Stumbled by 1995 "light", Researcher needs your insight!

by yknot 1 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  yknot

  Hello

  My name is Rodney Wilson I am currently researching a graduate paper about the Jehovah's Witnesses and the recent "new light" on the application and interpretation of the 1914 "this generation shall not pass away" teaching.
  
  I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was active in the Watchtower Society during the period in which this doctrine was reworked -- specifically the mid-1990s. I am interested to learn how this change was made known to members; the impact it had on congregations; how much congregational discussion there was about it; the impact on members and membership; if it sowed seeds of doubt in member's mind, etc.
  
  Any help anyone can offer is most appreciated. I may be reached at [email protected]. Please e-mail me at that address.
  
  Your privacy need not be violated; while I would need to know who you are and some biographical details, I can refer to you in the paper without specific identification, if you prefer.
  
  Just for clarification: I am not a Jehovah's Witness nor have I ever been a Jehovah's Witness. I am a graduate student in religion and find the Witnesses of great interest and particularly the recent re-interpretation of the 1914 generation teaching.
  
  Thank you so much for any help anyone can offer!
  
  Rodney Wilson, Massachusetts
• 

  deaconbluez

  I was very active during this time. The change in the teaching was done through a series of study articles in the Watchtower magazine. I'm sure you've already located the exact issue. There was also reinforcement of the change at the convention that year, but it was tied to the need of "keeping awake" since the end was so near! But since the Witnesses are the most theologically naive people on the planet, for the most part, they didn't think twice when the change was introduced. You see, the Witnesses are thankful that they have their "faithful slave" in Brooklyn to tell them what to think about Scriptural matters. If they didn't have that, then they would have to actually comprehend what the Bible says. As an experiment with this very thing, I made a fake scan of a "Watchtower article" (much like my parody "Questions From Readers") and e-mailed it to a Witness family member of mine. It was written in typical Watchtower language and indicated that the "faithful slave" was certain that the end would be within the next 5 years, and that Witnesses would need to start winding down all of their affairs on this earth. I presented the fake article to this family member as something that was simply passed on to me, that would appear in an upcoming issue of the Watchtower. Their response to it was typical, involved no thought process, and indicated to me even further that individual Witnesses don't care about how ridiculous or unscriptural the "spiritual food" is. They're just glad that they don't have to make the tough decisions. The Watchtower makes those decisions for it's members. As payment, the Watchtower demands complete acceptance, and that's what they get from their members.