Ever hear of the "overcomers" a word connected with Russell's Bible Student movement? In Russell's religion it was another name or term for the Anointed, Bride of Christ, Elect, Elijah class, Sons of God, Little Flock, etc.
Now according to the latest WT, "this generation" meant "...the lives of the anointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation." WT Apr. 15, 2010
I don't know if others have said this, but, for what it's worth, now we have a name for the generation of the anointed who were alive in 1914 and whose lives touched the generation of lives of anointed who would see the start of the tribulation: The "overlappers."
Well, this change should buy out another 60 years or so before Armageddon may come! Such brilliant leaders of the Watchtower. But what did the Watchtower say about overlapping generations previously?
The Watchtower Society (WTS) - the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) - is famous for their dates. Individual Witnesses know about the current prophetic years (1914, 1918, etc) but are mostly completely ignorant about the history of their movement, and when asked is most likely to deny that the WTS ever said anything about the end of the world in 1914 and 1925. Even for a recent episode like 1975, the JWs will often flatly deny that the WTS ever proclaimed Armageddon within no more than a few months from October 1975.
This list is intended to be comprehensive, if not exhaustive. There's a massive amount of research by many individuals behind this short summary, but we can never guarantee against errors. If you find any, please let us know.
Few Jehovah's Witnesses understood the far-reaching implications of two public talks delivered at the Watchtower's Divine Teaching Conventions in 1993. To veteran cult watchers, however, it was no surprise that they were seeding the ground for the inevitable changes that had to come sooner or later.
Most Jehovah's Witnesses who read all of these quotes in one spot quickly realize that the Society has lied to them -- not a flat-out lie, because the Society never said flat-out that "the end" would come in 1975 -- but a white lie in that they now say all kinds of things that sweep the import of what they had said under the rug.
The article titled "Can you Trust God's Promises" in your June 22, 1995 Awake (pages 6 through 9), I find to be somewhat of a side-step of the truth.
Peter Retzinger Reseda, California
July 8, 1995
Mr. Milton G. Henschel, President Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. 25 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483
Dear Mr. Henschel:
The article titled "Can you Trust God's Promises" in your June 22, 1995 Awake (pages 6 through 9), I find to be somewhat of a side-step of the truth. In discussing the expectations of Bible Students (i.e., Jehovah's Witnesses) for the years 1914, 1925, and 1975, this article implies that these expectations were "conjectured" or "surmised" by A. H. Macmillan (now deceased) and other Witnesses who had "a fervent desire to realize the fulfillment of God's promises in their own time." Clearly, this is not the case, but rather these good people were responding to the teachings of TRUTH by the spiritual leaders of the Watchtower, "God's faithful and discreet slave".
True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world," even announcing a specific date. . . The "end" did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them. Awake!, October 8, 1968, p. 23
In 1995 the Watchtower Society put away it's aging prediction that identified those living in 1914 as "the generation" Jesus spoke of that would "not pass away" before the advent of Armageddon. Complacency set in. Judging by Society-published reports, there is a waning of enthusiasm within the ranks, and the Watchtower Society is confronted with the dilemma of:
... for whether they be in the more affluent countries of the earth, we'll all still hold on for life, because as long as there is life, we find that there is hope. If this is true of most persons, how much more true would it be of Jehovah's Witnesses. Because not only do we have the present life to hold onto and to live for, but we hold onto the hope of everlasting life. Because Jesus promised this in Romans the Sixth chapter, that the reward God would give would be everlasting life. So we have a strong desire and instinct to wanna survive and pursue it. And to eventually realize paradisaic conditions in God's New Order.
Mr. Milton G. Henschel, President Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. 25 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483
Dear Mr. Henschel:
Thank you for indirectly responding to the suggestion in my letter of July 8, 1995 (enclosed copy, see page 6, fourth paragraph) via your November 1 1945 Watchtower magazine and your November 8, 1995 Awake!
The harsh and rarely satisfied "Jehovah" of the Watchtower Society is again unhappy with the conduct and mindset of many of its members who are slacking off. The latest issue of The Watchtower again browbeats those who have become apathetic and do not fully succumb to the "mental-regulating of Jehovah" and other trite concepts of parenting supported by this aging and abusive leadership.
selected quotes from THE WATCHTOWER-OCTOBER 1, 1999:
"... whats gonna happen? And is it likely that the destruction of the whole wicked system of things will take place at the hands of Jehovah God, the Great Executioner of his judgments against Satan and his wicked organization?
Well, a lot will have to happen [inaudible] to occur by September the fifth, the end of the lunar month of year Nineteen Hundred and Seventy Five, a *LOT* will have to happen. And when you consider how much has to happen and how if it depended on the normal outworking of things it seems very improbable, very unlikely, that all that has to take place in fulfillment of prophecy, will be accomplished by September the fifth, at sundown.
Most Jehovah's Witnesses are unfamiliar with the great emphasis the Watchtower Society has put on particular dates that they predicted would bring catastrophic events to earth. They feel that a fullfillment of their predictions would be proof that we are in the "time of the end." When each predicted event failed, one after the other, in many cases the prediction was given a new future date and the whole process was started all over again. These errors were covered over with their "new light" doctrine, and the blame was always placed on the "brothers" jumping to conclusions and running ahead of the organization.
This "never getting it right" practice has caused many to lose faith in the Watchtower organization as God's spokesman. Many have asked, "if the "faithful slave" really have God's holy spirit, then why can't they ever get it right the first time?" Why the "pin the tail on the donkey" method? Are we to conclude that "trial and error" is God's approved way of bringing us all to the "Truth?" As we all know from reading the Bible, this kind of scholarship is not found anywhere in the Holy Scriptures. Even so, over 7 million people faithfully follow them as the channel through which God speaks. But does he?
Millions of Witnesses have put their lives on hold and are hard at work trying to earn enough points with God so they can live in peace in a future "Paradise Earth." What is not realized is, that all this volunteer work for a better future life down the road has as its reward much sadness and bitterness. Comments like, "the new system was supposed to be here by now" or "it wasn't suppose to end like this" are common when long sought after goals are finally realized to be in vain.
The Watchtower Society constantly dangles the carrot in front of these workers so they will reach out and do more with sayings like, "the end is imminent", "we're in the last days of this system", or "the end is just around the corner", and "Armageddon is knocking at the door."
The debate between Jehovah’s Witnesses and their detractors as to whether Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed in 607 B.C.E. or 586/587 B.C.E. is heated, highly detailed and complex. The Watch Tower Society takes the position that if you believe the Bible over secular history, you must conclude that 607 B.C.E. is the correct date. This article will demonstrate that:
It is the Watch Tower Society’s formula, not the Bible, that renders 607 B.C.E. as the date Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed
Did you know there are no numbers in the Bible at all? That's right. Oh, except the book of numbers (which is rather counter-intuitive) which contains no numbers itself. What am I talking about? Consider this startling fact:
In Hebrew and Greek there existed no number symbols at all. You are probably familiar with what the Romans did about their lack of numbers:
Being proved a liar is embarrassing. This is especially true for a high profile religion. Jehovah’s Witnesses were proved false prophets in 1975. Below this is documented.(Emphasis mine.)
As “witnesses” before all mankind in the court of public scrutiny the name Jehovah was dragged through the mud and permanently stigmatized as unreliable. The following publications smeared the reputation of the Most High by creating a false expectation carefully couched in prophetic terms.
Judge for yourself by reading the Faithful and Discreet Slave's very own words from their publications:
Ever hear of the "overcomers" a word connected with 
The Watchtower Society (WTS) - the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) - is famous for their dates. Individual Witnesses know about the current prophetic years (1914, 1918, etc) but are mostly completely ignorant about the history of their movement, and when asked is most likely to deny that the WTS ever said anything about the end of the world in 1914 and 1925. Even for a recent episode like 1975, the JWs will often flatly deny that the WTS ever proclaimed Armageddon within no more than a few months from October 1975.
In 1995 the Watchtower Society put away it's aging prediction that identified those living in 1914 as "the generation" Jesus spoke of that would "not pass away" before the advent of Armageddon. Complacency set in. Judging by Society-published reports, there is a waning of enthusiasm within the ranks, and the Watchtower Society is confronted with the dilemma of:
"... whats gonna happen? And is it likely that the destruction of the whole wicked system of things will take place at the hands of Jehovah God, the Great Executioner of his judgments against Satan and his wicked organization?
Figures don't lie...but....