My apologies of this topic has been covered already - please redirect me if it has:
Current Belief is:
Watchtower (Study Edition), April 15th, 2010 Issue, Pages 27-29:
"This magazine has long been used by “the faithful and discreet slave” as the primary channel for dispensing increased light. ... What does this explanation mean to us? Although we cannot measure the exact length of “this generation,” we do well to keep in mind several things about the word “generation”: It usually refers to people of varying ages whose lives overlap during a particular time period; it is not excessively long; and it has an end. (Ex. 1:6) How, then, are we to understand Jesus’ words about “this generation”? He evidently meant that the lives of the anointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation. That generation had a beginning, and it surely will have an end. The fulfillment of the various features of the sign clearly indicate that the tribulation must be near. By maintaining your sense of urgency and keeping on the watch, you show that you are keeping up with advancing light and following the leadings of holy spirit.—Mark 13:37."
If we take the latest possible date for the conclusion of GB Version 1.0 that would be the death of Freddy Franz in 1995. All GB members who were born after 1914 would be part of GB Version 2.0 (Henschel, Jaracz and others were all born after 1914, BUT overlapped). Here is the tricky part – Doug Sanderson was born in 1965, thus he would have to been a partaker at the memorial no later than his 30 th birthday. Specifically he would have had to partake at the memorial in 1995 as Freddy Franz died in December 1995. Doug was born on April 2 nd , 1965; the memorial of 1995 was either before or after his 30 th birthday. Does anyone recall his partaking no later that year?
This puts a whole strange bent on the anointing/anointed GB members. As the WT study above gives the impression that if you did not partake before the memorial of 1995 then you are not of “this generation” Jesus, evidently spoke of. So is the appointment of Doug Sanderson the beginnings of GB Version 2.1 or 3.0? Is this the way they will deal with the increasing numbers who are partaking each year, particularly since 2007 when there was an uptick on the numbers?
Still, I was an elder in 1995 and I would have looked with suspicion of some 29 year old started partaking, especially as I had a number in the congregation that lived through (and were interred) during the war in Canada and there were those serving in the Canada branch that had already lived through 30 – 40 years of service before Doug came on the scene.