"New Light" on the generation doctrine may have been too early yet?

by reporter 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  reporter

  Back in this thread, the generation doctrine was being discussed. I've thought about what the Society wrote below.

  How long a time period would these last days prove to be? Jesus said regarding the era that would experience the "beginning of pangs of distress" from 1914 onward: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matthew 24:8, 34-36) Thus, all the features of the last days must take place within the lifetime of one generation, the generation of 1914. So some people who were alive in 1914 will still be alive when this system comes to its end. That generation of people is now very advanced in years, indicating that there is not much time left before God brings this present system of things to an end.

  I was thinking that they could have stuck with it...evidence shows that in the last century, people lived up to and past 120 years old, according to Guinness and other records. Now, I know this is really outlandish, but, technically, couldn't people "alive in 1914" be still alive today? If you put 120 years on 1914, couldn't we be still in the window until 2034. I mean, geez, they gave up quickly, didn't they? Do they always need 30-year buffer zones?

  Then, there are still these permutations of the generation doctrine:

  1: Being alive in 1914 (a baby)

  2: Remembering something about 1914 (5 yrs. old perhaps)

  3: Understanding some significance of 1914 events (8-12 yrs. old)

  4: Coming to a full understanding of things (maybe 16+ yrs. old)

  For arguments' sake, if you took a ten year old in 1914, that individual wouldn't be 100 yet (99). Now, supposing that advances in medical technology prolonged that life to 120, we should still be waiting until 2024 to be sure this version of "New System in their lifetime" prophecy was wrong.

  But, wait, there's another wrinkle? How long is a generation? 20 years? or a lifetime? or 70? Then all bets are off on the above.

  Has anybody thought about or posted along these lines? It's food for thought, if not outright brain cramps. LOL.

  And then I thought...the German JWs might be just content to leave that on their website anyway, based on them thinking what I've posted above. Maybe they don't agree with Brooklyn's new light on this. There have been schisms of uniformity in inter-branch thinking before on certain issues.

  ??????????
• 

  RunningMan

  If they are going to tinker with a core doctrine, they might as well just fix it. Extending the date by a decade or two would only put off the inevitable.

  Actually, I'm not sure that they noticed this, but their supposed "fix" doesn't work all that well. The Bible says "when you see these things START to occur, raise yourselves erect because your deliverance is getting near." They claim that the signs started in 1914 with WWI and the spanish flu. But, those erect people are almost dead, now.

  Really, the world isn't coming to an end, at all. So, a few years one way or the other wouldn't help.
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  run dont walk

  And then I thought...the German JWs might be just content to leave that on their website anyway, based on them thinking what I've posted above. Maybe they don't agree with Brooklyn's new light on this.

  Maybe, like I have said before, JW's have different rules in different countries, so maybe if you really believe in the 1914 thing you have to move to Germany.

  Brilliant WTS.
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  lisaBObeesa

  My sister says that the origingal generation teaching 'still could be right.' She says they never said it was wrong...it just COULD be a little different than first understood. Or it could be right! There are still people of that generation alive, so we don't know yet.

  Anyway, that is how my 'strong' JW sister thinks. And she lives in the USA.

  -LisaBOBeesa
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  mizpah

  I thought the change of the Watchtower teaching of "the generation" would have a much greater impact than it seemed to have. The teaching that the generation of 1914 would be alive at Armageddon was pretty fundamental for many years. For the Watchtower to generalize its meaning had to make some seriously think about the whole belief system of JWs.

  Discussions about "the generation" was one of the topics that became common among friends and family just before I left the Watchtower. I shared my conclusion that the Society would have to change its explanation because that generation was dying off. And, of course, it did.

  Do any of you know someone who left the organization specifically because of this change?
• 

  lisaBObeesa

  I thought the change of the Watchtower teaching of "the generation" would have a much greater impact than it seemed to have.

  Me too! When I left the JWs in 1987, I figured that it would be only a matter years before everyone saw what I saw. I mean, when the generation of 1914 dies off, everyone will see it was all a lie, right? I figured I had at least until 2014 or so, but at least then all the JWs would be free.

  Then, when I got on line several years later and saw that the whole generation thing was dropped, I almost fainted dead away. I couldn’t believe no one in my family mentioned this earth-shaking news!

  And when I asked them about it they acted like it was no big deal at all.

  I couldn’t believe it.

  But now I understand. Some people will never see, because it would be too painful.

  -LisaBObeesa
• 

  Noumenon

  Reporter, it makes no difference that people are still living that were alive in 1914, and there are still lots of them of course, despite their being extremely old and decrepid now. To suggest this generation could stretch to 2034 from 1914 defies credibility and commonsense. The Society weren't stupid enought to carry on with such a ridiculous position, especially as everyone had it in mind that a generation at most could only be 70 or 80 years going by some scripture in Psalms which got everyone looking to 1994 (which scripture made no mention of 'generation' incidentally), but of course they have just stuck a patche on the old wineskin doctrine of 1914, and we can see evidence of the wineskin leaking more and more.

  If you examine the Biblical use of 'generation' it is clearly 40 years. The generation that was to die off in the wilderness was between 20 and 60 years of age (the references to this are in Numbers I think), and obviously the 1st century 'generation' period when jesus uttered his words ended 37.5 years later with Jerusalem in 70ce. So the Society have forsaken letting the bible interpret itself on this matter, which they make a big deal of, and have instead twisted Jesus words to refer to a vague era or epoch. They have applied an arbitrary and capricious interpretation to fit everything around their cherished but erroneous 1914 teaching, and have thus rendered Jesus use of the expression 'generation' as meaningless. It is anchoring this 37.5 to 40 year period to the false date 1914 that is wrong, not the clear meaning of Jesus use of the word 'generation.'

  The Kingdom is overtaking the WTS.
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  integ

  Don't you people get it???? Jehovah was giving his '"Slave Class" food at the proper time. You guys always want to quibble about small details.
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  garybuss

  The type of Witness that a doctrine change will affect is fewer in number than it was. Many of the pragmatic, honest Witnesses have been forced to leave already. Many of those who are left are the pliable type who have well learned to submit and conform.
  
  There are types of Witnesses. There is the:
  1. Religious Witness. These are usually converts and seldom stay.
  2. Religious addict Witness. They are running from something, fear of death, mourning a loss, something that needs medicating. They usually switch addictions and many get disfellowshipped.
  3. Social Witness. They are usually second generation and most do not understand doctrine and changes do not affect them. They are sensitive to social treatment and if they are mistreated, they usually eventually leave after an internal struggle.
  4. Hostage Witness. They are trapped by circumstance, financial, marital, or commitment to a real Witness. They are not believers and would exit if not for the shunning doctrine.
  5. Reformer Witness. They see the error and the abuses and stay and work for reform from within, seeing some value in the group.
  6. Power Witness. They have recognition, position, power and prestige. All their personal ego needs are met by the group. They work for the corporation in a position, as a worker or as an elder or pioneer. They work to keep the status quo because that is where their security is. Many of this class are not religious or very honest and their business dealings are not ethical.
  7. Reinstated Witness. These are in a class by themselves. They have burn scars and they usually stay on the fringe. Few seek positions of responsibility.
  8. Children of Witnesses. They are counted by the corporation as full members but they are treated as property and often they are abused and their wants and needs are neglected. They secretly plan their next life.
  9. Old Witnesses. They have been faithful through it all. Many see they will not be immortal after all and they mourn in silence, often ignored and usually forgotten.
  10. The Real Witness. They believe in the Society as writing for God. They believe everything always, and gladly sacrifice security and comfort for the group. They shun their parents and their children without even thinking. Few of this class ever leave the group.
  
  GaryB
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  mizpah

  Garybus:

  A very astute lisiting of the various types of JWs. I will file your comments for future use.