After reading JanH's 1914 Generation post (under The Best Of section), I was impressed by the amount of research he had put in. One thing that sticks out while reading it, however, is the sneaky way the Watchtower kept extending the length of a generation every few years.
All those oldies who've been around for decades, patiently waiting on Jehovah and the Society for that long promised Paradise are already passing away. Metaphorically speaking, their "spiritual tongue" is longing for that drip of cold crystal clear water from the rivers of Paradise. Such has not been forthcoming. Now in their 70s, 80s, 90s and in some cases, 100s, they see nothing but cold hard reality ahead of them - their remaining years spent in a nursing home, ignored for the most part, by their congregation.
This generation that would never pass away, IS passing away. The Watchtower's change to this teaching has been 9 years long gone. People who came into the truth after 1995 never knew the anticipation that these old timers in the organization felt, as they eagerly waited at the District Conventions, year after year, hoping for some new light on the 1914 teaching.
We've all seen the You Can Liveforever In Paradise On Earth book - millions of bible students studied that book, and it took the better part of a year to go through it. Under the chapter about the last days, there is a picture of a calendar with 1914 on, and images of a baby turning into an old man along it. (I forget the page number) Specifically stated, is the FACT that the Generation of 1914 would not pass away, until all the signs that Jesus gave occured.
Most of us felt, that we would not be in the 21st century on this side of Armaggedon. Maybe a few of us hoped that the Society's new world would arrive during the years 1999-2001. It seemed right, it even felt right to some, that the Great Day of Jehovah would arrive. The Millenium Bug worst case scenario, coupled with uncertainty over the new millenium and then the horric attacks of 9/11 only heightened our expectations.
But life has gone on, and so has the Watchtower. Faced with rapidly declining membership and zeal, they have very little to offer, that is tangible, can be seen and acknowledged concerning the end times.
Consider a recent news article on how many American World War I veterans are left today...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/text/2001833888_pughobit10.html
Saturday, January 10, 2004, 12:07 A.M.
Alfred Pugh, World War I vet, dies at 108
By The Associated Press
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. ? Alfred Pugh, the last known combat-wounded U.S. veteran of World War I, has died. He was 108, 10 days short of his 109th birthday, when he died Wednesday.
Mr. Pugh, who often told visitors the key to a long life is "keep breathing," joined the Army in 1917 and fought in France during World War I with the 77th Infantry Division. He was wounded in 1918 during the Meusse-Argonne offensive, one of the war's bloodiest battles.
Mr. Pugh died at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Bay Pines. VA officials said he was the oldest wounded combat veteran in the United States, and one of fewer than 1,000 remaining American World War I veterans.
Friends said he loved the attention that came with being known as the oldest wounded combat veteran in the United States. "It tickled him when the classes would come by the busload to see him," said Mr. Pugh's niece, Carolyn Layton.
Born Jan. 17, 1895, in Everett, Mass., Mr. Pugh reared 16 foster children, played the organ into his 100s and was an avid football and baseball fan.
He is one of 10 veterans profiled in "The Price of their Blood," a book published last month and co-authored by Jesse Brown, former U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Mr. Pugh spoke French and was used as an interpreter until the battle in the Argonne forest, when he inhaled mustard gas that left him unconscious and with chronic laryngitis. "It was like a fog," Mr. Pugh said in an interview in 2002. "... We didn't get any gas masks until the day after it happened."
He returned to Maine after the war and worked as a railroad telegraph operator and delivered mail. He moved to Florida in 1971.
In 1999, he was named chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor, a prestigious medal bestowed by the French government.
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With only a thousand WWI veterans left in North America, and just a handful in Great Britain, the 1914 generation are well on their way out.
It's been 90 years since that date - and nothing indicates that Christ has been ruling in Kingdom Power.
What has the Watchtower got to say for itself? While it churns out 50 million Watchtowers a month, their members are rapidly seeing that all the promises of old have faded into nothingness - and that it's high time to get an education, get a career, get life insurance and get a pension.
More and more witnesses are doing this, no one blinks an eyelid if someone's son or daughter goes to college - indeed, it is the exceptional young person who DOESN'T go on to higher education.
Who on this board remembers the July 1st 1979 Watchtower - 1879-1979 Keeping Watch for 100 Years?
page 28 How Jehovah Guides His People
GUIDANCE
IN OUR DAY 14
When we look at what has been published by Jehovah?s organization through the pages of
The Watchtower and other publications for the past century, we find wholesome spiritual food in abundance. Early in this period, basic Bible truths were made clear, and they remain clear until this day. Our viewpoint on hell, Trinity, purgatory, the soul, where the dead are, the ransom, the resurrection, earth?s destiny, the Kingdom and other key doctrines has undergone very little change during 100 years.
The truth has always been truth, though, at times, our understanding of it has required adjustment.?Compare John 16:13. 15
Jehovah has continued to guide his people step by step to a fuller appreciation of his truths, and this in his own time and in his own way. Because of this, Jehovah?s Witnesses from earliest times in the past century have understood that
they must be willing to modify and correct their views of doctrine, practice and organizational procedure when
it became apparent that Jehovah?s spirit was directing them toward such adjustments. As acknowledged by Bryan Wilson in the magazine
New Society, Jehovah?s Witnesses have "always maintained that continued study of the Bible might lead to fuller knowledge, and on previous occasions errors in prophetic interpretation have been admitted."
16
Perhaps the area in which it truly
requires willingness to readjust is the field of Bible prophecy. Most prophecies are given only in general outline. Therefore, faith is required to await the outworking of the details. (Heb. 11:1) An example of this has to do with the Bible?s prophecies showing that this present wicked system under Satan will be destroyed and replaced by "new heavens and a new earth." (2 Pet. 3:13) However, enough aspects of the overall "sign" of the impending end are given in the Bible to mark clearly the present time as the "last days," "the time of the end." (2 Tim. 3:1; Dan. 12:4) This has incited God?s servants to intensify the work of fulfilling Jesus? words: "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Matt. 24:14) They have had success in doing this and in surviving as an organization, also in prospering spiritually despite enormous persecution, likewise in putting on and displaying the new personality in this degraded world. All of this is testimony to the fact that Jehovah has indeed backed them up.?Isa. 54:17.
17
However, during these "last days," have erroneous views about this system?s end or telos (Greek) been held in advance by some of Jehovah?s servants? Yes, they have. Some of these views involve the length of time it would take for the end to come. Out of zeal and enthusiasm for the vindication of Jehovah?s name, Word and purposes, and the desire for the new system,
some of his servants have at times been premature in their expectations. This is similar to the view that the disciples had as to the imminence of God?s kingdom in their day. (Acts 1:6) But because expectations have at times been premature and so have not been fulfilled, does this mean that God has somehow changed his purpose? Not at all. "My own counsel will stand, and everything that is my delight I shall do," says Jehovah. (Isa. 46:10) Hence, Jehovah?s purposes, and time, for establishing a righteous new order are firmly fixed.
18
This certainly impresses on us our need to weigh carefully all Scriptural factors, not emphasizing some to the point of overshadowing others. As Jesus himself stated so plainly: "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows." (Matt. 24:36) Always there is the need to pay strict attention to the apostle Paul?s counsel: "Do not go beyond the things that are written."?1 Cor. 4:6.
19
Although many of Jehovah?s Witnesses have had to adjust their views in this matter, can we deny that we are in the "time of the end"? Surely the evidence of the impending end of this system grows daily, as we see the deepening breakdown of institutions such as marriage, family, government and worldly religion, as well as increasing crime and violence, and growing disrespect for God.?2 Tim. 3:1-5.
This article was written before the apostasy of the 1980's, yet they blame the rank and file by classifying the Governing Body as just, "servants of Jehovah."
Now that it has been 90 years since 1914, and faced with members who are dying off, what kind of example are they giving to the 3rd and 4th generation of witnesses?
Is the clock going to beat the Watchtower Society? Many of its members are approaching 90 years old, one even 100 years old. What happens when these men pass of this world?
Interestingly, it was announced at the District Convention, that in October this year, there will be a special campaign to deliver as many of the new brochures, "Keep On The Watch" as possible.
the society has always had a long fascination with this month, supposedly the month Adam was created, the month Jesus was born, World War I and they also have their annual meeting this month.
But they are losing ground, the enthusiam is just not there, there are less and less English speaking witnesses, brothers are not reaching out and they must consider the end game.
Although the Watchtower Machine appears to keep going 24/7, this machine is made up of members who are tired and stressed out.
The clock is not on the Watchtower's side - it is against it. Faced with no other date setting for the big "A", all the tyrants can do is scream and shout at the flock for not doing enough. 15 minute publishers, doorstep studies, an aging generation of witnesses, 80% of young people leaving, the greatets weapon ever formed against the Watchtower Empire aka the Internet and more public education is virtually guaranteeing that the Watchtower has already lost the battle against the clock.
In the USA for example, fewer and fewer make the decision to work full time as regular pioneers. No gas rebates, food coupons or any kind of program to help these pioneers stay on, they resign. This years Memorial Season showed just how much gas there was in the bottle - they had one of the worse performing Memorial Seasons of the year, with fewer auxiliary and pioneer enrolees.
Each second that clock ticks, every minute that goes by, every time the big hand passes the twelve, more and more people are making the decision to leave - and if they have to stay in for reasons of family and friends, then they are actively not supporting the organisation with their wallet.
