VISITORS to the Watchtower
Society's internet site may find themselves more confused than normal
as they find two conflicting versions of the same doctrine being
taught on its pages.
Regular Concern readers may recall that in 1995 the Governing
Body of Jehovah's Witnesses decided to reinterpret the meaning
of "generation" as spoken by Jesus in reference to the "last
days."
Instead of the time-worn explanation offered to millions
of Armageddon-anxious devotees, that the time we are living in since
1914 marks a "generation" (chronologically speaking, 70 or
80 years) of people that would survive Armageddon, it was necessary
to define "generation" as spoken by Jesus (Matthew chapter
24) as, not a time frame, but a group of wicked opposers to Jehovah
and his purposes (meaning all who were opposed to the Governing Body
and their big organisation).
This latest definition of "generation" can be
found on pages 10 and 11 of the May 1st 1999 issue of the
Watchtower magazine.
Now you would think that the Watchtower might periodically
throw out, delete or modify "old light" (previous understandings
now considered untruthful).
But then again, their past record indicates a similar
pattern: "old" and "new" light is often put on
the table simultaneously, due to ignorance or another anticipated change.
Time will tell which option the Governing Body will take. Check
their site periodically by the links below to see how long the stale
food will remain (or perhaps it will be "reheated" for mass
consumption).
The following is an excerpt from the web page entitled, "God's
Purpose Soon to Be Realised":
15 Likely you are familiar
with the events of the 20th century. You know the chaos that has
arisen. Some 100 million people have been killed in wars. Hundreds
of millions of others have died from hunger and from sickness. Earthquakes
have taken countless lives. Disregard for life and property grows.
Fear of crime has become part of everyday life. Moral standards have
been shoved aside. The population explosion poses problems that are
not being solved. Pollution is spoiling the quality of life and is
even endangering it. Truly, we have been in the last days since 1914
and are nearing the culmination of Bible prophecies involving our
time.
16 How long a time
period would these last days prove to be? Jesus said regarding the era
that would experience the "beginning of pangs of distress" from
1914 onward: "This generation will by no means pass away until all
these things occur." (Matthew 24:8, 34-36) Thus,
all the features of the last days must take place within the lifetime
of one generation, the generation of 1914. So
some people who were alive in 1914 will still be alive when this system
comes to its end. That generation of people is now very advanced in years,
indicating that there is not much time left before God brings this present
system of things to an end.
The full article can be seen at: http://www.watchtower.org/library/pr/soon_realized.htm
