From what I've heard, the rank and file are very suspicious of the younger ones who claim to be anointed. That will die out with the older generation, and eventually the younger annointed will be accepted.
Could the "Memorial" night and number of partakers be all fake?
by RULES & REGULATIONS 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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TooBad TooSad
In the late 1960's and early 1970's the declining numbers of the "anointed" was
used as a sign that the end was near. Then the number started to grow, then
it stablized and would not decrease, and now it is going up again.
I don't know why the Witchtower Babbel and Trick Society just post numbers
of a gradual reduction of 250 per year which would string out the numbers 36
years, by then all of the old timers would be dead, and the current rank and
file would once again look forward to the yearly report to see the decline in the
anointed.
TooBad TooSad
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sacolton
It's a hoax. Those numbers will NEVER decline ... ever. I sincerely believe that the number of people who do partake is way over 144,000 and the GB won't print those statistics.
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Mary
Actually, that was one thing that I always assumed was fairly accurate. If it wasn't, why would they have the numbers increasing? How would they explain that when the numbers are supposed to be going DOWN???
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Finally-Free
That's probably the only statistic they don't artificially inflate.
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jws
As stated above, they want that number to go down to prove we're close to the end. The fact that it's going up shows they are probably being fairly accurate.
Now I always wondered whether they counted people who partake, but it's pretty obvious they don't fit the JW picture of their annointed ones.
At one time, I thought partakers (or at least ones they don't recognize) were questioned afterwards. So it might be that if they are deemed a loon or somebody playing a prank, that person may not be counted. Or maybe there is no questioning and somebody just makes a judgement call whether or not to count them. If the person only shows up for Memorials, maybe you don't count them.
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TheOldHippie
"Strangers" are not counted; only those known to be baptised JWs, so the bunny-dressed-up folks referred to would not have been counted.
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wha happened?
If the number keeps going up they will "adjust" the numbers
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Trevor Scott
I don't believe the published number of partakers is accurate. The number went down previously because the Watchtower Society wanted the number to go down, because it provided them with some "evidence" for the nearness of the end. Now the number is going up because the Society WANTS it to go up. Why? One possibility is that artificially raising the number of partakers provides the WTS with a means of doing away with the 1935 cutoff year for anointed.
Given the fact that the Governing Body knows full well their prophesied "end" is NOT just around the corner, they needed to do away with the 1935 year. If they didn't get rid of the 1935 cutoff they'd eventually run out of anointed in the same way that they ran out of the "1914 generation". Running out of anointed means no more "faithful and discreet slave", and where is that concept in their end-time doctrine? The entire Watchtower religion/publishing company is built on the foundation of the chosen "faithful and discreet slave". No memorial partakers means no slave means no governing body means no Watchtower religion.
When the 1914 generation dwindled to the point of no return, the WTS dumped the date. The 1935 generation has approached the same point. By artificially raising the number of partakers, the Society can then point at the increase in partakers as "evidence" that 1935 was not the cutoff after all. Note:
*** w07 5/1 pp. 30-31 Questions From Readers ***
Hence, especially after 1966 it was believed that the heavenly call ceased in 1935. This seemed to be confirmed when almost all who were baptized after 1935 felt that they had the earthly hope. Thereafter, any called to the heavenly hope were believed to be replacements for anointed Christians who had proved unfaithful. Without a doubt, if one of the anointed unrepentantly falls away, Jehovah does call another individual to take his place. (Romans 11:17-22) However, the number of genuine anointed ones who have become unfaithful is likely not large. On the other hand, as time has gone by, some Christians baptized after 1935 have had witness borne to them that they have the heavenly hope. (Romans 8:16, 17) Thus, it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends.
So the Society points to the (artificial) increase in partakers as evidence that the calling of anointed did not end in 1935: "Thus, it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends." This opens the door for more anointed, which extends the collective lifetime of the "faithful and discreet slave" and by extension the governing body.
My two cents.
Trevor.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Thank you Trevor for uncovering the WTS deception!