I have come up with a sample of a leaflet for distribution to JWs in my area regarding the April 15th WT. Generation changes and quotes are from chart on freeminds. All comments welcome for advice and improvement.
NEW LIGHT! .......... APRIL 15TH 2010 WATCHTOWER !
THE 6TH CHANGE TO THE "GENERATION" TEACHING ! (Matt 24 : 34)
ARTICLE : Holy Spirit's role in the outworking of Jehovah's purpose (par. 13, 14)
"How then are we to understand Jesus words about "this generation"? He evidently meant that the lives of the annointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap the lives of other annointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation."
CHARLES RUSSELL once wrote: "If we are following man, undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one, two or six years ago, would be regarded as darkness now. But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author - A new view of truth can never contradict a former truth. "New light" never extinguishes older "light" but adds to it. (Zion's WT Feb 1881, pg 3, 188)
In view of the above quote, please compare this 'new light' with former 'light' (now darkness), that has issued forth from Jehovah's organization.
GENERATION EXPLAINED
GENERATION No1 (1897) = CONTEMPORARIES WHO SEE THE WORLD'S END. (Studies in the scriptures vol 4, pg 602, 603)
GENERATION No2 (1927) = THE ANNOINTED (WT Feb 15th, 1927 pg 62)
GENERATION No 3 (1951) = THOSE BORN BEFORE OR DURING 1914 (WT July 1st 1951 pg 404)
(1952) WT 9/1/52 pg 543)
(1958) From Paradise lost to Paradise regained pg 205
(1962) Aw 9/22/62 pg 27
(1968 Aw 10/8/68 pg 13
(1971) Aw 10/8/71 pg 26
(1978) WT 10/1/78 pg 31
(1980) WT 10/15/80 pg 31
(1984) WT 5/15/84 pg 5
(1988) Aw 4/8/88 pg 14
(1991) WT 4/.15/91 pg 7
GENERATION No4 (1995) = THE WICKED PEOPLE (WT 1/11/95 pg 19)
GENERATION No5 (2008) = THE ANNOINTED (see No. 2)
GENERATION No.6 (2010) = THE ANNOINTED OF 1914 WHOSE LIVES 'OVERLAP' THOSE WHO WILL SEE THE GREAT TRIBULATION
The above 'generation' explanations, numbers 1 to 5, are now defunct ! At the time of their being taught, they were, according to the Society, the absolute truth. JWs at this time put all their faith in these teachings. But now, you have been told not to believe them any more. They are no longer 'truth', which means they must have been 'false' at their time of being taught. Truth does not change ! If something is truth, the is remains the truth, regardless of the passing of time. If Jehovah continually reveals to the Watchtower organization, then why are there ongoing changes in doctrine? Could it be that Russell was correct when he said that..."If we are following man.....then one human idea would contradict another, and that which was light.....years ago, would be regarded as darkness now?"
HEBREWS 6 : 18 GOD CANNOT LIE !
The following quote was printed in the Awake magazine of 22nd April 1970 pg 8, regarding a member of the Catholic faith.
"Tell me, he asked, "How can I have confidence in anything? How can I believe in the Bible, in God, or have faith? Just ten years ago we Catholics had the absolute truth, we put all our faith in this. Now the Pope and our priests are telling us this is not the way to believe any more - but we are to believe new things. How do I know the 'new things' will be truth in five years?"
CAN YOU BE CONFIDENT THAT 'NEW LIGHT' IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THAT JEHOVAH IS DIRECTING WHAT APPEARS IN THE WATCHTOWER? ARE YOU BEING REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH FALSE TEACHINGS? CAN YOU BE SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS FINALLY GOT IT RIGHT?