Posted by ~gc~ [polly] on March 29, 1999 at 16:12:57 {y5tAMziUMMHWCKhdYveQMWqYzk3C7MU66}:
In Reply to: ****Known to be Untrue posted by To GC on March 29, 1999 at 15:08:44:
You say:
PRIOR TO 1914,
when Russell & Co. taught that 1914 would
mark the END of the GENTILE TIMES,
his teaching was that the end of
the GENTILE TIMES would be marked by
ARMAGEDDON that year; in
fact,
Armageddon would be done and over with
by the end of 1914, and Jesus' earthly
phase of his Kingdom Rule would be under way.
I guess I've been away from here for too long, but the quote COMF used was:
"September 15, 1998 Watchtower, p. 15
"...a prophecy providentially caused sincere 19th-century Bible students to be in expectation. By linking the "seven times" of Daniel 4:25
with "the times of the Gentiles," they
anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914."
"
This statement claims that they anticipated that he would receive Kingdom Power. You yourself say this is so. The statement that COMF supplies does not say that they were right about Armageddon. Obviously they were wrong about that. The statement, to me, says they anticipated Kingdom Power.
I do understand that Russel and co. taught that Armageddon would occur and that the
earthly phase of Christ's rule would begin.
I do know for a fact that this hasn't happened.
What I can't seem to grasp, and I need some help here, is why saying "they anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914." is a lie? They did anticipate it.
COMF claims it is a lie because he says:"From these WBTS publications we see plainly that 19th-century Jehovah's Witnesses were not pointing to 1914 as the date of
Jesus' second
presence. They thought it was 1874. 1874 was taught as the date of his advent all the way up to 1929, the year
Prophecy was published.
They are not talking about the second presence in the WT article of 1998, they are only
talking about the expectation of Kingdom Power. Which appears to be consistent with your statement.
How is it a "lie"?
OK, give it to me straight. Did the WT teach that Kingdom Power began in 1874? From the quotes I have read it appears that the understanding changed prior to 1914 and in that case again the statement of the WT of 1998 is not false.
Which brings us back to the whole debate. Were they "wrong" or were they "dishonest"?