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Did the MILLIONS Campaign Just Become a False Prophecy?


JW Insider

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On 9/22/2016 at 5:10 PM, JW Insider said:

I was trying to come up with the most controversial question that Witnesses might ever have to face. This one might appear silly at first, but it also might draw out some of the same controversies that we most often attempt to avoid.

The "Millions" Campaign ran from about 1918 to 1925. It was the primary focus of the Watch Tower sponsored public talks,billboards, assemblies, books and booklets publications from during those years. The primary slogan and talk title was called "Millions Now Living Will Never Die."

Because it started in 1918, and it made a very specific prediction, it seems that as of some time earlier this year, this prediction can no longer come true under any possible circumstances or calculations.

This brings up multiple questions:

  1. Is there any way to interpret the title (slogan) in any way so that it could still turn out to be true?
  2. Is the Watchtower, or Watch Tower Society or "Governing Body" or "Faithful and Discreet Slave" always immune from the charge of "false prophecy" no matter what is published and promoted? Is there anything that could ever be said or published that could actually fall into the category of false prophecy?
  3. Might it reflect poorly on the heart condition (motivation) of any persons who were drawn to learn more and who then converted to the Bible Students during the period from 1919 to 1925?
  4. Is it possible that the Governing Body's claim that the Governing Body was appointed as the "faithful and discreet slave" in 1919 is presumptuous? Indiscreet? Haughty? Self-serving? Or is it possible that the date is just a bit too early? Perhaps 1919 was not an appropriate time? Even if 1914 was the start of the Kingdom, does it have to be 5 years later (1919) that the "slave" was appointed? Why not 6 years, or 16 years?
  5. Does it matter? Isn't it just as possible that, even if this was a false prophecy, that the Watch Tower's Governing Body was still appointed as the "faithful and discreet slave" either with the idea that this was not a serious prediction, or it wasn't really a prophecy, or perhaps that Jehovah and Christ Jesus could still see the heart (desire, goal, motivation) of these brothers, and knew that a cleansing operation would produce the correct outcome in time?
  6. Is it possible that Jehovah and Jesus approved of this type of promotion of the good news because it was a way to promote the other core doctrines of truth which have not changed much at all through the years? Is it possible that this method of drawing in converts to the faith was just a temporary way to cut through the noise of so many competing voices crying out for attention?

1)      How about  John 11:26? Obviously  those people in Jesus’ day died. But they didn’t die in Jehovah’s memory and will have the prospect of living forever. Although obviously Rutherford was being literal, we could look at it in a similar way, so in view of the above, it was not a lie.

2)      In my opinion the GB etc. never prophesied about  anything as such. What they put forward was merely the interpretation of existing Biblical prophecy.

3)      Not sure about that one...

4)      After the disappointment and anticlimax of 1914 I guess they  now felt excited and vindicated when they were exonerated and released from prison, and felt this was a good a time as any to “recognize” themselves as the FDS with now the great task of taking care of the domestics and advertising the King and his Kingdom. They recognized that evidently the job Russell started was not done.

5)      To me personally it does not matter. Fundamental truths are the same and have been almost since the inception of the Bible Students. I don’t view it as a false prophesy, merely an eager and ambitious statement coming from one man and his associates excited about this “new” understanding and  Bible prophesy regarding this subject.  After all, this IS the good news in the Bible, so I don’t think that just because the timing is off, one has to view it with suspicion, or that it should have never been talked about. "Millions now living will never die" WILL eventually happen.

6)      Possible....Plus Jehovah’s organization on earth will never get everything  perfectly right in this system, for obvious reasons.

So that's my two shillings :)

 

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It is pretty clear that it is impossible for millions who were living in 1925 and prior to never die as they are likely already ...dead! But you know, I am loathe to term the famous slogan "Milli

LOL! Best answer I've ever seen to this question. My father, originally from Chicago, has a photograph of the sign mentioned in the following experience. They didn't want it for the Proclaim

I was trying to come up with the most controversial question that Witnesses might ever have to face. This one might appear silly at first, but it also might draw out some of the same controversies tha

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21 hours ago, JW Insider said:

 

Still, we have no problem finding quotes from the older publications that spoke of Russell and even Rutherford as "prophets" in this era. But is it the course of humility or a course of pride to speak of the false teachings of others, but never admit that we could have been guilty of a "false" teaching or a "false" prophecy? I know it's OK to say that a teaching or prediction was "mistaken," or that it was a "old light," or a previous teaching before the "light got brighter," or that it was "the right thing expected at the wrong time" or the "wrong thing expected at the right time." We might even say that it was "untrue." But, for many decades now, we can never bring ourselves to admit that we were teaching a "false" teaching.

 

I agree with you there. It seems that "we" just cannot plainly come out and say "we were wrong" instead of beating around the bush or using all the other adjectives you described. I think this may be because "we" feel, as God's ambassadors that, we really cannot, or should not make any mistakes in the eyes of others. I remember when I was a child, I thought my mother was perfect, that she never made any mistakes. She was my protector and someone I looked up to. Of course as I got older I realized she was not perfect. I also realized she was trying to keep me from finding out her imperfections by never actually admitting when she erred. I asked her why. She said it was because she did not want me to lose my trust in her. That she wanted me, as a child, to view her with confidence. This reminded me of something I read about the GB saying something very similar. That they do not want the "other sheep" to lose their confidence in them. I think this may very well be the reason why "we" just cannot plainly and freely admit mistakes, after all, "we have a reputation to live up to"!

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6 hours ago, JW Insider said:

 Fortunately, the problem could be far enough off into the future not to matter, we hope, but the issues surrounding the re-definition of "this generation," for example, are already building towards a similar time limitation. Brother Splane even came up with a new "Chart of the Ages" to explain it.

 

That is something I cannot understand. WHY try to explain the generation? Obviously this "new  (overlapping) understanding" is not something just put out there to see if it sticks. The GB never publicize anything unless it has been studied, and re-studied and re-searched, sometimes even over several years apparently. So it has to have been the same in this case. What I would like to know is what is it that made them arrive at this conclusion?  And also why did they think there was a need to explain the Generation again?  It is obvious in Jesus day it was 40 years. Abraham's 400 years was 4 generations. So a generation is either 40 or 100 years. Why overlap anything??? There is nothing about overlapping in the scriptures is there?

Next week, when we study it in our Cong. Bible study, I am going to ask an elder if someone does not believe in the overlapping generation, would they lose Jehovah's approval. I will let you know what answer I get :D.

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7 hours ago, JW Insider said:

But I don't know how fair it is to put that label on others if we are not willing to take similar responsibility for our own words and proclamations.

Fair comment. But as I stated earlier, I use this interesting criteria to identify a false prophet's activity:

15 hours ago, Eoin Joyce said:

"false prophets made pronouncements that "lulled the people and their leaders with soothing assurances that, despite their unrighteous course, God was still with them to protect and prosper them."

I do not think we can apply this description to the activity of Jehovah's Witnesses. Quite the opposite in fact, regardless of the mistakes that others cite as "false prophecy".

 

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33 minutes ago, Anna said:

I am going to ask an elder if someone does not believe in the overlapping generation, would they lose Jehovah's approval

Of course the answer will be that elder's opinion on the matter.

Why we keep discussing the symbolic meaning of the generation is beyond me. I get that it's fun to do it and even helpful, if done among brothers who try to encourage and fortify in the faith one another. Discussing such subjects in a place where a number of opposers are lurking and will not hesitate to use anything we write to slander WTS and the brotherhood is not something we should do.

I totaly agree with the statements made in the w13 1/1 p8

HAVE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES GIVEN INCORRECT DATES FOR THE END?

Jehovah’s Witnesses have had wrong expectations about when the end would come. Like Jesus’ first-century disciples, we have sometimes looked forward to the fulfillment of prophecy ahead of God’s timetable. (Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2) We agree with the sentiment of longtime Witness A. H. Macmillan, who said: “I learned that we should admit our mistakes and continue searching God’s Word for more enlightenment.”

Why, then, do we continue to highlight the nearness of the end? Because we take seriously Jesus’ words: “Keep looking, keep awake.” The alternative, to be found “sleeping” by Jesus, would prevent us from gaining his favor. (Mark 13:33, 36) Why?

Consider this example: A lookout in a fire tower might see what he thinks is a wisp of smoke on the horizon and sound what proves to be a false alarm. Later, though, his alertness could save lives.

Likewise, we have had some wrong expectations about the end. But we are more concerned with obeying Jesus and saving lives than with avoiding criticism. Jesus’ command to “give a thorough witness” compels us to warn others about the end.—Acts 10:42.

We believe that even more important than focusing on when the end will come, we must be confident that it will come, and we must act accordingly. We take seriously the words of Habakkuk 2:3, which says: “Even if [the end] should delay [compared to what you thought], keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late.”

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3 hours ago, Anna said:

I am going to ask an elder if someone does not believe in the overlapping generation , would they lose Jehovah's approval.

Anna, further to the excellent comment and reference posted by @ThePraeceptor, I do not understand all the fuss about this idea. It is not an inspired expression. And neither can I see a Bible "rule" on what constitutes a "generation" I mean, what was a generation in the time of Noah? Was it the time until his first child?, his lifespan?

It is merely a way of looking at a time period and providing what I see as a very simple suggestion on how a period of time that might exceed the lifetime of an individual in the 20th or 21st Century could still be viewed as a "generation". I didn't actually need a chart to grasp that concept myself.

And anyway, surely the "system of things" comes to an end for the individual either as soon as one accepts the fact that Jehovah's kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ cast Satan out of the heavens in 1914CE as described at Revelation 12:7-12?. Or at the latest, as soon as one accepts Christ's ransom sacrifice, and disowns oneself  in harmony with his instruction at Matt.8:34?

Let's get real here! I'm not going to worry about the colour of my shoelaces when I am out in the pouring rain!

Thanks for the prophecy .pdf by the way. Most interesting. :) 

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3 hours ago, JaniceM said:

I find it quite fascinating reading the scriptures and our attempts to put the pieces of the puzzle together.  However, try as we might, these things can be difficult to figure out as we can see from all the different dates and times.

Me, too.

 

3 hours ago, JaniceM said:

The slogan can't possibly be true.  I don't think it was haughtiness or self serving, whether it's 1914, 1919, 1925 . . . but at best wishful thinking or filling in the blanks and hoping it's right.  (smile)  

I wasn't suggesting that it was haughtiness or self-serving just to use the slogan. (Although that could be true, too.) I was thinking that it could be an indication of haughtiness in several ways:

It's fine to try to fill in the blanks, but why is it necessary to call your current solution and claim that it is the one that is proven to be correct by all the facts and evidence. In the case of the MILLIONS campaign, we made "sure" predictions for 1925 with "incontrovertible proofs." They were claimed to be  even more sure than 1914. Now, it's fine and appropriate to share this knowledge and explain why we believe it is Biblically supported. But it seems quite different (and haughty) to claim that our explanation is the explanation, and that others need to believe it, too. This seems especially odd if we had just failed at 100% of the verifiable predictions for 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1915, and 1918. If the "need to finally get one right" influenced the predictions for 1925 then that is also a form of haughtiness.

There is a humble way to explain prophecy and interpretation and a haughty way. There seems to be only one reason that someone says something will happen instead of being discreet and saying that if our understanding is correct, such-and-such may happen. (You might remember that this change from "may" to "will" was exactly what happened with the Millions campaign slogan.)

But there is another way that haughtiness can enter the picture. What if we, personally, kept telling people about our résumé  but always hid or shifted away from anything embarrassing. That's wrong, but probably normal, and there is no reason to shame ourselves. But what if we also made incorrect claims about our history, admitting some things as they happened but making other things sound better than they really were? No matter what the purpose, this is dishonest, but if we keep repeating the history over and over, and focusing on the exaggerated or untrue portions, then it is likely because we want to boost our own ego. (There are about a dozen times, for example, when we have published a "false" claim about what we had predicted for the year 1914, and at least another dozen times, when we published a misleading claim.)

 

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On 9/22/2016 at 2:10 PM, JW Insider said:

 

I was trying to come up with the most controversial question that Witnesses might ever have to face.

 

There are various lists of questions on the internet to ask JWs, some lists are even up to 101 questions.  The only one that comes up about "Millions now living....." is this one:

 Is it true that the WTS's prophecy that Armageddon will come before "the end of the generation of 1914" (You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, pg 154), is no longer taught as "the Truth"?

If so, then does this mean that this teaching of the WTS, which they have taught as "the Truth" for decades, was really a false teaching? Since the WTS claims that they are the "one channel that the Lord is using during the last days of this system of things" (Jehovah's Witnesses-Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, pg 626) and that the governing body is "the sole channel of communication of Jehovah God", does this mean that God changed His mind about this teaching and the definition of "generation"?  

The WTS has taught that Armageddon was going to occur in: 1914 -

The Time Is At Hand, 1888 (1911 ed.), pg 101; Zion 's Watchtower, 1/15/1892, pg..22
1915 - The Time Is At Hand, 1915 edition, pg. 99
1918 - The Finished Mystery, 1917, pg 62, 485
1925 - Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, pg 89-90, Watchtower, 7/15/24, pg 211
1931 - Vindication, Book 1, pg. 147
WWII - Watchtower, 9/15/41, pg 288
1975 - Kingdom Ministry, 6/69, pg 3; AWAKE!, 10/8/68, etc.

”Before the end of the generation of 1914” - You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, pg 154

In addition, the WTS claims that it is “God’s one and only channel of communication to the world”, etc., clearly claiming to speak for God.

Since Deut 18:20-22 says that a false prophet is anyone who claims to speak for God and makes a prophecy that does not come true, doesn’t this make the WTS a modern day false prophet according to scripture?

 

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16 hours ago, Eoin Joyce said:

I am looking forward to revisiting this whole area in our consideration of the book God's Kingdom Rules. 

Regarding rewriting their own history, please be sure to research what's in this book because there are at least two direct falsehoods on pages 21 and 22.

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