Really a ''generation'' can be ANYTHING the boys in Juraszic Park SAY it is - 70 years - 80 IF special mightiness? 120 years? 140 years ( Job survived the time of judgment in which he was an unwilling captive of Satan the Devil, "the god of this world," and lived for 140 years afterward)... maybe even 969 years...
question about the last genaration
by donald 27 Replies latest jw friends
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EvilForce
Yeah, but first they need to bury all the "Millions NOW will never die" and republish it as "Millions NOW, NO REALLY, NOW will never die"
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mad max
and then say THIS generation wil by no means pass away, i really really mean it this time my wonderful brain washed brothers, sorry (THIS)
But i did read in Crises of con. that they are gearing up all the JW to start to think about Noah and the 40 days or it could be 120 days he preached for.
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jaffacake
Reading Jesus' words literally, I never could understand how anyone could read the words THIS generation as anything other than the people he was actually speaking to at the time. The whole context makes it quite obvious.
So if not literal, then what. What DID happen wthin that generation? How about:
- the coming of the son of man - his presence in persecuted congregation (Christ enthroned) (mark 13:13)
- rise of false Messiahs = such as Simeon Bar-Cochba (mark 13:5)
- profanation of the Temple by Roman forces (Mark 13:14)
- Destruction of Temple in 70CE (Mark 13:2)
- Final destruction of state of israel & exile of Jews from Jerusalem in 135CE (Luke 21:23)
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catchthis
There is nothing of significance with the year 2014 officially. Although, many people in the world celebrate and mark special anniversaries on centennial long dates. Many news articles will speak about such-and-such happening 100 years ago on "this" date. It is simply a way of easily remembering some event that took place many years ago.
Now with 1914, seeing that it is soooooo closely tied to "biblical prophecy," it will probably be a mentally grievous year once we reach 2014 for the witnesses. So many JW's up to that point have looked forward to the earth's destruction in their lifetime that when 2014 hits and armageddon has not happened yet, they will start to feel let down. Many are already feeling that way now, but it will probably be even more so in another 9 years.
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catchthis
But i did read in Crises of con. that they are gearing up all the JW to start to think about Noah and the 40 days or it could be 120 days he preached for.
I hadn't heard about this in CoC. Did Ray actually append this statement in the latest version of the book?
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jaffacake
Yes, I have just remembered the elder I studied with showed me the scripture about after the flood and said thats when God capped the lifespan of men at 120 years!
The next day I read about people after Noah living for 900 yeas etc so was confused by his comment. They wouldnt change their teaching back to give a limit to a generation, would they?
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Seeker4
The generation change in the mid-90s was what sent many of us out of the organization. It was a huge factor for me. At that time they stopped teaching that the generation was exclusively the one that saw the events of 1914.
Essentially, the Society said that "the generation" was defined more by sharing an attitude in opposition to the Kingdom, and that anyone who shared that attitude could be considered part of the generation Jesus referred to.
I remember one of the very last talks I gave on the TMS. In it I explained very simply what several of the new changes meant in WTS teaching. When I explained the generation change, you should have seen the look on the faces of the friends when I said, "So members of that generation could have been born in 1900. But they just as easily have been born in 1950, or are yet to be born in the year 2000 or 2050, as long as they share that same viewpoint."
One older sister with a ton of years as a JW came up to me afterward and thanked me for the talk. She said it was the first time she understood what all the changes meant.
S4
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stillajwexelder
2014 has never been in WTBTS literature but Ray Franz did and has written in Crisis of Conscience that the passing of 204 would present problems for alot of witnesses and the WTBTS. I am also of the opinion that when 2014 passes it will have great physcological impact
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Dawn
2014 passes it will have great physcological impact
Sadly - I have to disagree. The power of the human mind to decieve itself is amazing. 2050 will come and go and still there will be people who put their own blinders on and refuse to acknowledge that the math does not add up.
The silver lining, however, is that with each passing date there are always a few who look around and start to question. Those are the ones who have a hope - the ones who will eventually break free.