Absolutely right, Nathan.
This has got to be the weirdest actuarial graphic you can even imagine. If you just took all the veterans of WW1, and drew such a graph, I would expect that you would see a pretty flat slope from 1914 to about 1960 or so with a slow rate of decline, then an accelerating rate of decline 1960 to 1970, and even more pronounced decline 1970 to 1980 and so on. It would have a slow decline at first, then as the group ages and dies off the rate would increase its slope downward until all would be gone by about 2015 or 2020. I once heard that the government thinks there are only a handful (maybe 3 or 4) legitimate veterans of WW1 still alive in the U.S. There would obviously not be peaks and valleys.
In other words, the opposite of what Nathan's graph does. The "partakers" show a rapid decline from 1935 culminating in a very flat valley floor at around 8500 to 9000 for the past 20 or so years. You can also read the "enthusiasm and discouragement level" in the peaks and valleys just like an electrocardiogram.
The implications of this (when the rank & file figure it - if ever) out are ominous. Among other problems, it could bring down: the 1914 chronology, the Great Crowd, the annointed Governing Body, the two-class system, the "sealing" in 1935, and of course the "divine inspiriation" behind all this BS. Time alone has already brought down the "generation" that will see the end on exactly the same actuarial grounds, but that was a LOT easier to explain away with just a word change or two. They will probably have to change a core doctrine and ritual to get past this.
This is a doctrinal "hand grenade" with the pin already pulled which the GB/WTS is holding. It should be pointed out to the Witness general inmate population at every opportunity. I think it is every bit as powerful as 1975, Blood, U.N. or Child Abuse.
James
