by daniel-p 148 Replies latest jw friends
Once again, "this generation".
No mention of "the King of the North", or the "cry of peace and security". No crowing about the coming destruction of Babylon the Great. Boasting about numbers, although they are certainly unimpressive in comparison to previous decades. And growth certainly doesn't prove it's "the truth".
They really are going backwards.
Doubting Bro, you are correct. The current (published) position allows time to go on, indefinitely, with no Armageddon. (Current position = some anointed alive when Armageddon happens + Door to Heaven Still Open = Indefinite Time, completely open-ended)
Some JWs are hesitant to acknowledge this, in my opinion.
The "refinement" spoken of in this Annual Meeting talk makes denying that Armageddon is possibly decades off, a little harder to do, IMHO.
ATJ Your lunch will get cold!!!!!
I had a late lunch... My mind is on happy hour....
...but, you're right, back to work....
This reminds me of that movie Idiocracy.
I wonder what would happen if you were frozen for 500 years and awoke to find the world a much dumber place.
You encounter a JW who gives you a WT on the "new light" on the generations understanding.
"The new belief, here in 2509 is that when Jesus spoke of "this generation", he was discussing those humans who are descendants of other human beings. We now feel that THIS current generation is THAT generation."
"Our 2509 Annual Report shows an increase in communist Canada, despite intense persecution."
The President of the United States in 2509 is Charles Taze Russell the 15th, an ex-wrestler turned evangalist.
Isn't the annual meeting more of a preview for a test audience?
Lets see how the Bethel family takes this news before we put it in print.
The smart editors / directors would be in the trade papers reading what the critics at the preview had to say before they sent the final cut out for release.
Ahhh..... yes.....faithful ones can always rely on the Watchtower publications to issue bible truths:
***1969 "In view of the SHORT TIME LEFT, a decision to PURSUE a CAREER in this system of things is not only UNWISE but EXTREMELY DANGEROUS .. Many young brothers and sisters were offered scholarship or employment that promised fine pay. However, they turned them down and put spiritual interests first." {KMIN Jun 1969 3}
***"In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved." (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 98-99, 1889)
***"In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A. D. 1914." (The Time Is At Hand; 1889; 1908 ed.; p. 99)
***"True, it is expecting great things to claim, as we do, that within the coming twenty-six years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved" (The Time Is At Hand; 1889; 1908 ed.; p. 99)
The noses of these arrogant frauds must be growing along with their forked tongues.
Annie.......of the "I don't believe a word they say" class........
Lets see how the Bethel family takes this news before we put it in print.
The Bethel Family by and large has no more weight with doctrinal choices than the rest of the flock.
I'm still trying to figure out how they're going to twist the scriptures to get this two-generation doctrine. And how does Matthew 13 fit into it? If I recall correctly, there was a series of study articles this year (or perhaps 2008) about the parables in Matt. 13 (mustard grain, dragnet, etc.).
I wonder if they're moving to a two-stage harvest theology. Matt. 13:30 could be interpreted to mean that the harvest has two stages: (1) the weeds are gathered in preparation for burning, and then (2) the wheat is gathered into the storehouse. (the NWT reads: "Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the harvest season I will tell the reapers, First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up, then go to gathering the wheat into my storehouse.")
Perhaps they could take this two-stage idea and morph it into a two-generation theology--one generation of anointed is around for the weed-gathering phase, then the second generation is around for the wheat-gathering phase. Now, I think this is a stretch even for the WTS, but you never know.
I'm still trying to figure out how they're going to twist the scriptures to get this two-generation doctrine.
The same way they twist or go way beyond the scriptures for everything else. You can make that Bible say whatever you want if you just use snippets.
They already said that the generation was "the anointed." I don't want to look back at how they came up with that, but they can simply state that the last days could not be excessively long. "You have a short time." "On account of the anointed, the days would be cut short." Stuff like that. "Just as Jehovah determined the last days in the time of Noah would be no more than 120 years, so the last days of this system must have some limit." Then just fill in 20 and a half paragraphs of gobbledee-gook around those thoughts.
