Can someone explain the "new light" o...

by Leander 9 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Leander

  I've been thinking about the change in this doctrine and I'm not sure I fully understand it. Can someone explain it?

  Also was'nt there other changes made before in regards to this generation doctrine? It seems to me that I read somewhere that it was previously thought that those who were old enough to understand what went on during 1914 would not pass away. And if I'm not mistaken the age of those individuals kept getting younger and younger until it was stated that anyone who was alive during that time was counted as being part of that generation. Am I correct in that understanding?
• 

  LB

  I haven't been around the old hall for 3 years now, but the last understanding I had was that the scripture referred to THAT generation of Christians. So we are in the generation of those people which does NOT have a starting date. The date started in 1914 but can go on for hundreds of years if necessary.

  I may have this wrong, but I think I'm close....
• 

  RunningMan

  You're right. Here it is:

  "Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to
  realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of 'this
  generation' nearly 70 years old today. So the great majority of the generation to which
  Jesus was referring has already passed away in death. The remaining ones are
  approaching old age. And remember, Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would
  come before the generation passed away in death. This of itself, tells us that the years
  left before the foretold end comes cannot be many." - AW 10/8/68 p13-14

  "If you assume that 10 is the age at which an event creates a lasting impression on
  a person's memory, then there are today more than 13 million Americans who have
  a recollection of World War I. And if the wicked system of this world survived until the
  turn of the century,which is highly improbable in view of world trends and the fulfillment
  of Bible prophecy, there will still be survivors of the World War I generation. However,
  the fact that their number is dwindling is one more indication that 'the conclusion of the
  system of things' is moving fast towards its end." - WT 10/15/80 p31

  "If Jesus used 'generation' in the sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of
  that generation are now 70 years old or older. And others alive in 1914 are in their
  80's or 90's., a few having reached a hundred. There are still many millions of that
  generation alive. Some of them 'will by no means pass away until all things occur.'
  - Luke 21:32." - WT 5/15/84

  "Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy today, 'this generation' apparently
  refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to
  mend their ways."- WT 11/1/95 p19
• 

  outnfree

  RunningMan,

  That was the most excellent, concise, damning rendering of the doctrinal change on 'this generation' that I've seen.

  Thank you.

  Leander,

  This was the end of the WTBTS hold on me. When the '95 article came out I KNEW the GB had NO special relationship with Jehovah -- they were making it up as they went along!

  outnfree

  When the truth is found to be lies
  and all the joy within you dies ... -- Darby Slick, Somebody to Love
• 

  LDH

  And, in their usual underhanded way, instead of having theballs to come out and say "We're changing horses in midstream, kids!" They do the "one-sentence change" as I refer to it. Only people who actually STUDY their watchtowers (like my mother, who noticed this right off!) will see it.

  Then, they will talk about it to others, a chance to brag that they see the 'new light!'

  Little by little it spreads throughout the congregation. Until some are left wondering, "When did that shit change? Oh well I better not ask; I don't want to look like I haven't been keeping up with the food at the proper time!"

  This is how doctrine gets changed within the Borg, and is also the reason that so many people have different understandings of some basic WBTS principles like:

  Can I accept blood fractions? (yes)
  Can I talk to my df'd Kid? (yes)
  Is alternative service acceptable?(yes)
  Can you get df'd for celebrating birthdays?(no)

  I bet you if you talk to ten JWs you get 40 different answers on this.

  Lisa
• 

  refiners fire

  the "one sentence change" . Never noticed that before.
  This explains why Im always scrabbling thru 10 watchtowers to link together 1 consistent doctrinal change.
  What slippery eels they are!
  But I really, desperately, will have to figure out how to post direct quotes into my threads. I am SO jealous of you guys skill.
• 

  sapo

  Hi RunningMan,

  I enjoyed seeing these predictions side by side. Very enlightening.

  Prediction 1. the years left before the foretold end comes cannot be many."

  Prediction2: ..the conclusion of the system of things' is moving fast towards its end."

  Prediction 3: Some of them 'will by no means pass away until all things occur.'

  We give up 4: 'this generation' apparently refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to mend their ways."

  Apparently? Such conviction! Apparently, we ran out of time.
• 

  ashitaka

  Runningman,

  I'm copying that. Halleujah!

  ashi
• 

  ISP

  Haha!.....the generation teaching....the pivotal end time teaching changed by way of a dictionary definition! As if that could not have be known earlier.

  ISP
• 

  TweetieBird

  >>"Some of them 'will by no means pass away until all things occur.'"

  Is that or is that not a prophecy? If it is a prophecy, then does that make them a false prophet or a true prophet by Deuteronomy's standards?