s lives would overlap. And that it was this second generation that will not pass away.
They even had to have one of their Governing Body members explain this bizarre new doctrine in a JW Broadcasting video.
This is a major doctrinal change. It turns the whole religion on its head. It doesn't make sense and it required the believer to put their critical thinking and common sense on hold in order to believe it.
I’d estimate that 99.99% of Jehovah’s Witnesses can't even explain this teaching, and it wouldn't surprise me if more than half don't believe it. Because if you claim the Governing Body are wrong you’re liable to be disfellowshipped and shunned.
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