The Anointed, the Numbers and the GB

by thinker 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Oroborus21

  Thinker,

  Actually there is a simpler explanation for why the number of anointed might increase which doesn't require any modification to current JW theology.

  Very simply, there may be persons that are newly introduced to the religion (truth) who after learning the truth and about the heavenly hope come to feel and believe that they are part of that number and thus should be partakers. This is especially possible in so-called undeveloped lands but even in well established territories.

  Theoretically speaking the supposed "sealing" of the 144K in 1935 is INDEPENDENT of current membership as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Thus a person who is part of that number could be say in Russia or China or some of the Moslem countries and only recently introduced to the truth and started associating with Jehovah's Witnesses as JWs have still to penetrate into lands like these in significant numbers. Therefore, they could be a "new" partaker to be tallied at the official Memorial observance.

  This is just an alternative explanation of why the numbers REPORTING could actually increase. I personally do not subscribe to the traditional JW theology in this matter. I also think that unless the 1935 Sealing Doctrine is revised or dropped than we can only assume that very shortly, over the next 2 decades at most that the official number would drop dramatically due simply to biological factors and assumptions about normal life expectancy and human life-span.

  Sincerely,

  Eduardo Leaton Jr., Esq.
• 

  Hellrider

  Theoretically speaking the supposed "sealing" of the 144K in 1935 is INDEPENDENT of current membership as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Thus a person who is part of that number could be say in Russia or China or some of the Moslem countries and only recently introduced to the truth and started associating with Jehovah's Witnesses as JWs

  But that doesn`t solve the problem, does it? The point is that the 144K is not a symbolic number, it`s a "real number"! I don`t know how many JWs that have claimed to be "anointed" over the years, but I believe that the "anointed class" was pretty much filled up. So the fact that the JWs are now gaining ground in China, moslem countries etc, doesn`t explain this problem at all, it just adds to the problem! Or?
• 

  kid-A

  Excellent thread!

  I knew three dubs (all under 35) who were born into it, and decided they were "annointed" in their mid-20s. Where are they now? One of them is now an active apostate, one of them has had 3 kids and is now on anti-depressants, and one of them committed suicide. The one with 3 kids still partakes at the Memorial TM (aka the annual jehovahs witness catholic mass)
• 

  Hellrider

  of who might truly be "anointed", and not count the obvious nuts who partake each year

  Ha ha! (me thinks there are quite a few of those..)
• 

  sir82

  Thinker

  This seems to be taking place already. As I was researching the numbers I ran across another forum where someone said that 3 in their congregation partook, but only one was counted for the number sent to Bethel. If I can find it again I'll post a link.

  Yes, I recall receiving instructions many years ago about who to count, and not count.

  But, to the best of my knowledge, there has not been, at least in the past 15 years, any BOE letter, nor even any "super-secret, oral-only" instruction from COs, on being much more judicious on who to count. My idea was that there perhaps there would soon be a new BOE letter, or a CO missive to be read in the Friday night "elders only" meeting, giving specific points that could be checked off, to see if you count a person. Something like:

  -- Is he/she regular in the field ministry?

  -- Does he/she comment at the meetngs?

  -- Does he/she have an appointed position? (elder/MS/pioneer)

  -- Does he/she promote ideas not in line with current understanding?

  Enough "negative answers" would then disqualify persons from being counted.

  Elders would love a checklist like this, it would be one less area they would have to think on.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  Year # of Memorial Partakers

  1935..... 52465
  
  1936..... 24850
  
  1937 ?
  
  1938..... 39225
  
  1939 ?
  
  1940..... 27711
  
  1941 ?
  
  1942 ?
  
  1943 ?
  
  1944 ?
  
  1945..... 22328
  
  1946 ?
  
  1947 ?
  
  1948 ?
  
  1949..... 24312
  
  1950..... 22723
  
  1951..... 21619
  
  1952..... 20221
  
  1953..... 19183
  
  1954..... 17884
  
  1955..... 16815
  
  1956..... 16302
  
  1957..... 15628
  
  1958..... 15037
  
  1959..... 14511
  
  1960..... 13911
  
  1961..... 13284
  
  1962..... 12714
  
  1963..... 12292
  
  1964..... 11953
  
  1965..... 11550
  
  1966..... 11266
  
  1967..... 10981
  
  1968..... 10619
  
  1969..... 10368
  
  1970..... 10500
  
  1971..... 10384
  
  1972..... 10350
  
  1973..... 10523
  
  1974..... 10723
  
  1975..... 10550
  
  1976..... 10187
  
  1977..... 10080
  
  1978..... 9762
  
  1979..... 9727
  
  1980..... 9564
  
  1981..... 9601
  
  1982..... 9529
  
  1983..... 9292
  
  1984..... 9081
  
  1985..... 9051
  
  1986..... 8927
  
  1987..... 8808
  
  1988..... 8685
  
  1989..... 8734
  
  1990..... 8869
  
  1991..... 8850
  
  1992..... 8683
  
  1993..... 8693
  
  1994..... 8617
  
  1995..... 8645
  
  1996..... 8757
  
  1997..... 8795
  
  1998..... 8756
  
  1999..... 8755
  
  2000..... 8661
  
  2001..... 8730
  
  2002..... 8760
  
  2003..... 8565
  
  2004..... 8570

  2005 ?

  If anyone can help fill in the blanks, it would be appreciated.
• 

  Nathan Natas

  
• 

  kid-A

  Wow!! Look at that spike around 1938!!! jehovah must have really cranked up the voltage on his holy-spirit generator from his control booth on the star Pleiades!! Whoo-hoo!!!
• 

  Oroborus21

  Hellrider,

  I think you missed my point.

  Take a look at the numbers Natas has provided. As of 1935 there was about 50K of anointed partaking. This number decreases to our present day with some minor fluctuations, and is mostly made up of repeaters from year-to-year.

  The point is that at most of JWs (even with so-called replacements for drop-outs) there are only 50K that are Witnesses plus the number of anointed prior during the Russel era, let's just say another 50K as a guess. That makes only 100K as JWs/Bible Students. Add in another sprinkling of 30K to represent those from Pentecost CE to present day that were of the anointed and that leaves 14K left of others in the modern period to be uncovered and to eventually become JWs (or not).

  My basic point (and really the actual numbers do not matter to the point) is that the current count from year to year MIGHT actually increase because there are some of that 14K (sealed in 1935) that are NEWCOMERS to the JW faith and thus additions to the number of anointed partaking at the Memorial Observance.

  Naturally, all persons from that generation will be dying so at some point the Partaker count will begin dropping rather dramatically and should ultimately reach near zero (with perhaps only a tiny fraction of anointed who are younger persons.)

  (NOTE: all of the above is just based on current JW theology and not what I actually believe as I do believe the 144K number from Revelations to be symbolic not literal.)

  -Eduardo Leaton Jr., Esq.
• 

  mineralogist

  If anyone can help fill in the blanks, it would be appreciated.

  Have a look at this table: http://www.sektenausstieg.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=310&Itemid=29

  headline reads: year / peak / avrg / baptism / pionier / congo / hours / rv / studies / memorial / partaker
  (of course before 1935 memorial equals partaker)

  1925 they had 90,434(!) annointed