End of the world - 1914

In 1876, Charles Russell, founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, predicted that Christ would return in 1914. Since that prophecy failed, the society has predicted at least seven other dates when Armageddon would occur.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also quietly abandoned a prediction that people alive in 1914 would live to see Christ’s kingdom on Earth--a major doctrine that lent urgency to the sect’s door-to-door warnings that a bloody end of the world is imminent.

Wiki

@ghost-of-a-duke said
In 1876, Charles Russell, founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, predicted that Christ would return in 1914. Since that prophecy failed, the society has predicted at least seven other dates when Armageddon would occur.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also quietly abandoned a prediction that people alive in 1914 would live to see Christ’s kingdom on Earth--a major doctrine tha ...[text shortened]... lent urgency to the sect’s door-to-door warnings that a bloody end of the world is imminent.

Wiki

What is worse is that, because they preached that the return of Christ was imminent, the members were discouraged from:
- furthering their studies
- buying property
- having children
- investing in business ventures.

In other words they basically had to put their lives on hold otherwise they would be seen as not believing in the prophecies of the WatchTower.

@rajk999 said
What is worse is that, because they preached that the return of Christ was imminent, the members were discouraged from:
- furthering their studies
- buying property
- having children
- investing in business ventures.

In other words they basically had to put their lives on hold otherwise they would be seen as not believing in the prophecies of the WatchTower.

Laughably they also back tracked on calling them predictions and instead starting referring to them as speculations.

Imagine asking your followers to put their lives on hold for a failed speculation.

Yet, they do have a rather large following around the world.

Jehovah's Witnesses is a nontrinitarian, millenarian, restorationist Christian denomination. As of 2023, the group reported approximately 8.6 million members involved in evangelism, with around 20.5 million attending the annual Memorial of Christ's death.

Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia

-VR

@very-rusty said
Yet, they do have a rather large following around the world.

Jehovah's Witnesses is a nontrinitarian, millenarian, restorationist Christian denomination. As of 2023, the group reported approximately 8.6 million members involved in evangelism, with around 20.5 million attending the annual Memorial of Christ's death.

Jehovah's Witnesses - Wikipedia

-VR

It dropped dramatically after their failed predictions. They do though target vulnerable people and brainwash/control their membership.

(Cough cough cult).

@very-rusty said
Yet, they do have a rather large following around the world.

So?

@ghost-of-a-duke said
It dropped dramatically after their failed predictions. They do though target vulnerable people and brainwash/control their membership.

(Cough cough cult).

From the story told, it does sound like a cult to me also.

-VR

@divegeester said
So?

So, many brain washed people! 🙂

Now I am putting down your religion, how does it feel? 🙂 You were in another thread putting down our Easter Holiday and beliefs. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Had you not attacked my religion I wouldn't have said anything about yours. (FACT)!!!

-VR

@very-rusty said

Now I am putting down your religion, how does it feel?

But i am not a JW, I’ve never been a JW and I’ve never claimed to be one.

You are mistaken.

@ghost-of-a-duke said
In 1876, Charles Russell, founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, predicted that Christ would return in 1914. Since that prophecy failed, the society has predicted at least seven other dates when Armageddon would occur.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses also quietly abandoned a prediction that people alive in 1914 would live to see Christ’s kingdom on Earth--a major doctrine tha ...[text shortened]... lent urgency to the sect’s door-to-door warnings that a bloody end of the world is imminent.

Wiki

Before we get too hard on Mr. Russell, we might consider that people have been predicting the end of the world for a very long time, in fact Jesus specifically cautioned his disciples against predicting this. Mr. Russell was a bit foolish here, but so were many others.


Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” They said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

Matthew 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

@mchill said
Before we get too hard on Mr. Russell, we might consider that people have been predicting the end of the world for a very long time, in fact Jesus specifically cautioned his disciples against predicting this. Mr. Russell was a bit foolish here, but so were many others.


Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell u ...[text shortened]... o one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

You have the gift of missing the point and going off on a tangent. I dont think this is about Russell alone. This man started a church who he promoted as Gods mouthpeice on Earth. He claimed that the Watchtower was directly guided by God. He misled millions of stupid people. He was more than just a bit foolish. He is a false prophet, a false teacher misleading people and causing havoc in the lives of people.

@mchill said
Before we get too hard on Mr. Russell, we might consider that people have been predicting the end of the world for a very long time, in fact Jesus specifically cautioned his disciples against predicting this. Mr. Russell was a bit foolish here, but so were many others.


Matthew 24:3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell u ...[text shortened]... o one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Prophets have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of time. So far every one of them has been wrong, but someday one of them will be right. The point to be made, I believe, is that each day could be your last, so you had better make it count, whether or not the rest of the world continues after you.

@moonbus said
Prophets have been predicting the end of the world since the beginning of time. So far every one of them has been wrong, but someday one of them will be right. The point to be made, I believe, is that each day could be your last, so you had better make it count, whether or not the rest of the world continues after you.

In the direction the World is heading, the end could come sooner than we think.

A Nuclear war would end the world as we know it and most of the people on it.

-VR

@very-rusty said
In the direction the World is heading, the end could come sooner than we think.

A Nuclear war would end the world as we know it and most of the people on it.

-VR

The world will be here long after we’re gone, and most of the life on it will be better off without us.

@moonbus said
The world will be here long after we’re gone, and most of the life on it will be better off without us.

Do you really believe that, or just the FACT that you know you will eventually pass on. 🙂


-VR