Neverendingjourney,
I'm not sure I agree with you on this point for two reasons.
1. The Nethinim article essentially created a third class of non-anointed Christians who would assist the governing body but who would not formally be a part of the body. It did not, contrary to the impression that many Witnesses and former Witnesses hold, pave the way for non-anointed to sit on the governing body.2. The article was essentially ignored after its publication. I read somewhere (perhaps from Barbara Anderson?) that this particular article was an embarrassment to the governing body due to the strained parallel used, which only served the purpose of giving a few Bethel-heavies bragging rights. If I'm not mistaken, the concept as laid out in the Nethinim article has never resurfaced.I think the real catalyst for adding members on the GB, as mentioned above, was the generation change and a realization that more members needed to be added to the body simply because the original members were getting too old and feeble. The old timers probably realized it was better for them to add new members and leave their mark on the direction of the organization for years to come.I believe, as you, that the catalyst for adding more members was the realization that the end wasn't as near as it was once thought. I just think that the GB1.0 was too nervous to add a bunch of new guys to the GB without "introducing" them first. The Nethinim article served as the introduction. Who knows, maybe the GB1.0 wasn't sure which of the butt-kissers to actually appoint so the Nethinim position allowed them to openly test the candidates.
I also agree that the Nethinim parallel has not been reiterated or discussed since its inception. But, I think it served its purpose. It allowed the GB time to select specific members for addition to the GB and it did so without upsetting the JW applecart.
I believe the doctrinal changes show us one thing for sure. The GB1.0 truly believed that the end was near until the mid-90s; and once it dawned on them that it wasn't they put doctrines in place that allowed for date pushing and body enlargement. They still seem to be in that same mode. Which means the GB2.0 may not feel the end is imminent either.