Body: | The incredible change in the trade-mark "1914 generation doctrine."
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This 1968 picture says it all!
"Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away
until all these things occur. " (Matthew 24:34 NWT) From: The Truth that
leads to Eternal Life 1968
Today, the Governing Body rejects the original "one generation"
view. And refines the generation by removing any time element whatsoever.
This was done to escape catastrophic failure of their "prophet". The new
teaching means that Christ may not come for even 500 more years! If ever
there was proof that the organization was involved in blind speculation,
this is it! This information is so new, that most Jehovah's witnesses don't
even fully comprehend the change their "prophet" is making!
This new light from the organization is an intentionally vague
teaching that will let the "generation" be alive for centuries while still
allowing the Jehovah's Witnesses to teach the end will come SOON!
How long is a Generation?
Before 1952 a Generation was 40 years:
Why is 1952 the cut off time when the organization got "new light" from
God?
The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD happened 37 years after Jesus'
death. 1914 + 37 = 1951
"By keeping the people ignorant they led them into having Jesus
killed on a torture stake at Calvary. Thirty-seven years later this
willfully cultivated ignorance led to its fatal consequences, the
destruction of the city of Jerusalem with an enormous loss of human lives,
just as Jesus had predicted, and the breaking up of the Jewish nation till
this day. And now in this "time of the end" the revived nation of Israel
with capital at the modern city of Jerusalem chooses to go on in the steps
of its forefathers . . ." (Watchtower, Sept. 1 1950 p 277; see also Nov. 1
1950 p 407)
"The length of time is indicated by him when he said, "Truly I say
to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these
things occur." (Matt. 24:34) The actual meaning of these words is, beyond
question, that which takes a "generation" in the ordinary sense, as at Mark
8:12 and Acts 13:36, or for those who are living at the given period."
(Watchtower, July 1, 1951, p. 404)
"Counting from the end of the "appointed times of the nations" in
1914, we are 37 years into the "time of the end" of this world. (Luke
21:24, Dan. 12:4) During these crucial years Jehovah's witnesses have
sought shelter and strength in him, and they can confess for themselves
that he is a "well-proved help in trouble". If it were not for this, they
would not be here today nor increasing in numbers. But we are entering the
most serious and trialsome years of this "time of the end". The final
conflict of Armageddon draws near." (Watchtower, Feb 15, 1951 p 179)
"WHEREAS the "appointed times of the nations" ended in 1914, it is
now 37 years that we have been in the "time of the end" of Satan's world."
(Watchtower, April 1 1951 p 214)
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Generation revised in 1952 to equal 70-80 years
The year after 1951, the organization was forced to revise its
definition. God came through just in time and gave them "new light"!
"Webster's unabridged dictionary gives, in part, this definition of
generation: "The average lifetime of man, or the ordinary period of time at
which one rank follows another, or father is succeeded by child; an age. A
generation is usually taken to be about 33 years." But the Bible is not so
specific. It gives no number of years for a generation. And in Matthew
24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32, the texts mentioning the generation the
question refers to, we are not to take generation as meaning the average
time for one generation to be succeeded by the next, as Webster's does in
its 33-year approximation; but rather more like Webster's first-quoted
definition, "the average lifetime of man." Three or even four generations
may be living at the same time, their lives overlapping. (Ps. 78:4; 145:4)
Before the Noachian flood the life span was hundreds of years. Down through
the centuries since, it has varied, and even now is different in different
countries. The Bible does speak of a man's days as being threescore and ten
or fourscore years; but it assigns no specific number of years to a
generation. - Ps. 90:10." (Watchtower, Sept. 1 1952 pp 542-543)
"To try to say how many years before its end would be speculative.
The texts merely set a limit that is sufficiently definite for all present
practical purposes. Some persons living A.D. 1914 when the series of
foretold events began will also be living when the series ends with
Armageddon. All the events will come within the span of a generation. There
are hundreds of millions of persons living now that were living in 1914,
and many millions of these persons could yet live a score or more years.
Just when the lives of the majority of them will be cut short by Armageddon
we cannot say." (Watchtower, Sept. 1 1952 pp 542-543)
The Creator's promise: "...the Creator's promise of a new order of
lasting peace and true security within our generation." (Awake! January 8,
1975)
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1988: a generation is 75 years!
(1914 + 75 = 1989)
"J. A. Bengel states in his New Testament Word Studies: "The Hebrews
. . . reckon seventy-five years as one generation, and the words, shall not
pass away, intimate that the greater part of that generation [of Jesus'
day] indeed, but not the whole of it, should have passed away before all
should be fulfilled."" (Watchtower April 8, 1988 p14; [It was not a
coincidence that this book had not been quoted by the Watchtower Society
earlier, and would not be quoted after 1989 had passed!])
"It is not reasonable to expect that present favorable conditions
for preaching the good news will continue indefinitely. Besides, did not
Jesus say that this generation will not pass away until all things are
fulfilled? A generation, according to Psalm 90:10, is from seventy to
eighty years. The generation that witnessed the end of the Gentile Times in
1914 does not have many more years left." (Watchtower Dec 1, 1968, p715)
"From a purely human viewpoint, it could appear that these
developments could hardly take place before the generation of 1914
disappears from the scene. But fulfillment of all the foretold events
affecting the generation of 1914 does not depend on comparatively slow
human action. Jehovah's prophetic word through Christ Jesus is: "This
generation [of 1914] will by no means pass away until all things occur."
(Luke 21:32) And Jehovah, who is the source of inspired and unfailing
prophecy, will bring about the fulfillment of his Son's words in a
relatively short time." (Watchtower, May 15, 1984 p6, bracketed "[of 1914]"
in the original)
Watchtower President begins to hedge in 1991:
"But we are as strong for it as we ever were, and we are appreciating it
all the more the longer we have to wait for it. It is something worth
waiting for, even if it required a million years." (Watchtower Dec 15 1991
p11; late president, Fred Franz)
Generation revised in 1995 (1914 + 80 = 1994)
The year after 1994 (the outward limit of the 80 generation position
, the organization was forced to revise its definition. Again, God came
through just in time and gave them "new light"! The Watchtower organization
has the nerve to blame all misunderstandings on the Witness on the street.
Witnesses, blindly following the organization, accept the blame for their
"prophets" blunders! What you see below is an organization that has run out
of options. They are literally forced into this position. There are no
known definitions of "generation" left to use.
"Eager to see the end of this evil system, Jehovah's people have at
times speculated about the time when the "great tribulation" would break
out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a
generation since 1914. However, we bring a heart of wisdom in, not by
speculating about how many years or days makeup a generation, but by
thinking about how we "count our days" in bringing joyful praise to
Jehovah." (Watchtower Nov 1, 1995 p18)
"Does our more precise viewpoint on "this generation" mean that
Armageddon is further away than we had thought? Not at all! Though we at no
time have known the "day and hour," Jehovah God has always known it, and he
does not change." (Watchtower Nov 1, 1995 p20)
"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." (Watchtower Nov 1, 1995
p19)
AWAKE! Magazine says it all!
Awake announces the "death wake" for the generation doctrine
In the Awake! magazine of November 8th 1995 the masthead of the
magazine was significantly changed. This single change is perhaps the most
significant and obvious. They have now totally rejected the original 1914
generation doctrine. Of course, most witnesses on the street, are not even
aware of this yet because they are forbidden to read "apostate" material.
What is apostate about this material? Did it not reveal truth to YOU??? Had
you noticed the masthead change below in the Awake magazine?:
The death wake in the AWAKE
or
A wake in the AWAKE
Before November 1995
After November 1995
Why AWAKE! Is Published ...Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.
Why AWAKE! Is Published ... Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things.
Offer your last respects to the deceased "1914 generation" doctrine! Join the wake!
Since the late 1940's AWAKE! magazine had been promising the "sure
hope for the establishment of a righteous New World" on page 2 of each
issue.
Then in 1964 it added the assurance that this would happen in this
generation: "...reflecting sure hope for the establishment of God's
righteous new order in this generation."
In 1975 it became a promise of God: "...the Creator's promise of a
new order of lasting peace and true security within our generation."
(January 8, 1975)
In 1982 the Watchtower Society changed the prophecy on page 2 of
each AWAKE! issue to include the same thought about 1914. It was no longer
a vague "our generation" that would see the world's end, but the generation
that saw the events of 1914: "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and
secure new order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 C.E.
passes away." (January 8, 1982)
January 8, 1987, when AWAKE!'s statement of purpose was moved to
page 4. Starting with that issue, the 1914 generation prophecy was dropped
entirely, without explanation.
March 8, 1988 the statement was mysteriously reinstated, without
explanation "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world
before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away"
November 8, 1995 Awake! "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and
secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless
system of things."
Date
AWAKE! Statement of Purpose
1940-1964
"...sure hope for the establishment of a righteous New World"
1964-1975
"...reflecting sure hope for the establishment of God's righteous new order in this generation."
1975-1982
"...the Creator's promise of a new order of lasting peace and true security within our generation."
1982-1987
"...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 C.E. passes away."
Jan. 1987
the 1914 generation prophecy was dropped entirely, without explanation
1988-1995
mysteriously re-instated "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away"
Nov. 1995 +
"...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things."
How old must they be in 1914???
Another interesting view of the slow but sure change in the "1914
generation" doctrine is to see how old the organization said that people
had to be in 1914 to be part of the "generation".
Date
How old in 1914 to be part of "this generation"
1968
must be at least 15 years old in 1914
1978
Excludes babies born in 1914
1980
changed from 15 to 10 years old in 1914
1984
babies suddenly included in generation
1988
definitely babies born in 1914 are now part of generation
1995
no more speculation (finally)
Is this really an example of "new light"??? If you say so!
1968: those who were 15 years old in 1914
"Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness
with understanding what took place when the 'last days' began. ... Even if
we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to
realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the
youngest of 'this generation' nearly 70 years old today." (Awake! Oct 8,
1968 p13)
1978: Excludes babies born in 1914
"Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the "generation"
logically would not apply to babies born during World War I. It applies to
Christ's followers and others who were able to observe that war and the
other things that have occurred in fulfillment of Jesus' composite "sign.""
(Watchtower Oct 1, 1978 p31)
1980: Revised to 10 years old in 1914
"As indicated by an article on page 56 of U.S. News & World Report of
January 14, 1980, "If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event
creates a lasting impression on a person's memory," then there are today
more than 13 million Americans who have a "recollection of World War I.""
(Watchtower Oct 15, 1980 p31)
1984: babies suddenly included in "generation"
"If Jesus used "generation" in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the
babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older. And others alive
in 1914 are in their 80's or 90's, a few even having reached a hundred.
There are still many millions of that generation alive." (Watchtower May
15, 1984 p5)
1988: babies born in 1914
"Likewise today, most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However,
there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to
it." (Watchtower April 8, 1988 p14) Another example of the "Generation"
doctrine change
Old Light
New Light
"Millions Now Living Will Never Die" Rutherford, 1920.
"You can survive the end of this system of things" Watchtower 6/15/89, p7
"Millions Now Dead Will Live Again" Watchtower, May l, 1990
Never Die
will DIE & live again!
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