"ground control to Major Tom..."
Keep reading JohnnyC.
Good Lord!
1914 & Generation What change?
by johnnyc 36 Replies latest jw experiences
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doofdaddy
Oh and by the way, a 10 sec google search on this subject highlighted enough material to keep you going for hours.
I hope this removes you from the kh, as you appear a well entrenched jw, or a very poor researcher.....
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IP_SEC
You are being silly jonny? Or just want it spelled out here for you? Ok I'll break it down.
11/1/95 'Time to Keep Awake'
12 Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy today, "this generation" apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to mend their ways. In contrast, we as Jesus' disciples refuse to be molded by the life-style of "this generation." Though in the world, we must be no part of it, "for the appointed time is near." (Revelation 1:3; John 17:16) The apostle Paul admonishes us: "Keep doing all things free from murmurings and arguments, that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in among a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world." —Philippians 2:14, 15; Colossians 3:5-10; 1 John 2:15-17.
(So you see johnny? No longer a word about when this generation was 'born'. What qualifies a person for being part of 'the generation' is that they are one of the wicked folk that see the sign of Christ presence but fail to mend their ways. Not the date they were born. JWs believe that we are still in Christ parousia, so all of the wicked are part of the generation.)
This change can further be seen in the change of Awake!'s masthead beginning in the 11/8/95 issue.
Before '95
Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.After '95
Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things.The old statement didnt reflect new light and had to be changed...
This doesnt even touch the new change.
Get it?
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bluesbreaker59
Back when I was sitting at the District Convention either 95 or 96, I can't recall, they had a whole talk on it one afternoon. And the speaker, FROM BETHEL, said "this generation no longer means just a singular generation of people (i.e. 1914 generation) the new light we've received on this means, generations upon generations". That moment, that EXACT moment in history was what planted the "this is BS seed" in my head. Then I started looking up more info on the organization and realized that there was LOTS of BS. One day my grandma told me I was an apostate for having independent thoughts, and that I'd end up "just like that Ray Franz, who thought he was too smart too".
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GermanXJW
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w976/1p.28QuestionsFromReaders***So the recent information in TheWatchtower about "this generation" did not change our understanding of what occurred in 1914. But it did give us a clearer grasp of Jesus’ use of the term "generation," helping us to see that his usage was no basis for calculating—counting from 1914—how close to the end we are.
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w978/1p.12par.16ServingLoyallyWithJehovah’sOrganization***In contrast, Jehovah’s people in modern times have proved themselves loyal through times of change. As the light of revealed truth continues to brighten, adjustments are made. (Proverbs 4:18) Recently, "the faithful and discreet slave" has helped us to refine our understanding of the term "generation" used at Matthew 24:34 and of the timing of the judgment of "the sheep" and "the goats" mentioned at Matthew 25:31-46, as well as of our view toward certain types of civilian service. (Matthew 24:45) No doubt some apostates would have been delighted if many of Jehovah’s Witnesses had stuck rigidly to the previous understanding of such subjects and refused to progress. Nothing of the kind has happened. Why? Jehovah’s people are loyal.
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Seeker4
Where did JonnyC go?
Nice explanation, Ip Sec and others.
This was a huge change. It hit me just like it hit Bluesbreaker - I had been an elder, but I was on my way out after that Nov. '95 WT. That change in the purpose in the front of the Awake! I considered unethical and worse. When you change "the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away" to "the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things" you are speaking in Jehovah's name something that did not come true. That's the EXACT Biblical definition of a false prophet.
I don't know how much more you can break it down for jonny.
Prior to Nov. '95, that generation was someone born before 1914 who would have seen all those events of the sign.
After 1995, the generation was ANYONE who saw the sign and ignored it. That could be someone born in 1900, sure, but it also was now wide open for that generation of sign-ignorers to include people born in 1950, 2000, 2020 or 2070 - they simply all had to share that same bad attitude about the sign of the kingdom.
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startingover
Bluesbreaker59,
One day my grandma told me I was an apostate for having independent thoughts, and that I'd end up "just like that Ray Franz, who thought he was too smart too".
Those words are etched in the brain, my parents used to say the same thing.
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bluesbreaker59
Startingover,
My grandma was ("is", I presume) one of those ridiculous Dubs that CONSTANTLY irritated her family members talking about JW life, or quoting scriptures to us. Her most popular was 1 Cor 16:33 - "Bad Assoc. spoil useful habits", I grew to truly HATE that scripture AND her. She constantly would butt in on family matters that didn't concern her, always being a black cloud over everyone with her opinions. She came in in the mid 60's, and somehow STILL denies that 1975 ever was predicted. She had no life outside of the CULT, and constantly talked about the "new system", and until that summer, she'd sit down and calculate it to you about the "generation of 1914", and how "the end is getting close". I strongly suspect as she's gotten older that she has to wonder if all these years of being a faithful old kook are worth it. What was worse was the fact that she lived with my dad and I after my parents got divorced, and my grandpa died, we bought the family farm, and therefore I was around her everyday from 8 to 15. I miss her in some ways, because she'd watch SNL with me and Cheers, and she loved music, especially old rock n roll, crooners, and some old blues. But then in the next breath she'd be ranting about "The Faithful an Discreet Slave"... Oh how I hated that phrase, to this day it makes my skin crawl.
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bluesbreaker59
After 1995, the generation was ANYONE who saw the sign and ignored it. That could be someone born in 1900, sure, but it also was now wide open for that generation of sign-ignorers to include people born in 1950, 2000, 2020 or 2070 - they simply all had to share that same bad attitude about the sign of the kingdom.
You know, my cousin, and I weren't very old, perhaps 14 or 15, at the time of that convention, but we were paying attention, and even OUR YOUNG MINDS, grasped the concept and what this meant... It meant THIS CULT could keep going on forever, because this "generations upon generations" teaching meant anyone not heeding the example of Christ... Totally the meaning of False Prophet, as outlined in the Bible.
I'm shocked they ever revised this stance, because frankly right now, this could run ad nauseum. This new one with the "Annointed Generation" not passing away is also a good one, because every 5 years or so, someone in that 40 - 60+ crowd is claiming to be annointed. There were a few shocking examples in my area, but its not like you were allowed to "question God"...
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oompa
There are many Pinball Wizzards in JW Land....deaf, dumb, and blind................................no offense anyone.....oompa
Why do dubs needs US to educate THEM??????????