We used to have a nutcase of a friend in the JW's who was always saying 'off the wall' things. He was exasgerating interpretations, making idle threats that he would 'bump off' a JW if they do him wrong. Nobody took him seriously, because he said these wacko things all the time and never did them. (At least I think he didn't) It was just 'George being George'. We all became accostumed to his rants, unless, you were someone who didn't now him well. Then you could be shocked out of your gord if he threatened to cut the car brake lines on an perceived enemy JW.
Which brings us to the 'New Generation' understanding of the GB...........
For over 80 years, JW's, me included, taught bible studies that all these things in the last days would come to pass within one generation. Simply put, the teaching was a call to action among the faithful. Many devoted their lives to this understanding, making extroardinary sacrifices to help others learn the JW way, before the end of days generation passed away. We didn't know 'the day and hour', but we knew we would all see it in our lifetime.
So why did they change the teaching?
Because they were wrong. It wasn't happening, time proved they go it all incorrect. Millions believed, and millions lived their lives accordingly, and millions should be disappointed.
To me, their new explanation is just as silly as Russel announcing to the Bethel Family, 'it happened' almost 100 years ago, "but its invisible!" Evidently, when Jesus said one generation, "he didn't mean one, he meant two", to paraphrase the WT. To explain away their incredible blunder, we now have to accept, that one plus one equals one, not two. Can we say, are you kidding me?
For 80 years, the original teaching made sense to millions of people, because..... it was obvious to anyone reasoning on the point, that's what it meant. But everyone was wrong, including Rutherford, Knorr, and the claimed spirit guided men of the GB for those same 80 years.
Why couldn't we have seen that Jesus meant two-in-one generations, when its so obvious to the GB today? Wasn't the Holy Spirit guiding them all along? Then why would the Holy Spirit misdirect them so wrongly for all that time, especially for such a foundational point as the generation? Why would JG direct them this way to their embarrassment? Then forcing the GB to spend 13 years plus, making the gradual changes, hoping not to shake up the faithful too much, and perhaps question their ruling authority. Any honest hearted person could see, they REALLY blew it, this was no little thing, it IS monumantal!
For us on this site, we knew this was coming, perhaps even more so than the JW's in the KH's. For us, the GB has become all too predictable. We see this as the GB spinning away their mistakes, tyring to cover themselves. And we see them as 'just the Governing Body being the Governing Body', incorrect again.
Unfortunately, many of the faithful, will see this as "just the governing Body being the Governing Body" in a different way. They will not be shocked out their gord, its just new light and proof that JG IS guiding them.
Hopefuly, many will see this for what it really is, the GB of the JW's were wrong again.