The Governing Body continues to cling to flawed prophetic understanding concerning 1914, as the latest Watchtower shows
The Governing Body continues to cling to its flawed prophetic understanding concerning 1914

The day is Sunday 28 June, 1914. A car takes a wrong turn down a street in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

As the driver backs up, a bystander approaches. He pulls out a pistol, and shoots the couple sitting on the passenger seat. Both die within minutes. The assassin’s name was Gavrillo Princip, and his victims were Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie.

This single incident set off a chain of events that would ultimately lead to two world wars and a long and bitter cold war. Millions would die from the anarchy and chaos that would ensue once the powder keg of Europe had been ignited by this simple spark.

But apart from the far-reaching ramifications on world history and politics, the events on that fateful day would also breathe life into a hitherto innocuous Bible group in America – blowing a gust of wind into its otherwise lifeless sails that would propel it well into the next century.

Without the events of 1914, the success of Russell's bible student movement would have been jeopardized
Without the events of 1914, the success of Russell’s bible student movement would have been jeopardized

I refer, of course, to the Bible Students under Charles Taze Russell, who were to later morph into what we know today as Jehovah’s Witnesses. If the start of World War I had not coincided with 1914, then quite possibly that religion (and this website) would not exist.

It was the fact that something of significance happened in that year that enabled Russell and his associates to claim that their predictions had not been a complete failure. 1914 would thus become an anchor point in Witness teachings around which an entire religion could be built for decades to follow.

We now sit on the cusp of 2014. As 1914 slips deeper into the fog of history, you would expect the Watch Tower Society to begin quietly distancing itself from that year. But quite the opposite is happening. The Governing Body recently unveiled a revision to its New World Translation which enshrined 1914 as a year of significance in its appendix. And more recently still, a new Watchtower study magazine has been released that mentions 1914 no less than 18 times (excluding the questions).

To download the magazine, please click here.

When reading this latest magazine the impression is given that a person would need to be stupid not to reach the same conclusions as Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding the year 1914.

“Because we regularly study God’s Word, we can see that prophecy is being fulfilled right now. What a contrast with people in general! They are so involved in their lives and pursuits that they overlook the clear evidence that Christ has been ruling since 1914 and will soon bring God’s judgment.” – w14 1/15 p.28

“As one writer states: ‘The world of 1914 was full of hope and promise.’ With the outbreak of World War I later that year, however, Bible prophecy came true. The subsequent famines, earthquakes, and pestilences as well as the fulfillment of other Bible prophecies proved conclusively that Jesus Christ had begun to rule in heaven as King of God’s Kingdom in 1914.” – w14 1/15 p.13

This sneering and bullish refusal to let go of the 1914 teaching permeates the entire magazine. Great pride is taken in the fact that “the Bible Students spent decades pointing out that the year 1914 would be significant.” (page 12)

Significant in what respect? Precisely WHAT did Russell and his associates expect to happen in that year? To find out, let us consult some words penned by Russell in his second volume of Studies In The Scriptures, published in 1906…

Taken from page 101 of Studies In the Scriptures Vol. II, published in 1906
Taken from page 101 of Studies In the Scriptures Vol. II, published in 1906

 

Watchtower gives a misleading portrayal of Russell's expectations for 1914
Watchtower gives a misleading portrayal of Russell’s expectations for 1914

As can be clearly seen from the above, Russell expected 1914 to mark, not the beginning, but the END of Armageddon. He further claimed that Christ had already started ruling invisibly in 1878.

Were these claims put forward as innocent suggestions on a “take it or leave it” basis? No. Russell considered the imminence of Armageddon back then as “plainly visible” from the Bible’s standpoint. And yet notice how the latest Watchtower describes pre-1914 expectations…

They were not completely sure about what would happen. Still, they knew that 1914 would mark a turning point regarding divine rulership.” – w14 1/15 p.28

It is impossible to read those words and identify them with the certainty with which Russell propounded his specific expectations for 1914. Consider two more of his quotes from pre-1914, and notice the conviction with which these statements are made…

“The date of the close of that ‘battle’ is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874.” – Watchtower reprints, January 15, 1892, p.1355

“We see no reason for changing the figures — nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God’s dates, not ours. 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.” – Watchtower reprints, July 15, 1894, p. 1677

For more similar quotes, please click here.

By claiming that Russell and his associates were not “completely sure” about what would happen in 1914, Watchtower is re-writing its own history. And not for the first time either. The publications show that Russell WAS totally convinced of what would happen in 1914 – he just turned out to be wrong. And he died in 1916 before he could see just how wrong he was.

Sticking to the plan

But where does all this leave the Governing Body of 2013?

Well, as the 100-year anniversary of October 4/5 1914 (Tishri 15) looms ever closer, they are presented with two options. They can either begin distancing themselves from 1914 and start to hint at “new light” as to when Christ’s heavenly rule began, OR they can stick rigidly with a year that has all but vanished into the distant past. The fact that the Governing Body has adopted the latter course indicates to me that they are either bereft of imagination, or heavily deluded by their own Witness upbringing – or perhaps both.

!cid_BAFB031B-53B5-407C-82B4-ED9D208AFC39

But I struggle to find sympathy for the Governing Body’s situation. When presented with clear evidence that previous understandings have failed they SHOULD be humbly apologizing – not just for their error but for ruthlessly punishing any who disagree with their narrow interpretation of scripture. Instead they not only re-write their own history – they also chain themselves emphatically to a chronology that is already obsolete.

If the 1914 teaching were a beloved pet dog that died a long time ago, the Governing Body is a slightly deranged owner that takes it to the taxidermist, has it stuffed in a lifelike position, and places it prominently in his home – pretending it is still alive. That is how I would illustrate their preoccupation with this year. Any Witnesses who consider themselves loyal must demonstrate the same irrational devotion.

As an example, read the article “100 Years of Kingdom Rule – How Does It Affect You?” which attempts to invoke pride among Witnesses in the 1914 teaching. Consider the following timeline, which appears on pages 13 and 14…

Chart on pages 13 and 14 of the Watchtower 1/15 Study Edition
Chart on pages 13 and 14 of the Watchtower 1/15 Study Edition

 

The above timeline is clearly designed to impress Witnesses with the organization’s accomplishments since 1914 – and doubtless many will be won over. But when it is scrutinized objectively, things begin to unravel. For example, IF this is truly God’s organization and Christ has been guiding the organization as its head since 1919…

  • Why did it take 8 years for house-to-house work on Sundays to be organized?
  • Why did it take 19 years for ministerial servants to begin being appointed theocratically?
  • Why did it take 53 years for congregation oversight to be assigned to a body of elders?
  • And so on…

There is simply no justification, biblical or otherwise, as to why it would take Christ so very long to implement such rudimentary procedures. For example, it did not take years for Christ to organization his disciples to undertake a preaching tour of Israel, as we see in Matthew 10. But for some reason getting his chosen organization to start preaching on Sundays took Jesus 8 years!

I was also bemused by the part of the timeline that heralds 1976 as the year “the Governing Body is organized into six committees.” Why so?

As this website has already explained, the Governing Body only truly came into existence in the form we recognize it in 1971. It was in this year that it was decided that the spiritual leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses should be distinct and separate from the board of directors of the Watch Tower Society.

The first true Governing Body in the 1970s remained under Knorr's control until 1976
The first true Governing Body in the 1970s remained under Knorr’s control until 1976

Fast forward five years, and 1976 didn’t just see the formation of the six Governing Body committees – it saw the powers of the President significantly reduced (much to Knorr’s protest, if you read Crisis of Conscience) so that the Governing Body could finally assume the power and prominence it enjoys today.

The timeline in this latest Watchtower is intended to gloss over all of this, and leave Witnesses with the impression that there has ALWAYS been a Governing Body directing them. But this simply isn’t true. Neither Charles Taze Russell nor Joseph Rutherford ever sat on any “governing body” where their personal views or wishes could be superseded by the views of the majority. That is simply not what we see through any objective analysis of Watchtower history.

I would rather not allow myself to become too diverted on this issue. Suffice to say you can find more information from the following sources, which I would highly recommend if you are at all unclear as to how long the Governing Body has been around in its current form…

Duping the next generation

The more I observe the Governing Body, the less I am surprised at their apparent inability to embrace substantive change – either doctrinally or procedurally.

Here we have a group of men who were under the organization’s spell for decades before they ascended to their current positions. They were chosen BECAUSE of their steadfast allegiance to the organization and to keeping the status quo. They are thus programmed to keep Knorr’s Watchtower of the 1950s ticking over smoothly rather than to help it reform and change with the times. We see this right down to their aversion to beards and insistence on forcing everyone to dress like an extra on “I Love Lucy.”

What I do find intolerable is the conceitedness of it all. Any who dare to say “maybe we got it wrong” is branded an apostate and punished in the worst possible way by being cut off from his or her JW family.

Equally troubling is the manner in which the Governing Body is voraciously pursuing the next generation of Witnesses, which I touched on in a previous article. This sadistic recruitment drive is in further evidence in the January Watchtower.

A chapter entitled “Making Wise Choices During Youth” drills home the idea that becoming a Witness is a necessity rather than a choice for young ones. The only choice available to them is how quickly and to what extent they will volunteer their time and skills to Watchtower’s benefit. “Each person must make his own choice how he will spend his life as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” declares page 18 paradoxically.

Watchtower wants older Witnesses to dupe the next generation into repeating their mistakes
Watchtower wants older Witnesses to dupe the next generation into repeating their mistakes

The follow-up chapter, entitled “Serving Jehovah Before the Days of Distress Come,” is targeted at the older generation of Witnesses. In reminding them of ways in which they can put their age and experience to good use, it suggests: “Could you invite younger servants of God to your home for some upbuilding association? Could you ask them to accompany you in the Christian ministry and show them the joy you experience in serving Jehovah?” (page 23)

In other words, “Yes, you threw away your career prospects and wasted decades believing our failed promises. Now, please make yourselves useful by encouraging the next generation to do the same.”

If you happen to receive a copy of the January 15th 2014, please do me a favor. Put it in a safe place – some place where it can lie undisturbed for many many years. Make sure your new revised Bible is equally safeguarded. Why? Because decades from now, when the Governing Body of the future is telling us that they never said they were “completely sure” that 1914 marked the beginning of Christ’s rule, I have a feeling you may find it useful.

 

John Cedars signature logo

 

 

 

 

Further reading…

Warm thanks to Vincent Deporter for contributing a cartoon for this article.

156 thoughts on “The 1914 Obsession: Watchtower clings to flawed teaching in first magazine of 2014

  • November 2, 2013 at 5:04 am
    Permalink

    Mike said: “Ultimately, who we choose now for our guide will determine whether we reach our goal of salvation or not. The Bible advises that we keep focused on God’s prophetic word and live with Jehovah’s day in mind.”

    My personal point of view is that it is most dangerous to put your trust in any one person or a group of people as your guiding light for salvation, redemption, or whatever you’d like to call the process that will culminate in personality survival after the human heart comes to a standstill and consciousness leaves the human brain…

    Again Mike said: “We would do well to seriously reflect upon the course Ray Franz has provided by his pattern and decide if you really want to follow his way of thinking – with no real hope for the future.”

    Why would anyone want to follow the course of another human being when it comes to spirituality and spiritual survival of human death? Why not start working out our own personal salvation? Why not heed what the so-called good book has to say about not putting our trust in men when it comes to these extremely important and eternal matters? Rather let us, who are so inclined, put our trust in the Lord – whoever and whatever that Lord may be to each one of us personally.

    We’ve been indoctrinated to accept the compilation of ancient texts (Hebrew and Greek) called the Bible, to be infallible. We would never have come to such an acceptance if it was not that we were indoctrinated by fellow humans to do just that. Not so?

    Since I’ve left the “society” I’ve made it a rule for my personal life to put my trust in the God of my own understanding and not what other humans want me to believe. I’ve started to glean the true, the beautiful and the good that I am able to glean from the Bible as well as from other so-called sacred scriptures of different traditions, and make it my own. The rest I discard. Alone I will one day be adjudicated by the Righteous Judge, and by that Judge alone.

    I’m still a seeker, but in my seeking I pray that the Spirit of Truth will guide me and everyone else to come to a knowledge of whatever TRUTH is, through a personal understanding and NOT via any group or another individual to tell me how to direct my physical and spiritual steps.
    It is in this attitude and way of approaching everything spiritual that I’ve come to find peace of mind and rest. I pray the same for everyone else.

    When everything has been said and done, only one thing will remain, the individual and his/her God.

  • November 2, 2013 at 6:03 am
    Permalink

    Mike said: “Ultimately, who we choose now for our guide will determine whether we reach our goal of salvation or not. The Bible advises that we keep focused on God’s prophetic word and live with Jehovah’s day in mind.”

    My personal point of view is that it is most dangerous to put your trust in any one person or a group of people as your guiding light for salvation, redemption, or whatever you’d like to call the process that will culminate in personality survival after the human heart comes to a standstill and consciousness leaves the human brain…
    Again Mike said: “We would do well to seriously reflect upon the course Ray Franz has provided by his pattern and decide if you really want to follow his way of thinking – with no real hope for the future.”

    Why would anyone want to follow the course of another human being when it comes to spirituality and spiritual survival of human death? Why not start working out our own personal salvation? Why not heed what the so-called good book has to say about not putting our trust in men when it comes to these extremely important and eternal matters? Rather let us, who are so inclined, put our trust in the Lord – whoever and whatever that Lord may be to each one of us personally.

    We’ve been indoctrinated to accept the compilation of ancient texts (Hebrew and Greek) called the Bible, to be infallible. We would never have come to such an acceptance if it was not that we were indoctrinated by fellow humans to do just that. Not so?

    Since I’ve left the “society” I’ve made it a rule for my personal life to put my trust in the God of my own understanding and not what other humans want me to believe. I’ve started to glean the true, the beautiful and the good that I am able to glean from the Bible as well as from other so-called sacred scriptures of different traditions, and make it my own. The rest I discard. Alone I will one day be adjudicated by the Righteous Judge, and by that Judge alone.

    I’m still a seeker, but in my seeking I pray that the Spirit of Truth will guide me and everyone else to come to a knowledge of whatever TRUTH is, through a personal understanding and NOT via any group or another individual to tell me how to direct my physical and spiritual steps.
    It is in this attitude and way of approaching everything spiritual that I’ve come to find peace of mind and rest. I pray the same for everyone else.

    When everything has been said and done, only one thing will remain, the individual and his/her God.

  • November 2, 2013 at 8:44 am
    Permalink

    Peace of mind for everyone on the planet would be an idyllic situation. Peace of mind while still yearning for knowledge and competing for advancement, wow.

  • November 5, 2013 at 10:34 am
    Permalink

    “Why did it take 19 years for ministerial servants to begin being appointed theocratically?”

    Well it took the 1st century congregation older men about 60 years to decide the matter of circumcision. If you rejected them on that point then you are missing the bigger picture. Jesus commanded his followers to go preach the kingdom and make disciples. Who did it then? Who is doing it today? There is a worldwide brotherhood amongst JWs. Certainly there are horrible exceptions as was the case in the 1st century Corinthian congregation where a man had taken his father’s wife (1 Cor 5:1-5). The congregation accepted the counsel and in 2 Cor. Paul praised them and did not tell them to ‘open your eyes and get out’. This year we are going to a International Convention in Africa to be greeted with heartfelt bond of love. That is what I see.

  • November 5, 2013 at 12:22 pm
    Permalink

    Rob, your comments look suspiciously like the non lamented Johnny B Goode.

    What is the bigger picture?

    Mormons and other faiths do a form of preaching work, so JWs are not unique there.

    This worldwide brotherhood you speak of – it doesn’t take much to scrape away the surface and see that it isn’t so idyllic as you say.

    These conventions in Africa. The one held in Zimbabwe is a disgraceful propping up of a dictator and is a big mistake.

    It seems to me that you think the Jehovah’s Witnesses are fine and peachy. If you are so enamoured of them, may I suggest that you start looking at jw.org where you will find page after page of nauseating propaganda that will confirm your very rosy view of this damaging cult.

    I very much doubt that you will like the truths that are posted here.

    On the off chance that you are not just another witness stooge sent to waste our time, I suggest that you read Cedar’s articles to obtain a more honest view of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • November 5, 2013 at 4:26 pm
    Permalink

    Not sure what to make of your response except JWs are not welcome here. Which is not Cedar’s expressed goal for this web site to survey JWs. Get on the
    same page.

  • November 5, 2013 at 4:46 pm
    Permalink

    Wrong answer…it should have been, “Whose Johnny B Goode?” or “I don’t appreciate that!” or “I’ll just ignore that and consider the source!” Welcome? Absolutely! But I believe Cedars would say, not for the benefit of those who would exploit it to evil ends! And with all of the spurious and covert, devious Watchtower activity on this forum…he has the Right to be suspicious especially given that any JW in good standing knows that the last place he “should” be is the biggest, at least the most notorious “apostate” forum in the world..

  • November 5, 2013 at 7:24 pm
    Permalink

    @Rob

    Ignoring the historicity issues of the account in Acts 15, I would say your math is off. That story is dated to about 50, give or take. That makes the difference 17 years from the time of Jesus’ supposed death, not 60 years as you claimed.

    Also, if you think delay in acting is the only reason for rejecting the grandiose claims of the GB, then you clearly haven’t done your research.

  • November 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm
    Permalink

    @doublegame so what of scholars feel that 587 is correct! 607 is a biblical number and the bible is its own authority often proving secular authorities wrong. You may need proof from secular historians, but that proof is constantly changing asnew discoveries are found.( or we find that many historians change the “meaning or intent” of archeological findings)

  • November 8, 2013 at 9:58 pm
    Permalink

    It is also interesting that many people connect the failed expectations of certain years i.e. 1925, 1975 with the prophecy of 607/1914. These two wre not connected. The non 1914 expectations were based upon the jubilee year. The 1914 is based upon 607 and 70 weeks.

  • November 8, 2013 at 11:12 pm
    Permalink

    Milo, you are right when you say things change
    and new discoveries come to light.
    But how is 607 a “Biblical number”? What is it based on? Isn’t it on OTHER experts’ opinions ?

  • November 9, 2013 at 8:59 am
    Permalink

    Secular experts have repeatedly questioned the Bible’s accuracy. Yet, when more evidence is uncovered, the Bible record has time and again been vindicated. Those who trust the Bible have good reason to do so. They base their opinion on proof that the Bible is historically, scientifically, and prophetically accurate. That evidence leads them to believe the Bible’s claim that it is the inspired Word of God. (2 Timothy 3:16) Why not investigate the evidence for yourself? You may well come to the same conclusion.

    • December 23, 2013 at 5:45 am
      Permalink

      Milo: I don’t doubt the authenticity of the Bible.
      It is a record of God’s dealings with mankind and of promises of everlasting life. There is nothing else.
      Without it we would have to invent a hope, for we cannot we happy otherwise.
      But, regarding 607, it is true that the Bible has many
      numbers, but they have to be EXPLAINED, and they have been wrongly explained many, many, many, many
      times!

  • November 9, 2013 at 10:17 am
    Permalink

    The biblical date of 607 does far more than establish 1914 as a pivitol year. It also establishes the year of the fortold messiah, jesus. Scince the jews at the time of christ’s appearence were in anticipation of the messiah they also new thay 607 was the true date of jerusalem’s destruction and that it is a biblical date because jesus fullfilled all of the prophecies of the bible concerning messiah we know he was the true son of god and that 607 is the true date of jerusalem’s destruction. To deny this is to deny the christ, if one does that does he truely belive in the bible?

  • November 12, 2013 at 3:05 pm
    Permalink

    Why did it take 8 years for house-to-house work on Sundays to be organized?
    Why did it take 19 years for ministerial servants to begin being appointed theocratically?
    Why did it take 53 years for congregation oversight to be assigned to a body of elders?
    And so on…

    …..

    Indeed, why did Jesus allow Jehovah’s Witnesses to use a false bible with false scriptures for 99 years to spread “the truth”, before ordering the deletion of John 7:53 – 8:11 and Mark 16:9-20 in the latest revision?

    These scriptures either belong in the bible or they do not? Either the old bible contained false scriptures and was therefore not the truth or the new bible has genuine scriptures missing from it, in which case, it is not the truth.

    And yet Jesus is supposed to have presided over the publication of both?

    It doesn’t make any sense to me. I suspect it doesn’t make any sense to my JW sister either, to whom I asked these questions, but she would rather call me an Apostate and bury her head in the sand than admit the truth.

    The real truth.

  • November 13, 2013 at 9:47 pm
    Permalink

    This been hinted since the late 1990’s. It is crucial to understand that by then majority of people who remember the 1914 generation prophecy will be dead. The newer generation of JW would not care about the antiquated beliefs that were dominant till 1990. I will see that within next 20 years we will see a lot of prophecies about 2034/2039 as the year of the Armageddon.

  • December 23, 2013 at 8:03 am
    Permalink

    Milo, rejecting a date that isn’t mentioned in the bible does not equate with denying the Christ!

    Why don’t you check out the book on the subject, written by an ex elder?

    Surely the dates are only important to the WTBTS? They have repeatedly got their dates wrong, and yet that does not equate with the bible’s statement that only God knows the hour.

    Peace be with you

    Excelsior!

  • December 28, 2013 at 3:58 am
    Permalink

    I agree wholeheartedly. It is a very well researched book.

  • January 18, 2014 at 12:21 am
    Permalink

    When you look at the whole of history 1914 is just another turning point. Think about all the wars fought since the beginning of time. There have been many Empires that have fallen many countries that have been taken over and many smaller battles that were fought. Perhaps Russell wrote for the time frame in which he lived. During the 18th and 19th centuries the WT makes these out to be some peaceful paradise as if life was a bliss before 1914 but this simply is not true! People suffered horribly during this time especially in Europe. People were shuffled off to work houses because they could not afford to pay their debts and these places were like concentration camps. Many people put themselves into servitude to rich people rather than go into the workhouses. They became slaves to the rich. Children would beg on the streets and steal just to survive. Many of these children were “adopted” out to farmers who would use them for slaves on their farms and beat them as well.
    Then of course there has always been pestilences. TB was a huge problem in the 18th and 19th century and often people died from it.
    People often went hungry too. Many were farmers but in between growing season they had to beg on the streets just to survive.
    There have always been typhoons in fact way back in history there was a typhoon in the same place that struck in Asia in 2004. It is NOT new!
    The media vamps up the weather as if it is something new. The very cold weather and the snow that has hit the country is NOT new! I survived the Blizzard of 1978 (complete with T-Shirt as a keep-sake) I was a Senior in high school and the storm was so bad that we had 3 weeks off from school. I don’t recall anyone having 3 weeks off from school during this wild weather.
    Solar Eclipses used to send people off the edge thinking that the world was coming to an end!
    I just think that so much of what is claiming to be the end of the world has always gone on in history. Why is it so different today?
    People talk about how intrusive the government is yet the NSA has been around for along time. J Edgar Hoover (FBI) spied on American people for decades.
    I’m just saying whats new? These are NOT new things as they have always existed in one form or another. Why 1914 when there have been bigger things happening? The Holy Crusades were big! Think about the Ottoman Empire, The Last Emperor of China and other huge empires that no longer exist. I just think that WW1 was another war. Of course life changed for many after that war but it did so for others after those wars too. The WT keeps emphasizing that WW1 changed the world and it did for it’s time but other wars also changed the world for their time. That’s what war does! I don’t feel that WW1 was any different in it’s motive in terms of changing the world than any other war. I think a lot of speculation goes on when people try to predict the future. I feel so much of what Jesus said was vague and not in any specific time frame except that he was prophetic and that he was born in the Jewish Lineage as their Messiah. I believe that Jesus spoke to his disciples on the Mt of Olives for the generation that would see the destruction of Jerusalem and that he did not mean 1914. Why would anyone care about 1914 back in Jesus day? It doesn’t make sense to me that Jesus was referring to 1914 when he was talking to them about the end of the system of things. He was I believe talking about the end of the Jewish system of things and the destruction of Jerusalem NOT 1914!

  • January 18, 2014 at 11:51 am
    Permalink

    Here’s the problem with this 1914 Generation there is WAY to much MATH involved for me! I don’t recall Jesus on the MT of Olives giving a complicated math lesson to determine which generation was to be the last! He simply said THIS generation. He was talking to the disciples who were with him at THAT time. Do you think they would have cared about 1914 since they would have been long gone by then?

  • January 25, 2014 at 2:33 am
    Permalink

    Hi all,
    Great articles Cedars enjoying them very much.
    Often were are told by the society to rely on Bible chronology which is more accurate and more reliable then secular however, I picked up this thought from sister site of yours and rearranged it a bit to make a point. Hope you and your reders enjoy.

    The Accurate Bible Chronology according to Watchtower

    Judahs Kings Manasseh Amon Josiah Jeoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah
    Time of Reign ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

    The Accurate Bible Chronology according to Historians

    Judahs Kings Manasseh Amon Josiah Jeoahaz Jehoiakim Jehoiachin Zedekiah
    Time of Reign ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

    Please fill in the date using only a Bible without a history book.

    WOW! Would you look at that they both agree! I thought the watchtower taught that secular historians were wrong and we should rely on Bible Chronology. Oh I messed up, I need to study more.

    Cheers Duds

  • February 12, 2014 at 7:31 am
    Permalink

    Hi everyone,
    what if people (inviting TV) go protest to the watchtower headquarters for the 100th anniversary of the 1914 prophecy, with their old books like “the finished mystery” asking for explanations :)
    Would they obtain answers?

  • February 14, 2014 at 10:11 am
    Permalink

    1/15 blog
    Great post, Cedars. The 1/15 issue uses all the language it once applied to earthquakes (but can no longer use) and shifts it over to claims about badness and moral decline:

    “Wickedness in human society is going from bad to worse…If anything, they too have steadily increased in scope, duration, and frequency” — 1/15/14 p. 28-29

    Denying the nastiness of the past seems to pose no a problem here. For a perspective on morality, would any JW today prefer to have lived in the centuries when slavery, sadistic torture of humans and animals, infanticide, and child labor were institutionalized and considered moral?
    Or would they prefer to be living now?

    Michael White’s 2011 book (italics) Atrocitology: Humanity’s 100 Deadliest Achievements (close italics), points out that prior to World War I, there were five wars and four atrocities that killed more people; and of the 21 worst things people have done to each other, 14 were in centuries before the 20th century and done with low technology. White ran the Historical Atlas database. I’m not sure if he is still active with it.

  • February 24, 2014 at 7:07 pm
    Permalink

    They’re just so ashamed to admit that this date is wrong…They are being dishonest.(Prov 11:1) They have no right to piont their finger at anyone. Governing Body deserves the crown of Hypocrisy.

  • March 6, 2014 at 4:02 pm
    Permalink

    “Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur” Mathew 24:34

    He was speaking in regards to the wicked Jewish leadership mentioned prior to this prophecy. Mathew 23:36

    Prophets of God Vs. False Prophets http://www.topix.com/forum/who/prince/T9UK7QK5CADLH4EA5

  • March 8, 2014 at 4:18 pm
    Permalink

    Correction.

    The wicked generation mentioned at Mathew 23:36 is clearly separate and distinct from the generation mentioned at Mathew Chapter 24 which reads

    “Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur” Mathew 24:34

    The order of events show those of this generation would witness the sign of his presence occurring after the tribulations come to a close which suggests the Romans had eliminated the wicked Jews of Chapter 23

    “Immediately after the tribulation of those days… then the sign of the son of man will appear in heaven…” Mathew 24:29-30

    Finally, the day and hour that nobody knows is in reference specifically to his presence that they were not privileged to know which is supplemented further in this chapter as a reason to be in a state of readiness.

    Mathew 24:36 “concerning that day and hour nobody knows…

    Correction made: 317PM PST 030814

  • May 3, 2014 at 7:29 am
    Permalink

    Oh my that is such an important point! That sentence or two ought to be shared in the petitions going out to the U.N. etc.!!!

  • October 31, 2014 at 1:03 am
    Permalink

    I am not a JW but have many friends who are. I respect them all. What astounds me is how easily they have been led into error as if they had no access to a Bible. The dishonesty of the WT in mirepresenting the plainest of biblical teaching is concerning. There must be some other reason for such committment to an organisation that is demonstrably dishonest. The evidence is there for any fair-minded, honest, objective seeker for truth. I am reminded that the largest confessing Christian organisation in the world has not only changed the very teaching of God’s Word but openly admits to the crime and uses that very act as a mark of her authority! The WT seems to exhibit the same arrogance and contempt for God’s Word while claiming to uphold it. None of this should surprise us when we remember that every one of the New Testament writers warned of the coming apostasy already present in their day but which would reach it’s deceptive fullness as we approach the end. In fact Paul said the “man of sin” would occupy a place in the “temple of God” (2Thess.2) and his counsel to the younger Timothy was to “preach the word” as the surest and only antidote.The honest seeker for truth will always respond to the word of truth whose Author is the spirit of truth Whom Jesus said would come in His (Jesus’s) name. Rather than criticise our JW friends let us all pray for them and work for their salvation with the same enthusiasm with which they work for others.

Comments are closed.