Watchtower "Proof"

Norman Hovland

Did you know why the Watchtower Society teaches that Jesus "parousia" started in 1914? Why did they teach until 1995 that Armageddon would "take place within this present generation"? Do they have any proof of this? Not Really. They simply believe it:

"Why do Jehovah's witnesses say that Christ "returned" in the year 1914 and then began to rule as King? Because they have faith that it is so. Why do they teach that the universal war called Armageddon will take place within this present generation and will utterly wipe out this world's present systems of religion, commercialism and politics, and that millions of people will survive that global catastrophe and live on forever on earth under ideal conditions? It is because they have faith that it will be so." (The Watchtower, 1957, p. 73)

Of course this was written back in 1957, in a very rare fit of honesty. It is no doubt "old light" by now. After all, quoting old literature is only OK when Brooklyn itself does it, when someone else does it, it's ridiculous. Well, anyway we all know how the "generation" teaching ended up, a resounding failure. We also know what a remarkable "faith" they had in Christ's "return" in 1874:

"The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the "time of the end" began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874." (The Watchtower, March 1, 1922, p. 67)

In the 70s the phrasing is a bit different, then it wasn't "indisputable facts" but "physical facts" which of course is just the same total nonsense:

"Bible prophecy and the physical facts in fulfillment thereof prove that since 1914 C.E. the generation now living is in the "time of the end."" (The Watchtower, 1974, p. 123)

Of course the present day teaching of the Watchtower rests upon exactly the same "indisputable facts" as the 1874 date did. In case any of you haven't noticed, the expression "indisputable facts" or "physical facts" is in Watchtower lingo really, "there isn't a single shred of evidence for this outrageous idea". Notice that in 1974 the "indisputable facts" from 1922 was all forgotten, now the Bible was "unmistakably" pinpointing the date 1914, not 1874. An excellent example of how the "new light" works. One old lie being replaced with a brand new lie.

"'Keep Close in Mind the Presence of the Day of Jehovah'
Unmistakably, the Bible pinpoints 1914 C.E. as the time when the "kingdom of the world" became the kingdom of the Lord God and of his Christ. Before the generation that was then alive passes off the scene, the "great tribulation" will strike. -- Rev. 11:15; Dan. 4:10-17; Matt. 24:21, 34." (The Watchtower, January 15, 1974, p. 51)

So it doesn't take much fantasy to understand that some time in the first half of 2000 Brooklyn have to do something about their "faith" in 1914 too. As is evident in the quote from the 1922 Watchtower, it became increasingly embarrassing in the 1920s to have the "time of the end" start in 1799, so in spite of it being an "indisputable fact" it was moved up to 1914, just like the other "indisputable fact" 1874 was.

The main problem facing Brooklyn now is how to sell this idea without upsetting the insane idea of them being "chosen" in 1919. But of course by then they must have been able to "sift" out every single person in their ranks with a functioning brain, so why worry?