So would you have led your life differently
if you were not taught that these were the ‘last days’? And there was no 1914
or generation teaching?
As a true Christian, you should be living
your life the same regardless of when the end is to come.
Yes I
think I would have. Let me give you some examples.
I left
school as soon as I was old enough legally leave and become a full time
pioneer. This I believe was encouraged by the Watchtower. My bother in-law did
the same thing. Although living thousands of miles away. If you wish I will try
and provide quotes from the Watchtower. I understood from the information that
was provided from the Watchtower that 1975 ended 6000 years in a 7000 year
creative day. The 7th (See God’s
Eternal Purpose Now Triumphing for Man’s Good 1974 WTB&TS pg.50/51
& pg. 131 &132) I also believed and had faith in the good news that we
preached. The generation that saw the events of 1914 and was of a reasonable
age to understand them would not pass away before the tribulation started.
There was urgency to our preaching.
At the
time of my pioneering a brother in the congregation, at break time from the
field service, was encouraging me to go to the same art school he was attending.
He had seen my work and felt I should pursue it. My cousin also encouraged me
to do similar. The following paragraphs had an effect on my decision
"If you are a young person, you also need to face
the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why
not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that
this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that
observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914. Jesus foretold:
"This generation will by no means pass away until all these things
occur."-Matt.. 24:34.
Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any
career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a
college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years
to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be
by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually
gone!"
I think my life would have been
different if I had pursued what I am good at.
A few years later I had a man
from the bank come to talk to me regarding my finances. We discussed some
insurance policies and it moved on to taking about having a private pension. I
could have afforded to start paying into one at this time. However if I had
faith that the end would come within the generation that would not pass away I
would not need one and I told him this.
Some years later when I had
stopped attending the hall, I again had a man from the bank round to my house
to discuss my financial requirements and he informed at this time, noticing
that I had turned down a pension some years earlier that had I taken the
pension policy out then at the earlier time it would have provided me double
the amount of income that my pension would provide now, these years later. This
will seriously impact on my life.
I could provide you with other
examples to do with my life growing up and my marriage but feel this are
probably enough. With both of the examples it has nothing to do with being a
Christian and living my life as a Christian but has everything to do with
having faith in the good news that we preached.
