The January 15th WT, "Can You Control Your Future" is the prelude to the Feb 1st Watchtower that contains the 2004 Annual Service Report statistics.
In the second study article (pages 15-20), the GB acknowledge the fact that people aren't paying attention to their waffle.
There are some surprising statements in the last paragraph, but first, let's highlight some points in this article...
FOREGLEAMS OF GOD'S KINGDOM BECOME A REALITY
para 3
As early as the 1870's, before "the last days" commenced, Jehovah God began to shed light on "the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the
heavens." At that time a group of Bible students discerned-contrary to popular opinion-that Christ's return was to be invisible. After being
enthroned in heaven, Jesus would return in the sense of focusing his royal attention on the earth. A visible composite sign would alert his
disciples that his invisible presence had begun."
There are a number of problems with this statement. Firstly, this statement smacks of revisionist history. Just think of 1984. The Orwellian world is well and truly alive in Bethel.
Consider the following quote taken from their own "Proclaimers book", page 632
Based on the premise that events of the first century might find parallels in related events later, they also concluded that if Jesus' baptism and
anointing in the autumn of 29 C.E. paralleled the beginning of an invisible presence in 1874, then riding into Jerusalem as King in the spring of
33 C.E. would point to the spring of 1878 as the time he would assume his power as heavenly King."
What composite sign was there in the 1870s, if Jesus invisible presence began in 1874? The whole article seems dedicated to reinforcing the 1914 date.
But the interesting part, is as usual, at the end of the article...
Keep Your Senses
20 "The faithful and discreet slave" regularly exhorts God's people to stay spiritually vigilant and to keep their senses. Do you appreciate these
timely reminders? Do you use them in setting priorities in life? Why not ask yourself: "Do I have clear spiritual vision that enables me to see
the Son of God ruling in heaven? Do I see him poised to execute divine judgement against Babylon the Great and the rest of Satan's system?"
21 Some now associated with Jehovah's people have allowed their spiritual vision to grow dim. Could it be that they lack patience or
endurance, as did some of Jesus' early disciples? Have anxieties of life, materialism, or persecution affected them? Perhaps some have
found certain information published by the "faithful and discreet slave" hard to grasp. If any of this has happened to you, we urge you
to study God's Word with renewed zeal and to supplicate Jehovah so that you may regain a strong, close relationship with him.
Some very interesting points, and clearly shows the desperation the Governing Body face, with an exodus of informed Jehovah's Witnesses.
Let's look at these points in order, from paragraph 20...
1.The faithful and discreet slave" regularly exhorts God's people to stay spiritually vigilant and to keep their senses.
2.Do you appreciate these timely reminders?
3.Do you use them in setting priorities in life?
4.Why not ask yourself: "Do I have clear spiritual vision that enables me to see the Son of God ruling in heaven?5.Do I see him poised to execute divine judgement against Babylon the Great and the rest of Satan's system?"
6.Some now associated with Jehovah's people have allowed their spiritual vision to grow dim.
7.Could it be that they lack patience or endurance, as did some of Jesus' early disciples?
8.Perhaps some have found certain information published by the "faithful and discreet slave" hard to grasp.
The comment that really sticks out, is point 8: "Perhaps some have found certain information published by the "faithful and discreet slave" hard to grasp.
Maybe the two-witness rule to acts of child abuse had something to do with these "things that are hard to grasp." Unfair disfellowshipping, flip-flopping on doctrine and the confusing blood issue may have had something to do with it.
It's clear that numbers just ain't what they used to be.
And now for a look at August and Septembers service report...
TOTAL publishers for August: 1, 019, 696 (Nov KM)
TOTAL publishers for September: 990, 551 (Dec KM)
Yes, a great start to the service year, a drop of 30,000 publishers. Maybe these ones are finding things "hard to grasp"
The best part of all, is that if you find things "hard to grasp", just follow the urging of the "faithful and discreet slave" to study God's Word with renewed zeal and to supplicate Jehovah so that you may regain a strong, close relationship with him.