by greenie 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Hi all,
I've heard several reference to the "generation change." Some of you have said they've revised this several times, including in 1995. OnTheWayOut, I've heard you mention it a couple of times.
Can anyone explain to me what this is, or where to find more information on it?
Thanks!
Just a suggestion, many topics have been discussed numerous times, also try inserting the main word in the search function on JWN.
The short version is that in 1995 they disconnected "this generation" (Matt 24:34) from being associated with people who were alive in 1914.
The current view is a revisit of a view developed by Rutherford in 1927 while still a Bible Student Associate, pre JW years.
It's very odd that God instructed the WT (falsely) about 1914, and instructed others differently.
The Governing body is run by a bunch of friggin idiots throwing darts at scriptures and dates!
As far as I am aware, this doctrine has been changed twice--once in '95, as mentioned earlier, and again in 2008. This time 'this generation' was linked to the anointed, indicating that the anointed would not pass away until the end comes, but that we cannot calculate the length of 'this generation'. (Really? Never stopped them from trying before. I guess maybe they don't want to dead wrong yet again.) The bottom line is to make the 'end' be as vague as possible--and to keep JWs on edge indefinitely. Linking 'this generation' to the anointed was a masterstroke--the number of anointed has actually increased over the last 20 years. The more, the merrier, with this latest change.
Ironically, Ray Franz made mention of this possibility in Crisis of Conscience long before the change was made. Guess it was Albert Schroeder's idea? So of course, it found its way into the pot. Hope that helps.
SD-7
Roughly speaking, "this generation will not pass away" was changed from being "Armageddon is no more than 38 minutes away" to "Armageddon could be about 38 minutes away but just might be delayed for another 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 years or so."
This is what the Watchtower Corporation refers to as a "clarification" of doctrine. It's Bible-Based.
Farkel
The 1995 generation change is what got many of us questioning the borg. We grew up with 1914 being rammed down our throats every time we turned around. How many times did we hear "the generation that would never pass away!" By changing that teaching, they showed themselves to be false prophets. The 1995 district convention was the last one that hubby & I attended.
