by Mary 135 Replies latest jw friends
While there may be something to the speculation here, remember that this is just the rehashed outline of the DC 2004 talk
Walking in the Path of Increasing Light.
The Watchtower has been reviewing topics from the 2004 DC lately including the Hosea series
Terry said:
Policy changes and "increasing light" are always the result of publicity and information promulgated by ex-JW's. The heat gets too hot for the upper eschelon members and the only way to relieve the pressure is to suddenly have a divine Epiphany.
This is just about the best explanation I have read with regards to what really is behind the "new light." Thanks for posting on this thread everyone--simply amazing.
YC
He went on and on about how significant the brothers who picture the Nethinim in modern times will continue to have an increased role as the anointed die off.
You know, I could almost picture the WTS completely slamming the door on any new anointed ones. They have the Nethinim, so there will always be leaders. They have that one covered. After they slam the door, they have to wait on Jehovah for further direction. That would buy them some time, have one of their bullshit prophecies being fulfilled, and their numbers would go up because they'd be steadily watching the partaker numbers in the yearly report go down to zero. That would bring a lot of excitement to the R&F JWs. Excitement + End of World Fear = more members!
It would also mean more wine for the elders to drink after each memorial :)
Since they're so proud of such ``refinements" one wonders why they acted so aggressively in squelching the most comprehensive list of them to be found anywhere -- the ``Quotes" website.
What scares me is that while we may attribute such emanations to the doddering old fools that sit on the GB, the greater likelihood is that they're dreamt up by the next generation of leaders, the up-and-comers. Articles such as these are sure to dashe any lingering hopes of reform/rehabilitation that so many liberal-minded JWs cling to so desperately.
You know, we really shouldn't be discussing this. We're running ahead of Jehovah's Organization. But then again, it's pretty easy to run ahead of an Organization where news travels slower than erosion.
So when are the answers to the questions going to be posted? I'd like to see the correct answers with the WT spin on them.
It is just a matter of time before the WTS is forced to abandon the separation between the "Great Crowd" and the "Little Flock". The reason for this is because right now the "little flock" is dieing off yet they MUST be present when the end comes so they can be "taken up" as the bible says they will (1 Thessalonians 4, and 1 Corinthians 15). If there is no one left from the "little flock" then how could this possibly happen?
It is just a matter of time before the WTS announces that ALL JWs will have the opportunity to go to heaven and the 144,000 will be made into something symbolic.
Perhaps they will say that all JWs are "spiritual israel" and therefore are part of the "little flock" and everyone else in the world are part of the "great crowd". Simply put, all JWs will go to heaven and everyone else, who Jehover likes, will live on a paradise earth.
Funny you should say that Elsewhere
I was speaking with an elder in our congregation about an experience I had trying to explain the 144,000 to someone. I told him that I couldn't tell the householder that 144,000 are the only ones that went to heaven when I did't believe it, but that I tried to get the householder to see what God's purpose for the earth was. I expected him to start calling into to question my loyalty to the FDS or something. Instead he said something that surprised me, and I quote:
"You know the bible never says that only 144,000 are going to heaven, just that 144,000 of those going to heaven will rule as kings and priests. So you were not wrong in your reply."
I was surprised because this elder(although kind) is about the biggest 'company man' I know. Wonder if he knows something we don't? Just speculating of course.
Okay, so two more classes! One more heaven bound class, and a third earthly class. This gets interesting.
Elsewhere said: It is just a matter of time before the WTS is forced to abandon the separation between the "Great Crowd" and the "Little Flock". The reason for this is because right now the "little flock" is dieing off yet they MUST be present when the end comes so they can be "taken up" as the bible says they will (1 Thessalonians 4, and 1 Corinthians 15). If there is no one left from the "little flock" then how could this possibly happen?
I would be stunned if they reverted back to having the Great Crowd also going to heaven but it's at least a feasible idea.......If memory serves, the WT teaches that some of the "annointed" will still be around with the Big A starts. Seeing as there's still about 8,000 who partake (and it's hovered there for several years now), they could still be saying "the annointed are still around" in another 10 - 15 years if the stats show that a few thousand are still partaking.
I would think that the GB would be leary of "allowing" those of the Great Crowd to have a heavenly hope. After all, they've drilled it into everyone's brains for decades that they're not good enough to go to heaven----they have to stay here on the earth. And if the Great Crowd is "allowed" to go to heaven and partake of the emblems, then there wouldn't be such a wide chasm between them and the F&DS class as what there is now and perhaps they'd start to question them on other doctrinal issues.........let's face it: whenever "new light" appears, it's usually another burden on the R&F. It's rarely ever "good news to make you happy" and if it is, then they squelch it somewhere down the road. The only two instances I can remember where it was actually a positive change is when they said it was okay to talk to DF'd persons (in the 1970s) and a couple of years ago when they lightened up on the Higher Education. Both of these "flashes of light" were over in the twinkling of an eye and they've reverted right back to their hard line.
Whatever's coming, I don't think it's going to be anything positive...........
An earlier poster asked, Why is new light needed in the first place? which is actually a brilliant question when you think about it.
Besides, there seem to be two contexts within which "new light" emerges:
