I agree that the next 5 - 10 years will be telling. Already we have seen a gradual reduction in the reference to "1914" in the publications reduce over the years - prepping for NL on that topic. Add to that despite the global population growth being a little over 1%, there is a big discrepanciy between the numbers baptized 1 year + publishers and the number in the next year (good summary on Freemends)
Also get ready for NL on:
1) F&DS = GB - other annointed are simply that and have no say in "feeding" (establishing rules) for the R&F
2) "evidently" (term used over 4600 times in the WT) Paul was refering to "Marking" not DF'ing - watch for a softened form of DF'ng as marking (you choose, not us). This will still allow the self-righteous to shun, but others to choose otherwise. This is not a stretch for it to become a matter of personal consience - organ transplants being an example. I bet they are already facing potential challenges under human rights - 7th day Adventists abandoned it in 2000 I believe. Maybe a Swaggartesque flip?
3) They will not manipulate the numbers but roll out the same story; Increase = Jehovah's Blessing vs Decrease = Jehovah's Sifting.
I and my wife are on a slow fade, last month was the 1st in 20 years of no FS, 14 months ago I was an elder; sick of the politics, hypocrisy and non-scriptural based interference on matter such as education and the flip-flopping. There is no way I could explain to any householder the current understanding of generation, "evidently" neither can the GB.
Thank you all for this forum.
