number of anointed

ssn587

dont know if I or anyone else has asked this before, but does anyone know how many annointed were supposedly at the last memorial, it seems to be the hidden #. does that mean they are now the hidden society (said tongue in cheek)

leavingwt

The number has yet to be published, as far as I know.

I'm expecting it to be well over 10,000 -- a Christmas miracle!

dgp

I understand the anointed are thought to be the mediators for the rest of the witnesses, and that their number is only 144,000, literally. I also understand the fact that they used to be "the generation that wouldn't pass away". I know that the "calling" had been closed in 1935. Which meant that, if all of the anointed died, then the WTBTS would have been proved dead wrong. I understand that is why they have changed the "generation" idea to meaning "for as long as there are anointed". If my understanding is correct, what the WTBTS did was simply delay a serious blow. The organization needs to have anointed in existence in the 2,000 previous years if it is to hold that there have been Jehovah's witnesses since the coming of Jesus (or since Abel, I'm not sure). But, if the number of the anointed continues to grow in our times, then the number of witnesses needs to be reduced in times past. At some point, they will either need to drop the belief, to keep some of the faithful, or die out. What are your thoughts on this, people?

blondie

An active jw that posts here said that the yearbooks are being released soon. The numbers should be in there. 2008--9986. 2007-9105,

wha happened?

"It is said that in the year 95 alone some 40,000 suffered martyrdom."

"Diocletian assumed the crown A.D. 284. At first he seemed friendly to the Christians, but in the year 303 he gave in to persuasion and opened the tenth persecution, probably the most ferocious of all. Suffocation by smoke, forcible drinking of melted lead, mass drownings and burnings, breaking on the rack of men and women alike ran the empire with blood. In a single month 17,000 were slain. In the province of Egypt alone, 144,000 such professed Christians died by violence in the course of this persecution, in addition to another 700,000 who died as a result of fatigues encountered in banishment or under enforced public works."

These are quotes pulled from the 9/1 1951 Watchtower article titled "Hated for his name". The article goes on to describe ten waves of persections over several centuries. When I see numbers like 700k killed, it tells me that the number of annointed waived bye bye to us centuries ago. Or perhaps that the definition of the annointed is flawed.

In any event now that the number is going up it just gives evidence that time has marched on and the guys in Brooklyn are facing the ever increasing challange of qualifying themselves as God's spokesman.

Titus

I believe it will be changed soon. Soon, the "new light" will say: "It seems that not all 1st century Christians were the anointed ones. Previously we thought that, but now we understand it different ... ...".

I think that an article in WT from March 15th 2010 (One Flock, One Shepherd) prepares the way for that change. Article from February 15th 2008 started to prepare that way. Don't you think so?

Blondie, can you tell me who is that active JW who posts here? I am an active JW too. And, yes, since January 1st, the Yearbook will be on jw.org (audiobook).

TITUS

dssynergy

There have been a number of articles over the past few years that have made a distinction between "genuine annointed" and "partakers." As far as I can tell, the number recorded in the yearbook is of "partakers" and the feeling is that the number of "genuine annointed" is a much lower number.

DS

Titus

Yes, DS, I also noticed that.

Did you know that David Splane (GB member), started to partake when he was just 17?

w08 1/15 p. 23 par. 15 says: "Still, it would seem reasonable that he would call, not newly converted ones, but individuals who—like the disciples to whom Jesus spoke when he initiated the Memorial observance—have already proved their loyalty to an extent." I doubt that David Splane authorized that article...

TITUS

wha happened?

Has there ever been an article that explains away the number of Christians living throught the centuries and the anointed? I guess the Society can poo poo christians after the 1st century but the sheer number of those killed in the 1st century alone negates the 144k theory. Especially with the number going up

dssynergy

Yes, I actually just heard that story from a Bethlite I know.

I think the explanation about the 144,000 is that although we have always assumed that all first century christians were annointed, it was never explicitly detailed in that way in the Bible. Although, all of the scriptures speak to the annointed specifically. They are written "to the congregation" which can mean the entire group of people or "the elders" depending on how it is interpreted by context. Maybe the letters "to the congregations" were really only meant for the annointed leaders of the congregations.

just a shot in the dark. who knows at this point.

I have often thought to myself that I am an Agnostic JW ~ the more I think about it, the more I feel that way.

DS

number of anointed

Share this