About Brandon Harper Expertise I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and was baptized for 21 years. I was a 4th generation Jehovah's Witness both paternally and maternally and am qualified to answer many questions regarding doctrine, doctrinal changes, historical basis for various doctrines, as well as offer rebuttal responses from the perspective of a former Jehovah's Witness. I can also answer questions from the perspective of an ardent Jehovah's Witness.
Experience I am 33 years old, became a publisher and gave my first public talk at age 4, was baptized at age 12, became an inactive publisher at age 32, and disassociated myself at age 33. My father has served as a congregation servant/elder continuously from the age of 17 on. Of my 9 uncles, 6 are elders. Of my 9 aunts, four are regular pioneers. My father is the presiding overseer of a congregation. When I began seriously investigating this religion I had to prepare for conversations with a very large extended family steeped in the history and doctrine of Jehovah's Witnesses. I have thoroughly studied many Watchtower Society publications that most Jehovah's Witnesses have never even read, if they have heard of them at all, seeking the origins of various doctrinal points. I knew I would need to have this knowledge to discuss the issues in detail with my family when I decided to disassociate myself.
Education/Credentials I read every Watchtower and Awake! magazine from at least age 8 through age 32. According to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society I have the equivalent of several four-year degrees (Reference available on request). I would hope that education would qualify me as an expert.
No jehovah's witness is able to tell me when this prophecy from the Watchtower Society was fulfilled:
“The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How?
Chapter 12 page 216 paragraph 9
“Until He Comes Who Has the Legal Right”
Shortly, within our twentieth century, the “battle in the day of Jehovah” will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom.
Thanks,
Bob
Answer Bob,
You asked: "When did [the beginning of the battle in the day of Jehovah] take place?
Excellent question. Note, there is no ambiguity in the terminology used in this publication. The writer chose the phrase "will begin" as opposed to ambiguous phrasing that could have been used such as "may begin" or "is expected to begin" and by this choice encouraged JWs to hold out to strangers a certain hope that has not come to pass.
It has not yet taken place, although we are now in the year 2006 AD, and the time limit they promised has passed by.
Throughout my life as a JW, I have often claimed that except for 1914 Jehovah's Witnesses did not set dates for events to occur, they merely pointed to a possible timing. However, since disassociating myself I have discovered that specific times have been given often, even if only in the form of setting an outer boundary on the timing of certain events.
In the case of the example you pointed up, the publication you quote from is Copyrighted in 1971. Without question, JWs alive in 1971 were taught that the battle in the day of Jehovah would begin within the 20th century. New students would have had this hope held out as a sure promise but, obviously, it has not come to pass.
Jehovah's Witnesses explain this absence of fulfillment as either an example of eager expectation on the part of the writer or an example of old light that was later replaced by new light. However, the organization expects complete confidence in current doctrine even though ANY of the doctrines may change according to the teaching of replacable light.
This tendency is nothing new for the organization. Between 1918 and 1922 a talk was given throughout the US and much of Europe entitled, "The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living Will Never Die."
Someone who heard that talk and put confidence in the teachings heard would be led to believe that the world had ended by Christ's hand in 1914. Christ, who returned in 1874 and was enthroned as king in 1878, had destroyed the world in 1914, forever loosing Satan's bonds over the people. In 1925 the "ancient worthies" spoken of as examples of faith in Hebrews would return from the grave and the healing of physical ailments of believers would commence, culminating in a physical manifestation of Armageddon shortly thereafter. The chronology confirming 1925 was deemed "even more certain than that for 1914."
None of this doctrine remains today, not even in skeletal form. Every date has shifted dramatically, 1925 has been abandoned altogether just as have 1874 and 1878, the events that happened in 1874 and 1878 were moved to 1914 and the events that supposedly happened in 1914 were put off as not having occurred yet. The teaching that the resurrection of the "ancient worthies" would precede Armageddon has now been abandoned as well. But from 1918 to 1924 this body of doctrine was new light, a sure hope, solidly confirmed. The chronology referred to was stated to be "of God . . . of divine origin . . . absolutely and unqualifiedly correct."—Watchtower Bound Volume 7/15/1922, p.217
The first hints of uncertainty crept into the writings as 1925 approached. During the year 1925, the organization attempted to absolve itself of ever having made the claim. In our day, this failed prophetic prediction is passed off as an over-eagerness for the final fulfillment.
But, for the listener in 1918, this was new light. Exciting. Dramatic. Confidence inspiring. For the listener, the lack of anything noteworthy in 1925 became a drastic disappointment. The prophecy of some six or seven years prior that was the main thrust of the preaching activity during the entire period was a false prophecy. The listener had taught a lie to countless people in that span of time, had endured sneers, spitting, and possibly beatings while boldly trying to warn people of what was to come upon them in the near future. But the people who sneered did so for good reason. The listener had been tricked into spreading false hope to mankind.
According to current JW doctrine, statistics from the latest Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses and population statistics from the Population Research Bureau in Washington, D.C. (USA), at the outside maximum no more than 300 who were alive in 1918 will survive Armageddon.
But the promise made to those who heard the talk in 1918 was clear, "Millions NOW LIVING Will Never Die."
There is little doubt that the same mental devices used to ignore this latter example will be used by most JWs to ignore the one you questioned me on. I have the publication from which you quoted in your question. Some time ago I showed that same statement to my wife (still an active JW) and she responded that it didn't matter because that was taught so many years ago.
But, to someone learning the "truth" in 1972, it was current doctrine, spiritual food from the Faithful and Discreet Slave, an expectation stirring hope, and completely false. Time has proven it to be a false teaching.
I hope this has answered your question satisfactorily.
