Generation 'New Light' is Actually Working

zoiks

As ridiculous as it seems to me and most of you, the infamous 'generation' update has every JW that I know in a tizzy. They're all worked up about how 'exciting' it all is. I just received a letter from my mom (she only communicates through letters now), and she brought it up - how they carefully explained it at the convention, and how it shows that we are so close to the end.

Unbelievable. The GB and whoever else had a hand in pushing this through must be so pleased with themselves.

I guess in one way it makes sense that so many are excited - the 1994 change was so difficult for so many because it pushed armageddon off indefinitely, especially with the recent increase in memorial partakers. This change has the appearance of setting a time limit, just like the old days. Unlike the old days, however, the GB has left themselves a way out (which has been discussed at length on other threads).

Just my incredulous .02

Eiben Scrood

The change was actually in 1995 not 1994.

zoiks

Thanks Eiben Scrood. I guess I forgot to account for there being no zero year...
Seriously, though. Has anyone else noticed just how well the change has worked, among some JWs at least?

thetrueone

how they carefully explained it at the convention, and how it shows that we are so close to the end.

This newly devised bullshit helps people thinking that their time they've put into the WTS. hasn't been wasted.

New Light = necessary bullshit to maintain the flock

In reality what the WTS has done now is given themselves almost a 100 extra years since someone

who is born now can live to a 100 years.

They have interpreted the words of Jesus as meaning generations so someone born now is part of the group

of generations. In a 100 hundred years from now they will have some explaining to do to the flock.

Of course by then todays GB will have all passed away it will be someones else's problem to handle in the future.

Gayle

Example:

My parents promised, (all documented) I would get an inheritance in "my" generation or life time. Update from the inheritance lawyer or executor, now informs me that there is an addendum (clarification or 'new light'), that this time period would have a receiving of this inheritance would be in my children's lifetime, because their generation 'overlaps' with my generation. And I am suppose to be thrilled about this!!!!!???????

Comical but mostly insulting!!

wannabefree

I have noticed the same.

debator

Most witnesses grasp as I do that Bible prophecy is to be used but since it can only be 100% in hindsight we decern in unity, Using bible prophecy but recognise we will only understand fully when it gets fulfilled. you are placing unrealistic expectations on witnesses. Asking God inspired knowledge off them!

Prophecy is different from all other Bible scripture since it is subjective to our reading the signs/chronology etc around us and this is ongoing.But it should be used to the best of our current understanding of Bible prophecy.

TD

In between the 1995 and 2010 interpretations was one other explanation in 2008.

They've bought themselves some time, but not nearly 100 years. They were quite clear that someone would have to have been anointed before the anointed who witnessed 1914 died off.

"Now Brother Franz lived on until the year 1992, so obviously he's part of that first group. So any present day anointed ones who were anointedbefore,let's say individuals like Brother Franz in that first group died off, would be considered contemporaries of the first group. They would be part of that generation that would see the beginning of the Great Tribulation."

--Transcript of Sunday convention talk

"He evidently meant that the lives of the anointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation. "

--The Watchtower April 15, 2010

Notice that it explicitly says the lives of the anointed would overlap with other anointed ones. It doesn't say their lives overlap with people who would one day be anointed.

Predictably, they brought up the most extreme example that they could, which buys them the most time - F. W. Franz. He was born in 1893, became anointed in 1913 and lived for 99 years.

Franz passed away in 1992, so the youngest group that they can point to who still fit the explanation are those who were already anointed eighteen years ago in 1992. Obviously, this would not include those who were children at the time. Probably at a bare minimum, it would be those who were 30 and 40 somethings in 1992, since the Witnesses community doesn't look upon younger partakers as really anointed.

That would translate to those anointed who are 50 and 60 somethings today --about the age of the current crop of younger GB members.

Incognito

Gayle,

Gayle said: ... receiving of this inheritance would be in my children's lifetime, because their generation 'overlaps' with my generation.

I guess if you had children when you were quite young, and they had children when they were young, and their children had children when they were young, you potentially could be alive to be a Great Grandmother.

It appears under the New Light definition, since the start of each subsequent life span overlaps yours, your Great Grandchildren would be of your generation.

Forget about you, your children or their children receiving that inheritance.

dinah