Suomalaisen luopumuksen historia

Muitan tämän aivan elävästi myös Johanneshovin konventista. Lapsen mieleen jäi aavistus ristiriidoista joita vanhmempani vähättelivät.

Osatekijä saattoi olla Vartiotorniseuran 1951 (1914 37) ja 1954 (1914 40) välisen ajan numerologisten ennustusten karilleajo:

"The thirty-six intervening years since 1914, instead of postponing Armageddon, have only made it nearer than most people think. Do not forget: "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matt. 24:34) Consequently, the important question is: What is the most profitable way in which to use the remaining time? If you are wise you will not dodge or side-step the answer.-Eccl. 8:5." (w50 1 Nov. p. 419)

Ja tässä lisää hehkutusta:

"The length of time is indicated by him when he said, "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matt. 24:34, NW) The actual meaning of these words is, beyond question, that which takes a "generation" in the ordinary sense, as at Mark 8:12 and Acts 13:36, or for those who are living at the given period." (w51 July 1 p. 404)

Vartiotorniseura toimi hyvin tarkoitushakuisesti kuten esimerkiksi vertaamalla vuoden tarkkuudella ajanjaksoa aikaan, jolloin Jeesus puhui ennen Jerusalemin tuhoa:

"By keeping the people ignorant they led them into having Jesus killed on a torture stake at Calvary. Thirty-seven years later this willfully cultivated ignorance led to its fatal consequences, the destruction of the city of Jerusalem with an enormous loss of human lives, just as Jesus had predicted, and the breaking up of the Jewish nation till this day. And now in this "time of the end" the revived nation of Israel with capital at the modern city of Jerusalem chooses to go on in the steps of its forefathers . . ." (w50 Sep. 1 p. 277; see also w50 Oct. 1 p. 407)

"Counting from the end of the "appointed times of the nations" in 1914, we are 37 years into the "time of the end" of this world. (Luke 21:24, NW; Dan. 12:4) During these crucial years Jehovah's witnesses have sought shelter and strength in him, and they can confess for themselves that he is a "well-proved help in trouble". If it were not for this, they would not be here today nor increasing in numbers. But we are entering the most serious and trialsome years of this "time of the end". The final conflict of Armageddon draws near." (w51 Feb. 15 p. 179)

"WHEREAS the "appointed times of the nations" ended in 1914, it is now 37 years that we have been in the "time of the end" of Satan's world." (Watchtower April 1 1951 page 214)

Tässä siis jätettiin lukijan laskettavaksi 1914 37=1951. Ja laskutaitoisia löytyi, mutta mitään odotettua ei tapahtunut. Mutta teoreettinen, neljänkymmenen vuoden pituisen sukupolven yläraja tuli vastaan 1954 ja Vartiotorniseura päättikin vaihtaa sukupolvi-sanan merkitystä ja käyttöön otettiinkin keskimääräinen ihmisikä:

"Webster's unabridged dictionary gives, in part, this definition of generation: "The average lifetime of man, or the ordinary period of time at which one rank follows another, or father is succeeded by child; an age. A generation is usually taken to be about 33 years." But the Bible is not so specific. It gives no number of years for a generation. And in Matthew 24:34, Mark 13:30 and Luke 21:32, the texts mentioning the generation the question refers to, we are not to take generation as meaning the average time for one generation to be succeeded by the next, as Webster's does in its 33-year approximation; but rather more like Webster's first-quoted definition, "the average lifetime of man." Three or even four generations may be living at the same time, their lives overlapping. (Ps. 78:4; 145:4) Before the Noachian flood the life span was hundreds of years. Down through the centuries since, it has varied, and even now is different in different countries. The Bible does speak of a man's days as being threescore and ten or fourscore years; but it assigns no specific number of years to a generation. - Ps. 90:10. Even if it did, we could not calculate from such a figure the date of Armageddon, for the texts here under discussion do not say God's battle comes right at the end of this generation, but before its end." (w52 Sept. 1 p. 542, 543)

Vuoden 1953 Watchtowerissa oltiin sen verran varmoja lopun läheisyydestä, että asiaa korostettiin oikein majuskelikirtsuin:

"These events began to occur on earth in the year 1914, and continue to assert themselves to the present day. Not just one or two of these momentous happenings have come upon this generation, but all of them. NO FALSE ALARM THIS!" (w53 Nov. 1 p. 648)

Sitä maalle muuttanut kaupunkilaispoika vaan ihmettelee mikä sitten Vartiotorniseuralle on väärä hälytys? Vartiotorniseuran jokainen hälytys oli jo vuoteen 1953 mennessä ollut väärä, mutta mitään ei oltu opittu.