Bullet list of major (recent) changes

by RN 38 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  ScenicViewer

  If they were truly chosen of God, why all this dwindling over the years?

  You're not looking at it right. Here's how it works.

  When there is a growth in numbers, an increase in pioneers and publishers, more KHs being built, more printing presses being bought, and more literature being printed for distrubution to the public, and expansion everywhere, what does it prove?

  That Jehovah is moving his organization forward!

  But when there is a decline in rate of growth, KHs being sold and congregations merged, Branch property being sold off, a reduction in printed literature, and cost cutting moves being made everywhere, what does it prove?

  That Jehovah is moving his organization forward!

  Does it make sense now?
• 

  Eiben Scrood

  They changed the Awake magazine starting with the issue released after the November 1995 generation change.
• 

  FinchAndWeston

  Awesome list. I faded in 2006 ... I missed so much new light ...
• 

  fugue

  00DAD: The Overlapping Generation change came in 2010, not 2008: In the Watchtower 2010 April 15 issue, the generation doctrine was changed in an attempt to reintroduce urgency.

  Actually the "overlapping generations" idea did first surface in 2008.

  *** w08 2/15 p. 25 Christ’s Presence—What Does It Mean to You? ***
  The word “generation” usually refers to people of various ages whose lives overlap during a particular time period or event. For example, Exodus 1:6 tells us: “Eventually Joseph died, and also all his brothers and all that generation.” Joseph and his brothers varied in age, but they shared a common experience during the same time period. Included in “that generation” were some of Joseph’s brothers who were born before him. Some of these outlived Joseph. (Gen. 50:24) Others of “that generation,” such as Benjamin, were born after Joseph was born and may have lived on after he died.
  So when the term “generation” is used with reference to people living at a particular time, the exact length of that time cannot be stated except that it does have an end and would not be excessively long. Therefore, by using the term “this generation,” as recorded at Matthew 24:34, Jesus did not give his disciples a formula to enable them to determine when “the last days” would end. Rather, Jesus went on to emphasize that they would not know “that day and hour.”—2 Tim. 3:1; Matt. 24:36.
• 

  blondie

  If you have the most recent WT-CD, look in the index under "refinements" "clarifications" "adjustments"
• 

  fugue

  The list of blood products that they will accept has been changed quite a number of times.
• 

  slimboyfat

  Has anyone got a reference to where the recent downgrade in Gilead was announced/discussed. This development totally passed me by.
• 

  fugue

  Before 2007, the wt taught that the 144,000 had been "sealed" in 1935. If this had been the case, then the number of anointed left on earth would have continually declined. But that hasn't happened. So:

  • 2007 - we can not know when the calling of the 144,000 ends.

  *** w07 5/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
  "it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends."

  (This change was clearly a reaction by the wtbts to the highly inconvenient increase in the number of partakers.)

  A further "refinement in understanding" came in 2011.

  • 2011 - it's not important to know how many anointed are left on earth;

  and, a related refinement from the same article:

  • 2011 - some memorial partakers have a "mental or emotional imbalance" and thus are mistaken

  *** w11 8/15 p. 22 Questions From Readers ***
  A number of factors—including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance—might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling. We thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know.
• 

  tornapart

  Shutting down Branch offices?
• 

  james_woods

  Could someone remind us again what the "generation change" of teaching was in 1995/1996, and how it was different than the "overlapping" generation change of 2008-2011?