ALL aspects of 1914 doctrine are now problematic from a Scriptural point of view

[TrueTomHarley]

In the meantime, Armageddon is just around the one heckuva corner. It's either that, or down the drain for us all, because the world isn't looking too good these days.

I'll hang with what we have because its the only game in town, at present, imperfect though it is.

[TrueTomHarley]

7 hours ago, Anna said:

if in the future the GB scrapped 1914, would you lose faith? [yes, I know the question wasn't directed to me]

It's a bridge we cross when we come to it, for perhaps we will not.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

5 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

  13 hours ago, Anna said:

if in the future the GB scrapped 1914, would you lose faith? [yes, I know the question wasn't directed to me]

It seems to me that AGAIN ... the WRONG question is being asked.

How about " ... if in the future the GB scrapped 1914, would you lose faith in the GB?"

The answer to that seems, from the discussions already made here, to be like closing the barn door after all the sheep have gotten loose .

But, I was assured yesterday at the 2017 Convention in Greenville, SC., that Jehovah God and the Governing Body LOVES our "young ones".

(...except in Australia, the UK, and California, where GB Member "most qualified" to testify, Gerritt Losch,  refused a subpoena to testify in a Child Sexual Abuse Court Case, and the Society was originally fined 11.5 MILLION DOLLARS.)

How about the question "" ... if in the future the GB scrapped 1914, would you lose faith in Jehovah God and his Christ?"

THE GB ...  AND JEHOVAH AND JESUS  ..... THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING.

[JW Insider]

16 hours ago, bruceq said:

Chronology is ambiguous for a reason, Jehovah did not yell from the heavens that His Witnesses is the true faith. Otherwise everyone would be a Witness but for the wrong reasons, Jehovah wants people to worship him from the heart not because of the interpretation of some blogger who gets his info from apostate websites.

I appreciate your position on these chronology issues. I held on to some of them just as strongly as you from the time I was four until I was nearly twenty-four. I might have still been hanging on to them, even now, if it weren't for the fact that my assignment at Bethel put me right next to a member of the Governing Body (B.Schroeder) who had his own questions, and who also lashed out at others who had questions about them. While looking for solutions to some of these same questions, I became friends with other researchers, especially three non-GB brothers who had been the Writing Department's team researching articles for the "Aid Book" (now "Insight"). Some of them had been asked to look over the initial manuscript from an elder in Sweden, who had done a lot of research himself. The brother who assigned my research projects only showed me portions of it, and I didn't see the whole thing until another Brother, (F.Rusk) let me see it as he was working on it. This brother (Rusk) also gave the main part of my wedding talk (with the vows), and one of the brothers from the Aid Book research team also gave 30 minutes of my wedding talk.

But this manuscript, now a book, was of very little interest to me, because it was mostly about archaeological reasons not to try to "anchor" anything on 607. I was only interested in Bible topics, and didn't really think that counted. I don't think I would have necessarily discovered any of this on my own, and therefore I probably wouldn't even be here if it were not for discovering that several members of the Governing Body, and several members of the Writing Department also had doubts and questions about 1914 and related chronology issues, from a Biblical perspective.

So, now that you have impugned and imputed motives for me, I will let what you know what my real primary motives are:

• Love of the Truth,
• Love for the whole association of brothers,
• A clean conscience,

Of course, I realize you probably don't believe this, and further, you probably could not admit that you believed it if even you knew it was true. I'd prefer to assume that you are like me, when I was in your shoes, and preferred not to think about such questions, and assumed that anyone who asked me to think too strongly about such questions was some kind of apostate.

But, I can also explain why I have presented what I have on this particular forum. A conversation or presentation of information about the topic, still cannot happen in a normal congregation setting. This doesn't mean that it is not important to question. It is your Christian duty to question every claim, at least if you wish to be noble-minded.

I think that most of us who are willing to open up about these questions online all realize that we can't do this in our congregations, and yet we also realize that it is important to question. In a forum like this, where ideas can be exchanged, and challenged, we are also able to question without the same kind of effect that it would have inside the congregation. That's because no one needs to believe that we are sincere, if they don't want to. It's easy to dismiss any challenge by just saying things like: "I don't believe it;" "I don't want to look at the evidence;" "I think anyone who questions such things is probably an apostate." No one need be stumbled, because such information and questions are already all over the internet. 

Yet from the perspective of a Witness who has such a question, on a forum, they can ask any question and it is technically no different from any other person on the street asking such a question. Someone can say Trinity is taught in the Bible, and we can either defend our belief, ignore it, assume the person is sincere, assume the person is insincere, assume they are an ex-JW who has gone back like a dog to his vomit, assume they are just like a neighbor we met in service last week, assume they are dishonest, assume they are honest --- the point is that it doesn't matter. They are online, and we are online too. Therefore we are all subject to the rough and tumble world of online discussion -- a forum for ideas.

We can't claim we are stumbled by a non-Witness we meet at the door who could ask the very same question. Yet, they might have read about our belief in an apostate book or from an apostate site. In fact, a sincere non-JW we meet at the door, may be sincerely curious about whether or not something he or she read or heard is true or not. We could always just say: "Oh, we don't answer that particular question because it was once asked by an apostate." We don't think of doing that for questions about hell-fire or Trinity, or neutrality yet many of us are instantly inclined to respond like that if the question is about 1874, 1925, 1975, pyramids, miracle wheat, Hitler.

In fact, I've noticed that we are usually quite willing to discuss 1914 and its repercussions on other doctrines until WE start realizing that the questions are difficult. At that point, we tend to assume the question is no longer sincere, but is some kind of attack. And that's only based on the level of difficulty. We don't generally start lashing out and making accusations when we feel that our foundation is more solid, as it is on Trinity, hell-fire, neutrality, war, etc.

Now I admit that I made it easy for anyone who is uncomfortable to back away from the conversation when I mentioned the "deception" that invariably accompanies chronology doctrines, especially as time goes on, and no one wants to display their dirty laundry. This is a surprising point to a lot of people but it's easy to find the evidence. How many times have you heard or read something in the Watch Tower publications that sounded like this:  "Decades in advance, the Bible Students as Jehovah's Witnesses were known at the time, announced that 1914 would see the start of a great time of trouble." This has never been true. Decades in advance, 1914 was seen as the END of a great time of trouble not the beginning.

The July 15, 1894, Watch Tower said:

"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."

Granted, an adjustment to the doctrine occurred one decade prior to 1914, but not "decades" and it was not consistently held to for that entire decade in any case. This could be an honest mistake, even though it has been made at least a dozen times, but it still deceives people into thinking that it's a true statement. However, if we KNOW this, then we should renounce any association with such a claim for the sake of our conscience:

(2 Corinthians 4:2) But we have renounced the shameful, underhanded things, not walking with cunning or adulterating the word of God; but by making the truth manifest, we recommend ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God.

However, my main goal here is not to highlight the "deceptions." These occur almost naturally and should be expected. My goal is to open up the discussion so that if it is wrong, or I am going down the wrong track, I can be corrected. If there is more to learn on the subject (and for me there is more to learn on any subject) the ideas are out there for anyone who is concerned to add to the discussion, and point out what's wrong. If we have questions on such a serious subject we should not keep them to ourselves, and we should not hold back from asking. We should test every expression, even if we feel it is as good as inspired. (1 Jn 4:1; 2 Th 2:2) It would be underhanded for us to keep such things hidden.

(Mark 4:22) 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be exposed; nothing is carefully concealed that will not come out in the open.

I was also hoping to find others who might be willing to discuss some of these issues out in the open, and this has already occurred. There are several people who appear willing to discuss it further and I am very interested learning from their views. (Especially on Revelation 11 and 12 with @ComfortMyPeople since I think he has given this more thought than I have.) If you are not interested any further on this type of discussion, and that's your choice, of course.  But I'm sure you'd have something worth considering if you did participate.

[JW Insider]

13 hours ago, Gnosis Pithos said:

For one, what does the resurrection of Christ have to do with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70CE? Just as what the word “incumbent” means, Jesus signs were designated to the present and future generations.

GP, I have to admit that I probably am not understanding all your points, and for that I apologize up front.

Starting with the question I just requoted, I agree with what the Watchtower has said about the resurrection of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE. I don't see any question here that is related to the discussion.

I assumed by the word incumbent, you meant "one holding a current office" an office of "kingship" in this case. Of course, I also assume that you will continue to ignore the verse in 1 Timothy that claims that Jesus was already holding the office of kingship. So I think this is a question you don't really wish to respond to, and that might explain why the second sentence doesn't seem to make any relevant point.

13 hours ago, Gnosis Pithos said:

So, with that in mind, then all matter of prophetic completion would have occurred in 70AD.

I suppose that's a possibility. I don't believe it's that simple. But even if it were, it would still be a lesson for those of us in expectation of a future visitation of judgment upon the entire system of things.

(Romans 15:4) 4 For all the things that were written beforehand were written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.

(1 Corinthians 10:6-11) . . .Now these things became examples for us, in order for us not to desire injurious things, as they desired them. 7 Neither become idolaters, as some of them did; just as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to have a good time.” 8 Neither let us practice sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, only to fall, 23,000 of them in one day. 9 Neither let us put Jehovah to the test, as some of them put him to the test, only to perish by the serpents. 10 Neither be murmurers, as some of them murmured, only to perish by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for a warning to us upon whom the ends of the systems of things have come.

Curious use of the plural "ends of the systems of things" in verse 11.

However, I believe the Watchtower is correct when it points out that Revelation must have been written closer to 99 CE, and this therefore is a strong clue that the prophecy was not completely fulfilled upon Jerusalem in 70 CE. In fact, the best evidence of this is the fact that Revelation 11:2,3 references the very same phrase that Jesus used about "Jerusalem being trampled underfoot by the Gentiles," in Luke 21:24, and Revelation ties it to a specific length of the "Gentile Times." It's the only other verse in the whole Bible that mentions these same "Gentile Times" and yet this verse was studiously ignored in that context from the very first article Russell published in 1876 right up the very last articles published on the subject in the last few months. 140 years of ignoring the only verse in the Bible that puts a length to Luke 21:24. It seems obviously that it's because it says that these Gentile Times are not "7 times" in length. Do you have another explanation?

Based on the rest of your comments I think you are making the following argument:

If Jesus' prophecy was about 70 CE, then it must have ONLY been about 70 CE, and could have no application to a future date. Therefore, anyone who thinks Jesus was talking about 70 CE, needs to prove that everything happened in 70 CE (or by 70 CE).

The reason I thought that sounded so odd from someone who has presented himself as one of Jehovah's Witnesses is that the Watchtower has already printed many articles showing that Jesus prophecy had a dual fulfillment. And for most JWs, it would even be damaging to the way that many utilize the Daniel 4 tree dream. If it was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar then you are not allowed to speak about a future fulfillment?

[ComfortMyPeople]

1 hour ago, JW Insider said:

We can't claim we are stumbled by a non-Witness we meet at the door who could ask the very same question. Yet, they might have read about our belief in an apostate book or from an apostate site. In fact, a sincere non-JW we meet at the door, may be sincerely curious about whether or not something he or she read or heard is true or not. We could always just say: "Oh, we don't answer that particular question because it was once asked by an apostate." We don't think of doing that for questions about hell-fire or Trinity, or neutrality yet many of us are instantly inclined to respond like that if the question is about 1874, 1925, 1975, pyramids, miracle wheat, Hitler.

Where they disrespectful?

Ex 18:17: Moses’ father-in-law said to him: “What you are doing is not good.” A non-Israelite making amends to the greatest prophet!

2Sam 12:7: Then Nathan said to David: “You are the man! (Murderer and adulterer!)

1Chro 21:3 “But Joab said: “May Jehovah multiply his people 100 times! My lord the king, are not all of them already servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he become a cause of guilt to Israel?” The anointed interpellated as causing trouble to the nation!

Gal 2:14 “But when I saw that they were not walking in step with the truth of the good news I said to Cephas before them all…” Even the behavior was anything but exemplary.

Likewise, JWInsider, me and other have scriptural evidence that disagreement is not equal to disrespect. We’re not saying the GB are persons that deceitfully want to exploit us. On the contrary, many of us think these brothers are, basically faithful and prudents. We would not want to be marked with these strong words: (Jud 8) “…despising authority, and speaking abusively of glorious ones…”

But we think the brothers in the GB are LIKE US… mere mortals, mere humans, imperfects. With their phobias and philias. They, like me, are afraid of losing authority or credibility when recognizing mistakes. They, like me, are afraid the humbles ones perhaps start thinking this is not the correct religion when seeing mistakes…

Do these commentaries make others to stumble?

Do vaccines hurt? Absolutely. The necessary hurt to get immunity. You probably are aware Native Americans almost disappeared because their bodies lacked defenses. And this is our intention (JWInsider and me). To inoculate defenses against doubts asking the similar questions these other brothers would find, sooner or later.

And don’t obviate the obvious! We’re are active JW. We’re giving support to this people. We’re following the direction of the brothers on authority… year after year, for decades.

[TrueTomHarley]

2 hours ago, JW Insider said:

This brother (Rusk) also gave the main part of my wedding talk (with the vows), and one of the brothers from the Aid Book research team also gave 30 minutes of my wedding talk.

How long was your wedding talk?

[JW Insider]

32 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

How long was your wedding talk?

They were both anointed so I had them overlap. Using a 24-hour clock ("military time") Jim started at 19:14pm and then Fred ended around 20:34pm. I don't see why that is significant in any way though. Why do you ask?

[JW Insider]

3 hours ago, ComfortMyPeople said:

To inoculate defenses against doubts asking the similar questions these other brothers would find, sooner or later.

This is a very good way to put it. Thanks.

Of course, it is for good reason that we are taught to be wary of those who promote "different" teachings, and I'm sure all of us would admit that there are some really strange and dangerous teachings out there that we should guard against. So just as we would shudder at some of the false teachings we can find people spouting on various sites and in various books, we immediately sympathize with those who shudder at a different view about 1914. 

And of course it actually hurts to hear that we are disrespecting the GB, or disrespecting Jehovah's channel. But the GB have never said they are in a position that cannot be questioned. They would surely think this would only appear to idolize them. Therefore I wish EVERYONE had worked with them directly, so that a more balanced perspective would be unavoidable.

And by asking questions (but even more so by looking for answers to those questions) we open ourselves up to the charge that we are haughty, making ourselves equal with the GB, or the apostle Paul, or Nathan the prophet. It's almost as if some consider the GB to be our "Leaders" or even the "Head of the congregation," or "masters of our faith" or even our special "Guardians" in Christ.

(1 Corinthians 4:15) . . .you may have 10,000 guardians in Christ. . .

(Matthew 23:10) 10 Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ.

(2 Corinthians 1:24) Not that we are the masters over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, for it is by your faith that you are standing.

I think it's a bit easier, for me at least, to look at it from the perspective of showing love and concern for our fellow brothers and sisters, and you have found an illustration (vaccines) that shows that attitude.

I wonder what some might have thought if they had lived three or four generations ago, and read Watch Tower publications starting in 1919, and continued to read the predictions about how there was even more evidence for 1925 than there was for 1914, even more reason to believe in 1925 than reasons Noah had to believe in the Flood. What would say @bruceq or @Gnosis Pithos do for example if they had discovered, just prior to 1925, that the Bible tells us NOT to speculate about chronology of the end-times. What if he noticed that the Jubilee patterns that counted another 50 years from 1874 to 1925 were not valid time indicators. What if he noticed that the entire "Jacob's double" was based on a mistranslation of that word, and could not apply to parallel time dispensations? Should he have spoken up? Would it have been the right thing to do? Would it have shown love?

Also remember that, similar to what some had done in 1914, brothers were stopping their life insurance policies, (in 1914, some were even buying expensive new policies for their relatives who were not of the high calling and who would then be able to take advantage of this new form of "insider trading"). People were quitting their jobs and selling their belongings and giving it to the WTS. The WTS was spending everything in 1914 on the very expensive Photo-Drama slides, film and recordings. Brother MacMillan says the Society was completely broke at the end of 1914. Of course, some will say it doesn't matter because Jehovah will always provide. 

And what @Eoin Joyce said about being "enlightened" to make sure he kept a more balanced view of 1975, back in 1972: "Probably the 1975 thing is the most glaring example I have personally experienced, although I was thankfully enlightened about the erroneous expectations attached about 1972 or so, and seem to have avoided the "hysteria" others appear to have experienced."

If this was due to input from a brother or sister, was that brother doing the right thing? I recall my father speaking to a former Gilead missionary he had hired when they left their assignment in Ecuador. The brother was terribly excited about giving up everything when they reached the year 1975 (in January). The brother was indignant to my father for his lack of faith in what the Society was providing. The Society had spoken approvingly of selling their homes and belongings. My father himself had been chastised by a District Overseer at an assembly in 1972 for adding Matthew 24:36 to the outline talk he gave at a circuit assembly.

Earlier, I brought up a letter in an older Watchtower from February 1890, where Russell's chronology motivated persons to sell their property to give money to the Society. It was just one of several such letters and is likely representative of unnecessary financial hardship on THOUSANDS of brothers and sisters of that time. We can only hope that these persons were not overly discouraged when 25 years went by, then 35, then 45, and then that entire 1874 harvest chronology was dropped completely.

Clare, Mich.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--After reading Dawn, Vol. II., the chapters on "The Times of the Gentiles," "The Jubilee Cycles," Israel's Double and the Time Chronology, I became convinced that we are indeed in the time of the harvest, while the chapter on the manner of our Lord's second coming and the harmony of present indications leaves no room for even a doubt. Then in place of marrying and settling down, as I undoubtedly would have done, I sold off my personal property, paid all my indebtedness except a mortgage on some land, to engage in this harvest work. As I have not as yet been able to sell the land, and it being mostly unimproved will not rent for enough to pay the interest on the mortgage and the taxes, I thought to spend about a week in the spring putting in enough of a crop to pay the expenses of the place till I can sell it. If I can sell it for even a good deal less than I thought it was worth two years ago, I would have a few hundred dollars left to use as an offering to the Lord. My neighbors thought me very foolish at the course I have taken, and when I began to hold up the truth I met with opposition, but our blessed Lord and Saviour suffered without the gates and we may go to him without the camp bearing his reproach. I esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. I will not be afraid of them, neither of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks.

Yours in the Lord, W. B__________.

The goal was to bear only the reproach of Christ's torture stake, and he ended up bringing further reproach on the organization he hoped would be seen as a witness for Christ:

(Luke 14:27-29) 27 Whoever does not carry his torture stake and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For example, who of you wanting to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, he might lay its foundation but not be able to finish it, and all the onlookers would start to ridicule him,

I personally responded to the call in the 1970s where the publications recommended that we sell our belongings, quit school, and regular pioneer. I don't think I was disadvantaged in the slightest for having done so. (One parent was for it and one was against it, which provided its own kind of balance.) But it would have been better if these types of statements in the publications had not been made. For example, the prediction that young people will never grow old in this system of things. Those false predictions brought reproach upon the organization.

[TrueTomHarley]

6 hours ago, ComfortMyPeople said:

Likewise, JWInsider, me and other have scriptural evidence that disagreement is not equal to disrespect.

No. However, in each of the four cases you mention, the person said what he said to the one he said it to - analagous simply to writing Bethel a letter.  He didn't discuss it at length on numerous threads on a public forum.

 

6 hours ago, ComfortMyPeople said:

Do vaccines hurt? Absolutely. The necessary hurt to get immunity.

I will acknowledge that the counsel about avoiding 'poison' can be overdone. Sometimes poison is best countered by a tiny bit of exposure up front, so should it hit full body slam later on, a person is not knocked out of the ring for being totally unprepared.

 

8 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

But, I was assured yesterday at the 2017 Convention in Greenville, SC., that Jehovah God and the Governing Body LOVES our "young ones".

(...except in Australia, the UK, and California,

Is is really possible to sit for three days through a convention when you loathe every word said, or at least the persons who say it? I don't think I would be able to do it.

[Anna]

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

publications recommended that we sell our belongings

Which publications were those? Would you provide a reference?

4 hours ago, JW Insider said:

For example, the prediction that young people will never grow old in this system of things. Those false predictions brought reproach upon the organization.

I hasten to add that they didn't bring reproach on the organization in the eyes of faithful ones, who are still faithful now. In fact one of the talks at the convention (a talk most probably assigned to be given by a GB helper, ours was) the brother mentions these very things. He goes on to say how most of us thought we wouldn't grow old. He doesn't explain why or offer any "excuses" for the reasons why we thought that, he says it as matter of fact and most take it as matter of fact. However, some have definitely allowed this to become a stumbling block and that is why they are now ex- Witnesses. I am not sure if the rest of the world is even aware of these "false predictions" bar perhaps those who study religions. 

[JW Insider]

1 hour ago, Anna said:

Which publications were those? Would you provide a reference?

Not all of these recommendations were in the publications; some came from the talks during the circuit overseer's visit, and district overseers were encouraged to arrange special talks on the subject of 1975.  The May 1974 Kingdom Ministry was one of the publications that spoke to this issue directly. I'm quoting almost the entire article to give a better sense:

*** km 5/74 p. 3-4 How Are You Using Your Life? ***
. . . Are we not thankful that Jehovah God has purchased us and that we now belong to Him? . . . The apostle Peter noted that if we have the proper mental disposition we will be moved to “live the remainder of [our] time in the flesh, no more for the desires of men, but for God’s will.”—1 Pet. 4:2.
Is that what you are doing? Are you living no longer simply to satisfy personal ambitions or desires, but to do God’s will? Are there ways in which you could share more fully in doing the will of God?
God’s Will for Us
Jehovah makes clear in his Word that his will for us today includes accomplishing a great work of Kingdom-preaching before the end of this system comes. (Matt. 24:14) . . . Jesus did not hold back, but was whole-souled in his service to God. . . . Jesus knew that he had only a short time, and he did not spare himself in finishing his assignment. Should we not today be imitating his example, especially since we have such a short time left now in which to complete the Kingdom-preaching?
Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our activity? In this regard we can learn something from a runner who puts on a final burst of speed near the finish of a race. Look at Jesus, who apparently stepped up his activity during his final days on earth. In fact, over 27 percent of the material in the Gospels is devoted to just the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry!—Matt. 21:1–27:50; Mark 11:1–15:37; Luke 19:29–23:46; John 11:55–19:30.
By carefully and prayerfully examining our own circumstances, we also may find that we can spend more time and energy in preaching during this final period before the present system ends. Many of our brothers and sisters are doing just that. This is evident from the rapidly increasing number of pioneers.
Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.—1 John 2:17.
Circumstances such as poor health or responsibilities in connection with your family may limit what you can do in the field ministry. And yet, the pioneer ranks include many who have health limitations, as well as some persons with families. But these brothers and sisters are able to regulate their lives so that they can care for their responsibilities and still put in the 1,200 hours a year, an average of 100 hours a month in the field ministry, required of pioneers.
Therefore, do not be too quick to dismiss the possibility that you, too, may be able to pioneer. Give it careful and prayerful consideration. Perhaps an analysis will reveal that your life is encumbered with needless weights that can be put off so that you can pioneer. Particularly may this be the case if you are single, or are married but have no children.—Heb. 12:1.
So, then, ask yourself: How am I using my life? Can I make adjustments that will enable me to pioneer? If I can, will failure to do so indicate to Jehovah that I am living to satisfy personal desires, rather than to do His will? Every one of us wants to be able to say, as did the apostle Paul, “Indeed, the life that I now live in flesh I live by the faith that is toward the Son of God, who loved me and handed himself over for me. I do not shove aside the undeserved kindness of God.” Gal. 2:20, 21. . . .
So do not delay in giving serious consideration to this matter of how you are using your life. See if you can arrange your affairs to pioneer. Why not discuss the matter with persons already pioneering or with elders in your congregation?

I was part of that 34% increase, one of the 20,394 who had started regular pioneering in the summer of 1973. It included a lot of persons just quitting high school at 16, 17, or having just graduated at 18. I was still 15 when I quit school, and got my diploma through a test when I was 16, which was the only way my father would let me pioneer -- if I already had a diploma and I met with the circuit overseer to talk about it first. The encouragement not to pursue further education came from the circuit overseer and from discussions of talks and of articles such as one below. The core point of the article is found in the two predictions. I added the years [in brackets] that would have gone through your head if you read this in 1969, which helped me decide to quit school in 1973.

If you are a young person you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years.  . . .  Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, [1973] perhaps even six [1975] or eight more years [1977] to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way towards its finish, if not actually gone!"  -- Awake! May 22, 1969, page 14-15.

1 hour ago, Anna said:

I hasten to add that they didn't bring reproach on the organization in the eyes of faithful ones, who are still faithful now. In fact one of the talks at the convention (a talk most probably assigned to be given by a GB helper, ours was) the brother mentions these very things. He goes on to say how most of us thought we wouldn't grow old. He doesn't explain why or offer any "excuses" for the reasons why we thought that, he says it as matter of fact and most take it as matter of fact. However, some have definitely allowed this to become a stumbling block and that is why they are now ex- Witnesses. I am not sure if the rest of the world is even aware of these "false predictions" bar perhaps those who study religions. 

At Bethel, the Awake! magazine was put into "MEPS" format back to 1950 at the same time as the Watchtower. This is what allowed the publications go into the first Watchtower Library CD's. In fact, if you call the Watchtower Society and ask them to look up something in the Awake! they actually use a Watchower Library CD that takes the Awake! back to 1946. I can't think of any reason they decided to take it only as far back as 1970 on the public CD except perhaps this article from 1969. The Watchtower goes back to 1950 on the public CD.

I think it brings some reproach even to bring it up again without honestly explaining why people thought that they wouldn't grow old. They would have never just "thought" that on their own. They were specifically "told" that they would not grow old in this system. Bringing up these old issues at an assembly as a way to claim that it has now been addressed and to show a certain lesson that was learned from it is not helpful unless it's done openly and honestly. The lesson should probably be quite different than the lesson we are now told to learn from that time period. The lessons should probably be that we always let our reasonableness be known to all, and obey God as ruler rather than men, and never allow ourselves to think of any of our elders as if they were in the seat of Moses. Without those lessons, even though all the brothers mean well, it's easy to drift back into an attitude where we can forget our own personal responsibility towards Jehovah and the congregation.

*** w13 11/15 p. 20 par. 17 Seven Shepherds, Eight Dukes—What They Mean for Us Today ***
(2) When “the Assyrian” attacks, the elders must be absolutely convinced that Jehovah will deliver us. (3) At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.

*** w13 11/15 p. 24 par. 14 Obey Jehovah’s Shepherds ***
To survive the tenth plague, the Israelites had to obey the instructions to have a special meal and to splash some of the blood of a slaughtered sheep on the doorposts and lintels of their houses. That direction did not come to them by means of a voice out of heaven. No, they had to listen to the older men of Israel, who in turn received specific instructions from Moses. (Ex. 12:1-7, 21-23, 29) In those circumstances, Moses and the older men acted as bearers of Jehovah’s instructions to his people. Christian elders fulfill a comparably vital function today.

(Matthew 23:2) 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses.

Even in a recent article with good information in it warning us against apostates, note how easy it is to slip into the idea that instructions are coming from our leaders instead of from our Leader.

*** w17 July pp. 29-30 Winning the Battle for Your Mind ***
A soldier whose loyalty to his leader is weakened will not fight well. So propagandists attempt to break bonds of confidence and trust between a soldier and his commander. They may use such propaganda as: “You cannot trust your leaders!” and “Do not let them lead you into disaster!” To add weight to these attacks, they may cleverly exploit any mistakes those leaders might make. Satan does this. He never gives up trying to undermine your confidence in the leadership that Jehovah has provided.
Your defense? Be determined to stick to Jehovah’s organization and loyally support the leadership he provides—no matter what imperfections may surface. (1 Thess. 5:12, 13) Do not be “quickly shaken from your reason” . . .