The Librarian

2015-6_CA_Imitate_Jehovah_Notebook.pdf
2015-6_CA_Imitate_Their_Faith_Notebook.pdf
CA_2015-2016_Notebook_-_Imitate_Jehovah2.pdf
CA_2015-2016_Notebook_-_Imitate_Their_Faith2.pdf
CA_2016_Imitate_Jehovah_Long_Notebook.pdf
CA_2016_Imitate_Their_Faith_Long_Notebook.pdf
Kids_Notebook_Imitate_Jehovah.pdf
Kids-Notebook_Imitate_Their_Faith2.pdf
 
Missed the assembly? Watch the videos below for the entire assembly:
 

A Jingle literally singing the praises of of JW dot org website 
sung by Caralyne Owens aged 4.
Song composed, written,recorded and released by
Brendan Vincent Owens www.BibleSongs.co.uk

============

Website Jingle
----------------------
Try JW dot Org
Words & Music By Brendan Vincent Owens

Have you wondered about the meaning of life?
Is God to blame for our trouble and strife?
Do you have unanswered questions that make you sigh?
Do you ever wonder what happens when you die?

Yes - Life may trouble you
Bad news may trouble you
Questions trouble you as well they might.
If life troubles you - questions trouble you, try JW.org website.

Have you wondered; "Does God really care?"
“Does He listen when we pray - is He there?”
“Will war and suffering ever cease?”
“How can we find inner happiness and peace?”

Yes - Life may trouble you
Crime may trouble you
Questions trouble you as well they might.
If life troubles you - questions trouble you, try JW.org website.

The reasoning is clear - the answers are viable
They always adhere to God's word in the Bible

Yes - Life may trouble you
Doubt may trouble you
Questions trouble you as well they might.
If life troubles you - questions trouble you, try JW.org website.

Life may trouble you
Doubt may trouble you
So try J W .org website.

Try J W dot Org Website Try J W dot Org
Try J W dot Org Website Try J W dot Org

Words & Music By Brendan Vincent Owens
www.BibleSongs.co.uk
=========================
N.B. This video was not released by JW.org itself

Memorial Bread Recipe
This is in preparation for the Memorial of the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Cups flour -- * (approximately)
1 Cup spring water -- (approximately)
* (preferably freshly ground with the coarsest bran sifted out; either hard whole wheat flour or spelt flour)
You will need a medium sized bowl, a rolling pin, a fork, or a metal comb or other utensil for making holes in the breads, and quarry tiles to fit on the rack of the oven or one or two baking sheets. Place tiles or baking sheets on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat oven to 425=B0F. When the oven is hot place 2 cups flour in a medium sized bowl and stir in water until a kneadable dough forms; you may have to add a little more flour or water, depending on your flours. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very quickly and vigorously until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. (Although you are trying to get the dough into the oven quickly, the time spent kneading is important, as it makes the dough easier to roll out very thin.) Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and flatten with lightly floured hands. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered with plastic wrap. On a lightly floured surface roll out one piece of dough as thin as possible. Prick it all over with a fork or or a sharp toothed comb, and then try to stretch it slightly to widen the holes you have made. Transfer to the quarry tiles or baking sheet, placing it to one side to leave room for more breads and bake for 2 and 1/2 to 3 minutes, until golden on the bottom and starting to crisp around the pricked holes. Meanwhile, continue rolling out the dough, placing each bread in the oven as it is ready. If you are working with a partner, one should roll out the dough while the other pricks, stretches and bakes the breads. This will be much easier to get the breads baked in time. If your oven is small, you may not be able to fit in enough breads at once to get them done in time. If so, you can bake some of the breads on the your stove top in a dry skillet, to get them all started baking within the 18 minute time limit. For a traditional crisp, dried matzoh, leave the breads out on a rack to cool completely and to dry. With the small amount of dough this recipe makes, you can get all the breads into the oven if not completely baked) in less than eighteen minutes from when we first add water to the flour. the recipe assumes that you wish to make matzoh within the time limit; without a large commercial oven, and several helping hands for the rolling out, you must begin with a small amount of dough to get all the breads done in time. To make more, make the recipe again a second time. If you aren't worried about complying with the time limit, you can bake in larger batches. Makes 12 thin breads approximately 8" in diameter.
---- Matzo is the unleavened bread made from flour and water with no salt, no oil, and - most important, no yeast.
It is eaten during Passover to commemorate the haste with which the Jewish people fled Egypt. During Passover no yeast or yeasted products may be eaten. In religiosly observant households, the house is thoroughly cleaned and swept, and all old flour, biscuits and other unleavened products are discarded. Matzoh must be made quickly and with clean flour in order to prevent naturally occurring yeasts from making the breads rise. The Shulchan Aruch, a sixteenth-century codification of Jewish law, requires that no more than eighteen minutes should elapse. In order to get everything done within the time limit, many hands are needed to roll out the breads and get them cooked, and only small batches can be made at a time.

Dear Librarian,
Why is it that my unbelieving spouse is pronounced "holy" if I behave and act as a true Christian?
Or is that just for the anointed ones?

See here for my comments on this: http://www.jw-archive.org/post/130454441558/watchtower-and-the-united-nations-back-in-2004-and

Charles Taze Russell fell ill from heart disease while traveling on a speaking circuit. After a doctor confirming he was indeed near death, Russell requested that he be wrapped in a toga (made from a bed sheet) and died at the age of 64 on Tuesday, October 31, 1916 while aboard a train traveling through Pampa, TX. His body traveled by train to Kansas City, where his body was embalmed. It was then taken by train, routed through Chicago to New York on November 3rd.
 
From the Watchtower, December 1, 1916: 
 
 
Picture that appeared in Watchtower, December 1, 1916. Russell's funeral at Russell Temple in Manhattan.

 
THREE funeral services for Charles Taze Russell were held at The Temple in New York City on Sunday, November 5, 1916, where 17 "brothers" spoke. His body was transported to Pennsylvania and ANOTHER funeral service was held at Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh on Monday, November 6th.
Russell's funeral inside Allegheny's Carnegie Hall:

Memorial Bread Recipe
This is in preparation for the Memorial of the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ
2 Cups flour -- * (approximately)
1 Cup spring water -- (approximately)
* (preferably freshly ground with the coarsest bran sifted out; either hard whole wheat flour or spelt flour)
You will need a medium sized bowl, a rolling pin, a fork, or a metal comb or other utensil for making holes in the breads, and quarry tiles to fit on the rack of the oven or one or two baking sheets. Place tiles or baking sheets on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat oven to 425=B0F. When the oven is hot place 2 cups flour in a medium sized bowl and stir in water until a kneadable dough forms; you may have to add a little more flour or water, depending on your flours. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very quickly and vigorously until smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. (Although you are trying to get the dough into the oven quickly, the time spent kneading is important, as it makes the dough easier to roll out very thin.) Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and flatten with lightly floured hands. Work with one piece of dough at a time, keeping the others covered with plastic wrap. On a lightly floured surface roll out one piece of dough as thin as possible. Prick it all over with a fork or or a sharp toothed comb, and then try to stretch it slightly to widen the holes you have made. Transfer to the quarry tiles or baking sheet, placing it to one side to leave room for more breads and bake for 2 and 1/2 to 3 minutes, until golden on the bottom and starting to crisp around the pricked holes. Meanwhile, continue rolling out the dough, placing each bread in the oven as it is ready. If you are working with a partner, one should roll out the dough while the other pricks, stretches and bakes the breads. This will be much easier to get the breads baked in time. If your oven is small, you may not be able to fit in enough breads at once to get them done in time. If so, you can bake some of the breads on the your stove top in a dry skillet, to get them all started baking within the 18 minute time limit. For a traditional crisp, dried matzoh, leave the breads out on a rack to cool completely and to dry. With the small amount of dough this recipe makes, you can get all the breads into the oven if not completely baked) in less than eighteen minutes from when we first add water to the flour. the recipe assumes that you wish to make matzoh within the time limit; without a large commercial oven, and several helping hands for the rolling out, you must begin with a small amount of dough to get all the breads done in time. To make more, make the recipe again a second time. If you aren't worried about complying with the time limit, you can bake in larger batches. Makes 12 thin breads approximately 8" in diameter.
---- Matzo is the unleavened bread made from flour and water with no salt, no oil, and - most important, no yeast.
It is eaten during Passover to commemorate the haste with which the Jewish people fled Egypt. During Passover no yeast or yeasted products may be eaten. In religiosly observant households, the house is thoroughly cleaned and swept, and all old flour, biscuits and other unleavened products are discarded. Matzoh must be made quickly and with clean flour in order to prevent naturally occurring yeasts from making the breads rise. The Shulchan Aruch, a sixteenth-century codification of Jewish law, requires that no more than eighteen minutes should elapse. In order to get everything done within the time limit, many hands are needed to roll out the breads and get them cooked, and only small batches can be made at a time.

Actually, we want the opposite. A letter was sent out to the BOE's almost two months ago. The elders were instructed to contact all Da's Df'ed and Faders to invite them to Memorial and also leave with them a copy of Return to Jehovah.
 
Try to let love motivate your actions .
As for their unrepentance, let Jesus be the final Judge.
Our current JW.org policy says we should continue to not acknowledge their presence once they do show up. I can see where that might confuse you. However it is good for them to not forget the love from which they have been banned. 
 
oh... and not ALL worldly people are fornicators and idolaters. just sayin'

2012 - Gen 49:27. "Benjamin...will divide spoil".  Specfically applied to Esther and Mordecai (Benjaminites) receivingHaman's estate as "spoil". Watchtower, January 1, 2012, p.29.
2012 - Dan 2:44. "All these kingdoms" refers specifically to the governments represented in the symbolic image, not all present day governments as formerly explained. Watchtower, June 15, 2012, p.17.
2012 - Dan 8:24. The "ruin" caused by the "fierce-looking king" specifically applied to scope of Anglo-American military destruction i.e dropping of two atomic bombs. Watchtower, June 15, 2012, p.16.
2012 - Dan 2::41-43. "toes" of the symbolic image held as having no separate prophetic significance apart from what is represented by the feet of the image. The number 10 is not mentioned here. Formerly held to be the final conglomeration of nations at the time of Armageddon. Watchtower, June 15, 2012, p.16.
2012 - Emergence of seventh world power. Emergence of Anglo-American world power seen in USA/British partnership formed during World War 1, 1914-18 CE. Formerly timed with ascendancy of British Empire in 1763 CE. Watchtower, June 15, 2012, p.15,19.
 
There are additional examples listed on pages 26-27 of the 2016 Yearbook
 

@JW Insider made a detailed comment about how this calculation was made somewhere on jw-archive.org 
He might remember exactly which post it was on. 

(If someone wants to start making a copy of this list in another language topic on here please do...or if I missed something please leave a comment below )
Part of series on:

Doctrines unchanged since 1879
Biblical infallibility. Early copies of Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence made reference to the Bible as God's "infallible Word".[71] (this has slightly changed in 2015) God's name is Jehovah. Watch Tower Society founder Charles Taze Russell used the name "Jehovah" occasionally, but not consistently, when referring to God.[72] Jesus Christ gave his human life as a ransom sacrifice; belief in Jesus necessary for salvation. Russell believed that God's design for mankind was a restitution or restoration to the perfection and glory lost in Eden. This depended on God providing a ransom for all mankind to release them from the inevitability of death. Christ became that ransom sacrifice.[73][74] The timing of Christ's Second Coming, or "presence", can be calculated through Bible chronology. Russell believed the timing of Christ's advent could be calculated by determining the length and termination point of the "Gentile Times"[75][76] and also by calculating the close of six "thousand-year days" (6000 years) of human history, at which point God's Kingdom would be established.[62][77][78][79][80] Christ's return to earth was invisible. Russell claimed the Greek word parousia (Matthew 24:37) referred to a period of time, rendered more accurately as "presence" than "coming"[81] Paradise earth to be restored, humans to live forever.[82][83][84] Evolution is a teaching contrary to the Bible and denies the need of redemption by Christ.[85][need quotation to verify][86] Humans created as living souls.[87] The dead are unconscious, awaiting resurrection.[88] Anointed individuals are resurrected to heaven with spirit bodies.[89] God's Kingdom is an organized heavenly government over earth, ruled by Jesus and the anointed.[90] 1880–1889
1880: Clergy-laity distinction viewed as unscriptural.[91] 1881: Rejection of the Trinity doctrine.[92][93][94] Russell claimed the Trinity doctrine had "not a word of Scripture" to support it. He explained: "We understand the Scriptures to teach that the Holy Spirit is not a separate and distinct person, but that it is the divine mind or influence—the motive power of Divinity exercised everywhere and for any purpose, at His pleasure."[95][96][97] In 1877 Russell and co-author N. H. Barbour had criticized the anti-Trinitarian view of the Christadelphians;[98] an 1880 book by Zion's Watch Tower writer J. H. Paton emphasised that the Holy Spirit was a person[99] and early Watch Tower issues referred to the Holy Spirit as "he"[100][101][102] and part of the "Divine Three".[103] 1881: Faith alone is not enough for someone's becoming a joint-heir with Christ in heaven, but also a life of "self-sacrifice in the service of the truth" is required.[104] 1882: No hellfire. According to Russell, most references to "hell" in the New Testament were more accurately translated as "grave".[105][106] 1887: The New Covenant, which Russell had claimed since 1880 would be inaugurated only after the last of the 144,000 anointed Christians had been taken to heaven,[107] was said to be "now in force".[108][109] 1890–1899[edit] 1890: The "Time of the End" of Daniel 12:4 is identified as beginning in October 1799—when Napoleon invaded Egypt and ended the power of the papacy—and closing in 1914, at which point violent worldwide revolution would mark the end of the old world order and the beginning of a new one.[110] 1891: Biblical rapture is not a sudden event. The anointed are changed into spirit form, throughout the whole period of Christ's presence, at the time of each one's physical death.[111][112] 1897: "This generation" of Matthew 23:36 defined as "people living contemporaneously."[113] 1900–1909
1904: Worldwide descent into anarchy and disintegration of human rule, previously predicted to occur in October 1914,[114][115] changed to "after October 1914".[116] 1904: 144,000 "elect" to go to heaven. Russell believed God had chosen a "fixed and limited ... number who should constitute the New Creation of God". God had not foreordained individuals, but those who met his "moral qualities and heart measurements" would be chosen to go to heaven.[117][118] 1904: "Great Company" of Revelation 7:9, 14 identified as a secondary spiritual class who have "insufficient zeal for the Lord, the Truth and the brethren" who are granted heavenly life, but on a lower spiritual plane.[119] In heaven they serve as servants rather than kings and priests.[120][121]  
1907: The inauguration of the New Covenant described as belonging "exclusively to the coming age."[122] Russell began to teach that the "church" (144,000 anointed Christians) had no mediator, but itself joined Christ as a joint messiah and mediator during the millennium.[109][123] 1910–1919
1914: Length of each creative 'day' of Genesis defined as precisely 7000 years.[124] 1914: Russell "by no means confident" 1914 would bring the upheaval he had predicted.[125] 1916: Timing of Armageddon, previously claimed to have begun in 1874 and to culminate in 1914,[126][127] changed to have begun in 1914.[128][129] 1919: Preaching work displaces "character development" as the "chief concern" of Bible Students. Russell had taught that Christians should embark on the gradual process of "sanctification" and personality improvement to fight sinful inclinations[130][131] In 1919 The Watch Tower declared that the primary concern for Bible Students was to labor with God to find members of the elect class.[132] 1919: The seven angels, or "messengers", of Revelation chapters 1 and 2 are identified "for the first time in the history of the church" as St Paul, St John, Arius, Peter Waldo, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther and Charles Taze Russell.[133] 1920–1929
1920: Jesus Christ's crowning as king of God's kingdom, previously 1878,[134] changed to 1914.[135] 1920: The preaching of the gospel of the kingdom "in all the world for a witness unto all nations", (Matthew 24:14), previously claimed to have already been completed,[136] identified as a work for modern-day anointed Christians.[137] 1922: Establishment of God's kingdom over earth, previously expected to result in the destruction of human governments and a "new rule of righteousness" by the end of 1914[138] changed to an invisible event in heaven in 1914.[139][140] 1923: "Sheep class", mentioned at Matthew 25:31-46 defined as those who do good to "elect" class and are rewarded by surviving Armageddon and gaining life under Christ's thousand-year reign.[141][142][143] Russell had previously applied the parable to the work of dividing the people in the Millennial Age.[144] 1923: Limitations placed on extent of Christ's ransom and resurrection hope. Russell had taught that Christ had provided a ransom for all; a 1923 Watch Tower article asserted that clergymen would not be resurrected and benefit from the ransom;[145] later articles claimed that benefits of the ransom would also be denied to Adam and Eve; those who died in the Noachian flood; those who died at Sodom and Gomorrah; both the falls of Jerusalem and those who will die at Armageddon.[146] 1925: Armageddon identified as a battle between God and Satan, resulting in the overthrow of human governments and false religion. Armageddon had previously been understood to mean a "melee between contending forces of mankind", resulting in social revolution and political anarchy.[147][148][149][150][151][152] 1925: Michael, the dragon and the man-child in Revelation chapter 12, previously defined as the Pope, the Roman Empire and the papacy, redefined as Jesus, Satan and the New Nation (or Kingdom), respectively.[153][154] 1926: Use of name Jehovah, previously used sparingly at assemblies and in public preaching, given new emphasis. Announced in January 1, 1926 issue of The Watchtower.[155]   1926: "Satan's organization" defined as the rulers of politics, commerce and religion and all their followers.[156] 1927: "First resurrection" of "sleeping saints", previously 1878,[157] changed to 1918.[158][159] 1927: Identification of "time of the end" as a 115-year period from 1799 to 1914 discontinued.[160] Final reference appeared in J. F. Rutherford's Creation (1927).[161] 1927: "Faithful and wise servant" of Matthew 24:45-47, previously defined as Russell since 1897,[162][163][164][165] changed to a "class" comprising all remaining "anointed" Christians.[166] 1927: "This generation" of Matthew 23:36, previously defined as "people living contemporaneously"[113] changed to a remnant of the "anointed" on earth during Armageddon.[167] 1928: Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, previously regarded as a testimony to the Bible and its chronology,[48][168] declared to have no prophetic significance and built under the direction of Satan.[169] 1928: Celebration of Christmas, previously embraced as a "tribute of respect" to Christ,[170][171] discontinued because of its "pagan origin".[172] 1929: Honoring of God's name described as "the outstanding issue facing all intelligent creation".[173] 1929: "Superior authorities" of Romans 13:1 to whom Christians had to show subjection and obedience, previously defined as governmental authorities, redefined as God and Christ only.[174][175] Secular state then regarded as demonic and almost without redeeming features.[176] 1929: Beginning of "Time of the End" of Daniel 12:4 changed from 1799 to 1914.[177] 1930–1939
1931: Adoption of the name "Jehovah's witnesses".[178] 1932: Assertion that God's Holy Spirit ceased operating on his people when "[Jesus] the Lord came to his tem ple, in 1918",[179][180] at which point Jesus 'took charge of feeding the flock'.[181] 1932: The "Jews" who will be restored to their homeland, previously defined as literal Jews,[182] redefined as the Christian congregation.[176][183][184] 1932: Identification of "Jonadabs", a "sheep" class of people who take a stand for righteousness and who are to be preserved by God through Armageddon to gain everlasting life on earth. The term was drawn from the account at 2 Kings 10.[185] In 1920 Rutherford had written that it was "unreasonable" to think God was developing any class other than the little flock (the 144,000 to attain heavenly kingship) and the "great company" (second spiritual class also with a heavenly hope). In 1934 the Watchtower explained that the "Jonadabs" survive Armageddon by living in the figurative "City of refuge", represented by remaining affiliated with the Watch Tower Society.[186] 1932: Watch Tower Society adherents with an earthly hope should join the worldwide preaching work.[187] In 1927 The Watchtower had directed that only anointed Christians were "entitled" to take part in the ministry.[188] 1933: Christ's parousia – his second coming or invisible "presence" – previously established as 1874 and reaffirmed as late as 1929,[189] changed to 1914.[190] 1934: Vindication of God's name becomes central doctrine.[191] Rutherford noted that God had provided Jesus Christ's sacrifice as the redemption price for sinful humankind, but wrote that this was "secondary to the vindication of Jehovah's name".[192] 1934: The 1917 teaching that Russell was exercising strong influence from heaven on the "harvesting" of anointed Christians[193] described as "foolish".[194] 1935: "Great crowd" of Revelation 7 defined as the "sheep" of Matthew 25, resulting in a redirection of proselytizing efforts from gathering the "elect" (remnant of the 144,000 with a heavenly destiny) to gathering an indeterminate number of people who could survive Armageddon and receive everlasting life on earth. Previously, the "great crowd" was believed to have a heavenly hope.[141][195] 1935: Tobacco use "unclean" and prohibited for Bethel (branch office) staff and traveling overseers.[196] 1935: Vaccines, described since 1921 as "devilish" and "an outrage",[197][198] condemned as a violation of God's law.[199] 1936: Device on which Jesus was killed, previously defined as a wooden cross, redefined as a "tree".[200] An image of the cross appeared on the front page of The Watch Tower until October 1931.[201] 1937: Jehovah's Witnesses with an earthly hope could be described as "Christian".[202] In 1930 the Watchtower had asserted that the term "Christian" could be applied only to anointed followers of Christ.[203] 1938: God's mandate to "be fruitful and multiply" said to apply only after the start of the millennium. The Watchtower said the mandate had never been carried out under righteous conditions, and so had failed to be fulfilled according to God's will. Rutherford urged Witnesses to delay marriage and the bearing of children until after Armageddon.[204] 1939: Witnesses required to demonstrate complete neutrality in worldly affairs.[205] 1940–1949
1942: Tobacco prohibition applied to all appointed positions, such as congregation overseers and servants.[206] 1943: Destruction of Jerusalem moved from 606 BCE to 607 BCE, when the Watch Tower Society realised there was no year zero between 1 BCE and 1 CE, in order to maintain calculations regarding 1914; return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem moved from 536 BCE to 537 BCE to maintain 70 years after 607 BCE.[207][208] 1943: Adam's creation, previously 4129 BCE[209] or 4128 BCE,[210] moved forward 100 years to 4028 BCE. The shift in dates also moved the termination point of 6,000 years of human history from October 1872[211] to 1972.[212][213] 1944: Responsibility for administering discipline, including disfellowshipping, of dissident members passed from entire congregation to congregational judicial committees.[214][215] Russell had recommended in a 1904 publication that a congregation "committee" investigate a congregant's serious "error or sin", but the entire congregation voted whether "to withdraw from him its fellowship".[216] 1944: Adam's creation, previously 4028 BCE, changed to 4026 BCE.[217] 1945: Blood transfusions forbidden.[218][219] Russell had viewed the prohibition on eating blood in Acts 15:19-29 as a "suggestion" to gentile Christians in order to "guard against stumbling themselves or becoming stumbling blocks to others"[220] and ensure peace within the early church.[221] 1950–1959
1951: "This generation" of Matthew 23:36, previously defined as a remnant of the "anointed" on earth during Armageddon[167] changed to "a 'generation' in the ordinary sense" who were alive in 1914.[222] 1951: Celebration of birthdays considered "objectionable" because celebrations are "steeped in false worship" and exalt humans.[223] 1952: Vaccines, previously condemned, considered acceptable.[224][225] 1953: Adam's creation, previously 4026 BCE, changed to 4025 BCE. End of God's 6,000-year "rest day" ending in northern hemisphere autumn 1976.[226] 1954: Worship of Jesus, previously considered appropriate and necessary,[227][228][229] deemed inappropriate, with the New World Translation translating proskyne′ō as "do obeisance to" rather than "worship" (King James Version).[230] 1955: Operation of Holy Spirit, asserted in 1932 to have ceased in 1918, stated as having been still operative after 1918.[231]  
1960–1969
1961: Acceptance of blood transfusion deemed a disfellowshipping offence.[232] Acceptance of human organ transplant stipulated a personal matter to be decided without criticism.[233] 1962: "Superior authorities" of Romans 13:1 redefined as earthly governments, reverting the 1929 change[234] to
ussell's 1886 teaching.[235] A year earlier, Russell's view was considered to have made the Watch Tower Bible Students unclean in God's eyes.[174][236] 1963: Adam's creation changed back to 4026 BCE.[237] End of 6,000 years of human history due in northern hemisphere autumn 1975.[238] 1967: Human organ transplants equated with cannibalism,[239] "a practice abhorrent to all civilized people", and said to be a procedure not permitted by God.[240] The Watchtower article announcing the view is interpreted by commentators as a prohibition.[9][241] In a 1972 article, Jehovah's Witnesses are described as having taken a "stand" against organ transplants, saving them from the consequences of such operations, on the basis of the description of the procedure as "a form of cannibalism".[242] 1968: Interval between Adam's creation and the close of the sixth creative "day", previously "quite some time",[213][217][243][244] changed to "a comparatively short period of time" that "may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." The change led to expectations that Christ's 1,000 year reign could begin in 1975.[245] 1970–1979
1973: Tobacco use banned. Tobacco users not to be accepted for baptism and baptized Witnesses to be disfellowshipped if they continue to smoke after "a reasonable period of time, such as six months".[246] 1980–1989
1980: Acceptance of human organ transplants stipulated as a matter of personal choice not warranting congregational discipline. View of transplants as cannibalism now said to be held only by "some Christians".[247] The Watchtower article is regarded by commentators as a reversal of Society's 1967 position that the procedure is not permitted by God.[9][241] 1981: Members who formally resign membership of the religion (disassociate) are to be shunned in the same manner as disfellowshipped Witnesses.[248] 1983: Martial arts and carrying "firearms for protection against humans" disqualify a Witness from "special privileges in the congregation", such as appointment as elder.[249] 1988: Length of creative 'days' in Genesis, previously defined as exactly 7,000 years each,[250] changed to "at least thousands of years in length" [emphasis added][251] 1990-1999
1990: Interval between Adam's creation and the close of the sixth creative "day" changed to "some time", employing a 1963 reference rather than the 1968 change.[252] 1992: The "modern-day Nethinim", previously defined as synonymous with the "other sheep",[253] redefined as a subset of the "other sheep" who serve in positions of authority within the organization as "helpers" to the Governing Body.[254] 1995: "This generation" at Matthew 23:36, previously defined as a typical human lifespan since Jesus' parousia in 1914,[222] redefined as a class of people displaying certain characteristics for an indefinite period of time.[255][256][257][258][259] 1995: Fulfillment of Jesus' parable of the separating of sheep and goats, previously considered to have been ongoing since 1914, changed to after the start of the 'great tribulation'.[260][261] 1995: The expression "vindication of Jehovah’s name" declared unnecessary, with emphasis on "vindicating his sovereignty" and "sanctifying his name" as being more accurate.[262] The former expression had not appeared in any publication since 1991.[263] 1999: Voting is no longer prohibited. It is also not encouraged. 2000–2009
2007: Selection of the 144,000 "anointed", previously considered to have ended in 1935,[264] changed to an indefinite period.[265] 2008: "This generation" redefined as "anointed" believers, who will "not pass away" before the great tribulation begins.[266] This was a return to the belief held in 1927.[167] 2010–2019
2010: "This generation" redefined to refer to a new generation of "anointed" whose lives "overlap" with "the anointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914".[267] 2012: "Faithful and discreet slave", previously defined as synonymous with the "anointed" and represented by the Governing Body,[268] redefined to refer to the Governing Body only. The "domestics", previously defined as each member of the "anointed" individually, redefined as including all members of the "anointed" and the "great crowd". The "evil slave" of Matthew 24:48, previously defined as former "anointed" members who reject Jesus, redefined as a hypothetical warning to the "faithful slave".[269][270] 2014: "Third Heaven" meaning at 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 clarified to mean the Messianic Kingdom (first announced at the 'Keep Seeking First God's Kingdom!' - 2014 Regional Convention) 2014 Coordinator of the Body of Elders limited to 80 years of age. Aged Elders asked to consider stepping down as of September 1, 2014 2014: "Gog of Magog" redefined at the Annual Meeting 2014: Formerly avoided, TV style evangelism is now embraced with the new JW Broadcasting at the Annual Meeting differentiated by a lack of request for donations as other Televangelists. 2014: Text Messages are now counted as "return visits" 2015: Sponsoring of TV Game Shows is started 2015: The Inspired Word of God Can Include Imperfect Bible Translations 2016 Ezekiel chapter 9 - Identity of the man with the secretary's inkhorn changed from the anointed to Jesus Christ 2017 JW men sporting beards in field service appear more regularly - example 2018: "Russia and its Allies" are again "The King of the North" - 2018 Annual Meeting 2019: Two witness rule suspended in cases of Child Sexual Abuse after global outcry - Discussion here 2019: The understanding of the Locusts of Joel 2 and Revelation 22 changed - Discussion here  
References
71. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, January 1, 1908, page 2.
72. Franz 2007, p. 492
73. Russell 1886, pp. 149–172
74. Charles Taze Russell, "Harvest Gatherings and Siftings", Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, p. 3821 (reprint).
75. 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses, page 36.
76. "Who Can Read the Sign Aright?", Watchtower, February 1, 1985, page 10.
77. Rogerson, Alan (1969), Millions Now Living Will Never Die: A Study of Jehovah's Witnesses, Constable & Co, London, pp. 17–23, ISBN 978-0-09-455940-0
78. Barbour 1877, pp. 67–77
79. Penton 1997, p. 20
80. Russell 1889, pp. 38, 39
81. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, August 1879, Reprints 20, page 3.
82. C. T. Russell, The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return, 1877.
83. The Watch Tower, July 1, 1879, p. 7 (reprint).
84. "Speak the Pure Language and Live Forever!", The Watchtower, May 1, 1991, page 17, "In 1879...a small Bible-study group led by Charles Taze Russell was meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. They had become certain that Jesus’ second coming...would restore Paradise on earth, with eternal life for obedient humans."
85. Charles Taze Russell, "Haverst Gatherings and Siftings", Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, p. 3824 (reprint).
86. C. T. Russell, The Divine Plan of the Ages, 1886, study IX, page 172, "These things are clearly taught in the Scriptures, from beginning to end, and are in direct opposition to the Evolution theory; or, rather, such "babblings of science, falsely so called," are in violent and irreconcilable conflict with the Word of God."
87. Barbour 1877, pp. 6, 42
88. Barbour 1877, p. 42
89. Barbour 1877, p. 165
90. Barbour 1877, p. 48,49
91. Watch Tower, January 1880, Watch Tower Reprints page 64 As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 2
92. Watch Tower, April 1881, Watch Tower Reprints page 207 As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 7, "And why did they thus keep the people in ignorance? Because they feared that if people knew this, the only text which gives even a shadow of support to the doctrine of the TRINITY, to be an interpolation to support a papal error, they might renounce the error".
93. Zion's Watch Tower, September 1881, Watch Tower Reprints page 278 As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 132, "As to the motives and errors which may have led to these unwarranted interpolations of the [Bible] text, we may be able to offer a suggestion, viz., the last mentioned (1 John 5:7,8) was probably intended to give authority and sanction to the doctrine of the "Trinity."
94. Watch Tower, October 1881, Watch Tower Reprints page 290 As Retrieved 2009-09-23, page 4, ""He gave his only begotten Son." This phraseology brings us into conflict with an old Babylonian theory, viz.: Trinitarianism. If that doctrine is true, how could there be any Son to give? A begotten Son, too? Impossible. If these three are one, did God send himself? And how could Jesus say: "My Father is greater than I." John 14:28. [emphasis retained from original]"
95. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, July 1882, Reprints 370, page 3.
96. Penton, M. J. (1997), Apocalypse Delayed (2nd ed.), University of Toronto Press, p. 343, note 64, "Barbour and Paton were trinitarians ... although Henry Grew and George Stetson, two others who had influenced him, were non–trinitarians, Russell did not take a stand on the matter, at least publicly, until after his split with Paton."
97. Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1993, page 120.
98. N. H. Barbour, C. T. Russell, Three Worlds, 1877, page 57, "I am beginning to think Age-to-come people, and many others among pre-millennialists, do not believe in anything of a spiritual nature, or have the most remote comprehension of things of that order; either that the saint is raised 'a spiritual body,' or in the existence of spiritual beings, or even of the Holy Spirit itself. I know one class of age-to-come believers, the Christadelphians, do not. The Holy Spirit, say they, is but a principle, or element of power, and not an intelligence. It is nothing more nor less than 'electricity;' is taught in one of their books, now before me. What wonder they discern only a fleshly future."
99. J. H. Paton, Day Dawn, A.D. Jones, 1880, page 225, 229, "The work of the Holy Spirit is one of the most important elements in the plan of revelation and salvation. He is always spoken of by the Saviour as a Person, and is called the " Spirit of truth." We will follow the Saviour's example in this, though we do not propose to deal with the philosophy of that fact. He being the Spirit of truth, it is His mission to make known the truth."
100. Zion's Watch Tower, July 1880, page 8, "But the Spirit cannot resign his work until it is complete."
101. Zion's Watch Tower, August 1880, page 4, "Then let the Spirit use his sword upon others as he may see fit to humble them, strip them of pride, and bring them to the rock that is higher than they."
102. Zion's Watch Tower, November 1880, page 8, "The Spirit is still our leader and instructor. He is now telling us of Him who comes by way of unseen presence that He is here present."
103. Zion's Watch Tower, March 1881, page 5, "The number three is surprisingly prominent, as the subject opens before us ... We would first call attention to the Divine Three – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – often mentioned in the Bible."
104. Charles Taze Russell, "Harvest Gatherings and Siftings", Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, p. 3825 (reprint).
105. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, May 1882, Reprints 356, page 8.
106. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, September 1882, Reprints 392, page 4.
107. "The Three Great Covenants", Zion's Watch Tower, March 1880.
108. "The New Covenant vs the Law Covenant", Zion's Watch Tower, September 1887.
109. Wills 2006, pp. 63–68
110. Russell 1891, pp. 38,47–59
111. Russell 1891, pp. 239–242
112. Charles Taze Russell, "Harvest Gatherings and Siftings", Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, p. 3823 (reprint).
113. Studies in the Scriptures 4. pp. 602–603.
114. Russell 1889, p. 78
115. "The Outlook - War & Prosperity", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, September 15, 1901 (R2876 page 292)
116. "Universal Anarchy", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, July 1, 1904 (R3389 page 197)
117. The New Creation, (Volume VI of Studies in the Scriptures), 1904, page 179: “We have every reason to believe that the definite, fixed number of the elect [chosen anointed ones] is that several times stated in Revelation (7:4; 14:1); namely, 144,000 ‘redeemed from amongst men."
118. "The Great Company", Zion's Watch Tower, October 15, 1904.
119. The New Creation, (Volume VI of Studies in the Scriptures), 1904, page 168-170.
120. Wills 2006, pp. 57, 58
121. "The Rank of the Ancient Worthies", "The Great Company", Zion's Watch Tower, October 15, 1904.
122. "Our Advocate, the World's Mediator," Zion's Watch Tower, January 1, 1907.
123. "The Word Mediator Used Differently,", Watch Tower, January 1909.
124. Scenario of the Photo-Drama of Creation, ©1914 International Bible Students Association, page 3
125. "Views from the Watch Tower", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, January 1, 1914 (R5373: page 3)
126. Russell 1889, p. 101
127. "Overcome With Wine", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, January 15, 1892 (R1357: page 27)
128. "What Smiting of the Waters May Mean", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, February 1, 1916 (R5845: page 38)
129. "The Burning of the Tares", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, September 1, 1916 (R5951: page 265)
130. The Watch Tower, October 1, 1913, pgs 291-295.
131. Zion's Watch Tower, April 1, 1916, pages 98-99.
132. The Watch Tower, December 15, 1919, pg 375.
133. "The Table of the Great King,", The Watchtower, April 1, 1919, as cited by James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, pg 181.
134. Russell 1889, p. 233
135. Watch Tower, July 1, 1920, page 196.
136. C. T. Russell, The Battle of Armageddon, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1897, page 568.
137. "Gospel of the Kingdom", The Watchtower, July 1, 1920, pages 199-200.
138. "View from the Tower", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, January 15, 1892 (R1354: page 19)
139. New Heavens and a New Earth, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1953, page 225.
140. Watch Tower, November 1, 1922, pages 332-337.
141. Penton 1997, p. 72
142."The Keys of the Kingdom and the Great Crowd", Watchtower, October 1, 1971, page 14.
143. "The Parable of the sheep and goats", The Watchtower, October 15, 1923, pages 307-314.
144. Wills 2006, p. 113
145. Watch Tower, October 15, 1923.
146. Wills 2006, pp. 141, 142
147. Watch Tower, January 1, 1925.
148. Rutherford 1930, p. 134
149. Rutherford 1930, p. 223
150. Rutherford 1930, p. 251
151. Zion's Watch Tower, August 1, 1892, page 238.
152. The Finished Mystery, 1917, pages 256-258. See comment on Rev. 16:16-20.
153. Watch Tower, March 1, 1925, page 69.
154. J. F. Rutherford, The Battle of Armageddon, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1889, page 541.
155. "Restoration of True Religion", Watchtower, March 1, 1954, page 150.
156. J.F. Rutherford, Deliverance, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1926, pages 268,269.
157. Russell 1891, p. 306
158. Watch Tower, June 1, 1927.
159. Rutherford 1930, p. 226
160. Russell 1891, p. 23
161. Creation by J.F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1927, chapter 12, page 314.
162. The Battle of Armageddon (Part IV, "Studies in the Scriptures") by C. T. Russell, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1897, page 613.
163. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, July 15, 1906, page 215.
164. Franz 2002, pp. 78–79
165. Watch Tower, March 1, 1923, pages 68 and 71, as cited by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, Commentary Press, 2007, page 63.
166. Watch Tower, January 1, 1927 and February, pages 7, 51-7, as cited by Penton, Apocalypse Delayed.
167.The Watchtower: 62. February 15, 1927.
168. Watchtower, June 15, 1922, page 187, as reproduced by Raymond Franz, Crisis of Conscience, page 225, 226.
169. Watchtower, 1928, pages 339-45, 355-62, as cited by M. James Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, page 170.
170. "The Prince of Peace", Zion's Watch Tower & Herald of Christ's Presence, December 1, 1904, page 364.
171. The Golden Age, December 24, 1919, page 215: "Christmas is regarded by many people as the date of the birth of the babe Jesus in a manger at Bethlehem. Whether the date is correct or not is of small importance, but the event was and is of the greatest importance."
172. 1975 Yearbook, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, page 146
173. Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1993, page 152.
174. Franz 2007, p. 484
175. "The Higher Powers", Watch Tower, June 1929, pages 163-169, 179-185.
176. Penton 1997, p. 65
177. The Watchtower, December 1, 1929, pages 355-357, as cited by Edmond C. Gruss, The Four Presidents of the Watch Tower Society, page 117 and Tony Wills, A People For His name, page 48.
178. Penton 1997, p. 62
179. Preservation by J. F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1932, page 103-194.
180. Watch Tower, October 1, 1932, page 294.
181. Preparation, ©1933 by J. F. Rutherford, Watch Tower, page 196
182. The Watchtower, February 15, 1925, page 57, "We know the work of restitution must come to the Jews first, and through them to the rest of the world. As the Scriptures state that Jerusalem is to be the capital of the world and that the ancient worthies are to be princes in all the earth, we are warranted in expecting that the kingdom work will begin at Jerusalem."
183. Vindication, Book 2, by J.F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1932, pages 258, 269, 295.
184. Vindication, Book 3, by J.F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1932, page 333.
185. Jehovah's Witnesses – Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1993, page 165.
186. Watchtower, August 15, 1934, as cited by Tony Wills, A People For His Name, pg 192-193.
187. Vindication, J. F. Rutherford, Book III, pages 83. 84.
188. Watchtower, January 15, 1927, pg 26, 27, "He who is called to be a minister of God must be a new creature, begotten of God's Holy Spirit; none other can have a share. In this ministry only those who are new creatures in Jesus Christ are entitled to share." As cited by Tony Wills, A People For His Name,(2007), pg 194.
189. Prophecy by J. F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1929, chapter 4, page 65.
190. Watch Tower, December 1, 1933, page 362: "In the year 1914 that due time of waiting came to an end. Christ Jesus received the authority of the kingdom and was sent forth by Jehovah to rule amidst his enemies. The year 1914, therefore, marks the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory."
191. Penton 1997, p. 69
192. Jehovah, J.F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1934.
193. Watchtower, November 1, 1917, page 6161.
194. J.F. Rutherford, Jehovah, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1934, page 191.
195. Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1959, page 140.
196. The Watchtower, March 1, 1935
197. The Golden Age, October 12, 1921, Page 17, "Vaccination never prevented anything and never will, and is the most barbarous practice ... We are in the last days; and the devil is slowly losing his hold, making a strenuous effort meanwhile to do all the damage he can, and to his credit can such evils be placed ... Use your rights as American citizens to forever abolish the devilish practice of vaccinations."
198. The Golden Age, January 5, 1929, Page 502, "Thinking people would rather have smallpox than vaccination, because the latter sows seeds of syphilis, cancers, eczema, erysipelas, scrofula, consumption, even leprosy and many other loathsome affections. Hence the practice of vaccinations is a crime, an outrage, and a delusion."
199. The Golden Age, April 2, 1935, Page 465, "As vaccination is a direct injection of animal matter in the blood stream, vaccination is a direct violation of the law of Jehovah God."
200. Riches, by J.F. Rutherford, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1936, page 27.
201. Franz 2007, p. 150
202. Watchtower, November 1, 1937, page 336, as cited by Tony Wills, A People For His Name, pg 195.
203. Watchtower, March 1, 1930, page 71, "Since "Christ' means the anointed of God, it is manifestly true that no one can properly be termed a Christian who is not in Christ and who has not received the anointing."
204. A People for His Name, Tony Wills, pgs 186-187, citing Watchtower October 15, 1938, pg 307, Watchtower, November 1, 1938, page 323, Watchtower, November 15, 1938, page 346.
205. Watch Tower, November 1, 1939, as cited by Jehovah's Witnesses, Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1993, page 193.
206. The Watchtower, July 1, 1942, pages 205-206
207. "Questions from Readers". The Watchtower: 94. February 1, 1955. "Jehovah's witnesses from 1877 up to and including the publishing of "The Truth Shall Make You Free" of 1943 considered 536 B.C. as the year for the return of the Jews to Palestine"
208. "Determining the Year by Fact and Bible". The Watchtower: 271–2. May 1, 1952. "Concerning the first error, Russell and others considered 1 B.C. to A.D. 1 as being two years whereas in fact this is only one year because, as has been said above, there is no "zero" year in the B.C.-A.D. system for counting years."
209. Russell 1889, p. 54
210. Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence, May 15, 1896, R1980 page 112.
211. Three Worlds, by N. H. Barbour and C. T. Russell, 1877, pages 67, 186, as cited by Edmund Gruss, The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, 1972, pages 62-63.
212. The Truth Shall Make You Free, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1943, chapter 11, page 151.
213. Gruss, Edmond C. (1972), The Jehovah's Witnesses and Prophetic Speculation, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co, pp. 68–69, ISBN 0-87552-306-4
214. Penton 1997, p. 89
215. The Watchtower, May 15, 1944.
216. The New Creation, Watch Tower, 1904, pages 289-290, "The administration of discipline is not the function of the elders only, but of the entire [congregation]. ... If the reproved one fails to clear himself, and continues in the error or sin, then two or three brethren without previous prejudice should be asked to hear the matter and advise the disputants. (Elders they may or may not be, but their eldership would add no force or authority in the case except as their judgment might be the riper and their influence the more potent.) If this committee decide unanimously with either party, the other should acquiesce and the matter be wholly at an end--correction, or restitution, so far as possible, being promptly made. If either of the original disputants still persists in the wrong course, the [accuser, a committee member] or, preferably, all of these together, may then (but not sooner) exercise their privilege of bringing the matter before the [congregation]. Thus it is evident that the Elders were in no sense to be judges of the members—hearing and judgment were left to the [congregation]. The two preliminary steps (above mentioned) having been taken, the facts being certified to the elders, it would be their duty to call a general meeting of the [congregation], as a court--to hear the case in all of its particulars, and in the name and reverence of its Head to render a decision. ... if the transgressor refuse to hear (obey) the decision of the entire [congregation], ... the [congregation] is to withdraw from him its fellowship and any and all signs or manifestations of brotherhood. [emphasis retained from original]
217. "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, 1 February 1955: 94–95
218. Penton 1997, p. 153
219. The Watchtower, July 1. 1945.
220. The Watch Tower, November 15, 1892 p. 351.
221. The Watch Tower, April 15, 1909 pp. 116-117, "These prohibitions had never come to the Gentiles, because they had never been under the Law Covenant; but so deeply rooted were the Jewish ideas on this subject that it was necessary to the peace of the Church that the Gentiles should observe this matter also ... these items thus superadded to the Law of Love should be observed by all spiritual Israelites as representing the Divine will.”
222. The Watchtower: 404. July 1, 1951.
223. Questions From Readers, Watchtower, October 1, 1951.
224. The Watchtower, December 15, 1952.
225. "Questions From Readers", Watchtower, September 15, 1958: "Q: Are we to consider the injection of serums such as diphtheria toxin antitoxin and blood fractions such as gamma globulin into the blood stream, for the purpose of building up resistance to disease by means of antibodies, the same as the drinking of blood or the taking of blood or blood plasma by means of transfusion? A: No, it does not seem necessary that we put the two in the same category, although we have done so in times past.
226. "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, 1 February 1955: 95
227. "Interesting Queries", Watch Tower, July 15, 1898, page 216.
228. Watchtower, November 15, 1939, page 339: "Jehovah God commands all to worship Christ Jesus because Christ Jesus is the express image of his Father, Jehovah"
229. Watchtower, October 15, 1945, page 313: "Since Jehovah God now reigns as King by means of his capital organization Zion, then whosoever would worship Him must also worship and bow down to Jehovah's Chief One in that capital organization, namely, Christ Jesus."
230. "Questions From Readers", Watchtower, January 1, 1954, page 30.
231. "Modern Restoration of True Worship (1919-1932)", The Watchtower, May 15, 1955, page 296, "Jesus—then to expand on a global scale—so now in the spring of 1919 there was an outpouring of Jehovah’s Holy Spirit organizationally upon the Christian remnant."
232. Watchtower, January 15, 1961, page 63.
233. Watchtower, August 1, 1961, page 480.
234. Watchtower, November 15, 1962.
235. The Divine Plan of the Ages, by C. T. Russell, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1886, page 266: "They taught the Church to obey the laws, and to respect those in authority because of their office, even if they were not personally worthy of esteem; to pay their appointed taxes, and, except where they conflicted with God's laws (Acts 4: 19; 5: 29), to offer no resistance to any established law. (Rom. 13: 1 - 7)"
236. "The Congregation in the Time of the End", Watchtower, March 1, 1961, page 146.
237. All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1963, page 286.
238. "The Removal of Mankind's Chief Disturber", The Watchtower, 15 July 1967: 446–447
239. Awake, June 8, 1968, Page 21 “Christian witnesses of Jehovah,... consider all transplants between humans as cannibalism.”
240. Watchtower, November 15, 1967, pages 702-704
241. Penton, M. J. Penton, Apocalypse Delayed, University of Toronto Press, pp. 165–171, "In 1967 the society suddenly decided that what had been permissible no longer was. Organ transplants suddenly became a form of human cannibalism ... Yet after many faithful Jehovah's Witnesses had suffered for their faith by giving up transplants which in some cases could have made their lives more pleasant and comfortable and by saving them from early death in others, the society again reversed itself."
242. "Keep Abstaining from Blood", Awake!, July 8, 1972, page 28, "The stand of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah—that such transplants are in effect a form of cannibalism—proved a safeguard. How so? In that it spared them much frustration, grief and anxiety, which were experienced not only by the patients and their relatives but even by many of the assisting medical personnel."
243. "Questions From Readers", The Watchtower, February 1, 1955, page 95, "However, from our present chronology (which is admitted imperfect) at best the fall of the year 1976 would be the end of 6,000 years of human history for mankind... Obviously, whatever amount of Adam’s 930 years was lived before the beginning of that seventh-day rest of Jehovah, that unknown amount would have to be added to the 1976 date."
244. Thy Kingdom Come by C. T. Russell, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1889, pages 127-128. "long enough [for Adam] to realize his lack of a companion" and an additional "two years would not be an improbable estimate" to have passed between Adam's creation and Edenic expulsion (beginning the seventh creative day).
245. "Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975?", The Watchtower, August 15, 1968, page 499-500
246. Watchtower, June 1, 1973, page 340.
247. "Questions From Readers", Watchtower, March 15, 1980, page 31.
248. John Dart, "Defectors Feel Witnsses' Wrath", Los Angeles Times, January 30, 1982, Part II, page 4, "The Sept. 15 Watchtower magazine told members that anyone who has written a letter of resignation should be shunned as if he had been 'disfellowshipped', or expelled ... 'This is a hardening, a tightening, of our policy,' confirmed William Van De Wall, a headquarters spokesman for the Watchtower Society. Denying any great membership losses, Van De Wall said the new directive was to counteract 'disgruntled' ex-members."
249. “Seek Peace and Pursue It”, The Watchtower, July 15, 1983, page 25
250. "Questions from readers", The Watchtower, January 1, 1987, page 30, "A study of the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and of our location in the stream of time strongly indicate that each of the creative days is 7,000 years long. It is understood that Christ’s reign of a thousand years will bring to a close God’s 7,000-year ‘rest day,’ the last ‘day’ of the creative week. Based on this reasoning, the entire creative week would be 49,000 years long."
251. "Creation", Insight, volume 1, 1988 Watch Tower, page 545, "Since the seventh day has been continuing for thousands of years, it may reasonably be concluded that each of the six creative periods, or days, was at least thousands of years in length ... Ascribing not just 24 hours but a longer period of time, thousands of years, to each of the creative days better harmonizes with the evidence found in the earth itself."
252. All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial, Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, 1990, page 286.
253. Man's Salvation Out of World Distress at Hand!, pages 167–168 (1975)
254. The Watchtower, April 15, 1992, pages 12–17
255. Watchtower, November 1, 1995, page 20.
256. The Watchtower, June 1, 1997, page 28: "The recent information in The Watchtower about "this generation" did not change our understanding of what occurred in 1914. But it did give us a clearer grasp of Jesus' use of the term "generation," helping us to see that his usage was no basis for calculating-counting from 1914 – how close to the end we are."
257. Joel P. Engardio (December 18, 1995), "Apocalypse Later", Newsweek
258. Penton 1997, p. 317
259. John Dart, "Jehovah's Witnesses Abandon Key Tenet", Los Angeles Times, November 4, 1995.
260. Watchtower, February 1, 1995.
261. Penton 1997, p. 316
262. "Part 2—Flashes of Light—Great and Small", The Watchtower, May 15, 1995, page 25
263. "Chapter 24: Why Jesus Came to Earth", The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, ©1991, "Jesus came to earth particularly to preach about God’s Kingdom, which will vindicate his Father’s name"
264. Watchtower, February 15, 1995, p.19.
265. Watchtower, May 1, 2007, pages 30-31: "It appears that we can not set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends."
266. "Watchtower", February 15, 2008, pages 23-24: "On the other hand, Christ's faithful anointed brothers, the modern-day John class, have recognized this sign as if it were a flash of lightning and have understood its true meaning. As a class, these anointed ones make up the modern-day "generation" of contemporaries that will not pass away "until all these things occur."* This suggests that some who are Christ's anointed brothers will still be alive on earth when the foretold great tribulation begins."
267. "Holy spirit's role in the outworking of Jehovah's purposes", The Watchtower, 15 April 2010: 10
268. "Your Leader Is One, the Christ". The Watchtower: 23. September 15, 2010.
269. "Annual Meeting Report".
270. The Watchtower: 20–25. July 15, 2013.

Enjoy!
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Enjoy!
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Yes, I use to go there - in fact I was married there - 1960 - ; )  Dee

Γιαννης Διαμαντιδης,
I believe that Ann O'maly has stated the truth about the U.N. involvement about as well as anyone can. I know the brother who got the Society involved with the UN DPI/NGO, and have spoken to him several times since I left Bethel in the 1980's. I know that the paperwork was approved by others including a member of the GB (mentioned by Ann).
It was definitely a mistake. And it has definitely stumbled people. I'm not here to defend it, and I'm not here as one of those Witnesses who will claim that Jehovah has allowed certain mistakes just to filter out those who are disloyal, or those who are looking for an excuse to leave the Organization. People still say this about some of the mistakes of the past, and will likely say such things about mistakes made in the future.
I just searched through the jw-archive site, because I know that we have discussed this before, and I didn't want to just keep re-writing things "from scratch" over and over again -- which is something I have a tendency to always do. In fact, this is the very first time I will be quoting myself from a previous post: I'm no expert on this, and perhaps I don't have all the facts either, but the information is from people I trust.
 
A portion of the discussion from https://disqus.com/home/discussion/jwarchive/jw_archiveorg_by_the_jw_comic_strip_52/#comment-2009424381
(I made the UN joke because the timing was close to "Sternstorm." The WTS applied for the NGO status through their DPI (Dept of Public Info.) in 1991 and received it in 1992. I believe we requested disassociation in 2001, just after an investigative journalist exposed the NGO/DPI connection.)
If you are asking about the UN, then unfortunately, the answer is Yes. The Watchtower joined the UN as an NGO. I know the brother who spearheaded the effort, still in Writing (last I spoke to him), and also knew others who approved it at the time (now deceased). They meant no harm, but it proved to be an embarrassment. They didn't really need the NGO status, for the original purpose -- access to informational materials, but the status seems to have given them quicker information about conferences and events that could have even helped the Watchtower Society learn more about the behind-the-scenes political circumstances of our brothers in various countries. The most embarrassing part, of course, was getting "disfellowshipped" by the UN. (That really happened, but it happened just after the WTS requested it.) Also, for a while, the Watchtower Society was supposed to write one informational article per year that informed our audience of some of the work the UN was doing. (That's one of the ways the DPI works.) So while the Watchtower magazine bashed them negatively, a small piece here and there in the Awake! magazine was doing articles on UNICEF etc that were between neutral and positive.
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I should also say that I don't think this started out as anything very big. But those who got involved should have realized that almost everything goes public and becomes searchable. For a while you could even search the U.N.'s site and see which Awake! articles had been submitted for NGO/DPI compliance.
My motto: If you think you'll have trouble defending it, just don't! (Don't start something you might have to defend later.)
But I have to say that even in 1976, I was doing some follow-up research on Mr. Banda, the president of Malawi who had allowed widespread persecution of the Witnesses for several years just prior. And it turns out that he made some anti-JW statements that blamed the Witnesses for their own troubles -- saying that the problem was not just the 25 cent political party card. I only found this info in some heavy encyclopedic U.N. publications that no one in Writing had seen or heard of -- although these publications were at a large university library. It's quite possible that, 15 years later, a couple brothers were convinced that this type of information, although available without the NGO/DPI connection, would become more accessible. (I don't know if that would really be true.) Or, even more likely, that if we could gain a respectable status with THEIR researchers, we could merely request things to be xeroxed and mailed to the WTS, rather than traveling over to DPI repositories, and hardly knowing where to start.
 
----- and in another place on jw-archive, it came up again ------
 
There is additional evidence or information that I'm sure you can find from others, but what I write below is based mostly on what I know personally and have seen with my own eyes. It is mixed with a few things I have learned from other trusted and current Witnesses.
A very interesting man in Bethel's Writing Department is best known for some of his non-outline talks that he has given in hundreds of congregations. You can find many of his recorded talks on the Internet. He is a good speaker with a "dramatic" personality. I know the man well, and still count him as a friend although we rarely speak. I have seen him outside Bethel, in NY, NJ, even PA, oddly enough, buying books for his own library and for the Bethel libraries. (I have been a book collector for 30 years, and still take on research work for authors, so we have often frequented the same places.)
From the time I first knew him, 1976, this brother was in the Service Department and finally moved to the Writing Department. He was quickly given a lot of autonomy under the supervision of Lloyd Barry because he did more research and book purchasing than pure Writing compared with most others in Writing.
The brother I am speaking about was very highly embarrassed over the fact that it was mostly his own idea that got this thing started. I have not talked about it with him. He began using the UN library regularly in 1990, then weekly in 1991, and initially signed up with the UN's "Department of Public Information" (DPI) in 1991 (and officially accepted 1992) for easier access to library materials, but in the process of accessing those materials he learned a lot about different types of access to conferences and areas of interest that aligned with the Society's interests outside of just the library resources. (It was thought that association might have made it easier to publicize JW human rights violations, learn more about what other religions were doing when they had similar issues with religious persecution in many countries. It made it easier to get information about international religious taxation issues, and Holocaust publicity, etc.)
Brother Barry agreed with him that these other areas of access were also valuable, and they continued the association as an "NGO" (non-governmental organization). The names of both of these brothers, including the GB member, and another direct report to a GB member from the Service Dept are still on some forms at the UN.
They also had to agree to produce articles that helped to promote the work of United Nations' initiatives. The first one was the September 8, 1991 Awake! One initiative that the WTS could most easily agree with was UNICEF. The December 8, 2000 Awake! for example prints out the entire UN Declaration of the Rights of a Child in a single issue that mentions UNICEF 10 times (in a positive context). I'll quote it below.
But first notice by using the 2014 Watchtower Library CD for example that in the 10 years that the WTS was associated with the UN it mentioned UNICEF about 75 times (from 1991-2001). After a leak by the Guardian, the WTS was disassociated from the UN in 2001 when it was exposed to the UN that the Watchtower was simultaneously speaking out AGAINST the UN at the same time the Awake! was speaking positively about it.
(UNICEF has been mentioned just 11 times in the much longer time period since 2001, and always just to quote negative statistics.)
I have seen a list that included articles that were presented to the UN/DPI as proof that the WTS was keeping it's agreement by publishing at least one positive article per year. I don't have a copy of it, and don't know if anyone else does. I forget whether it included the issue below from 2000. I wish I had kept a copy. As I recall, it had references to about 10 different issues of the Awake! over a period of several years.
*** g00 12/8 p. 5 An Ongoing Search for Solutions ***
The UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child:
● The right to a name and nationality.
● The right to affection, love, and understanding and to material security.
● The right to adequate nutrition, housing, and medical services.
● The right to special care if disabled, be it physically, mentally, or socially.
● The right to be among the first to receive protection and relief in all circumstances.
● The right to be protected against all forms of neglect, cruelty, and exploitation.
● The right to full opportunity for play and recreation and equal opportunity to free and compulsory education, to enable the child to develop his individual abilities and to become a useful member of society.
● The right to develop his full potential in conditions of freedom and dignity.
● The right to be brought up in a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among peoples, peace, and universal brotherhood.
● The right to enjoy these rights regardless of race, color, sex, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, and property, birth, or other status.
 
 
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Back to your current post. What I'm trying to say is that I don't think we need to cover up anything. A mistake was made, and we ultimately resolved it. I don't see what it proves to keep bringing it up. It does not show that we supported the U.N.  It shows that we found areas of agreement. We used the relationship to our advantage and the "cost" to us was the need to write about ways in which another organization was also trying to resolve world problems. For all we know, we would have been writing about such things anyway. Personally, I think we ended up looking more reasonable by discussing what the world was trying to do, and how it was at times making progress. Even their limited progress still highlighted the need for a more comprehensive solution.
So it's not like any JWs really needed to take their focus off the Scriptural reasoning for resolving the world's problems. Perhaps it made us more sympathetic and knowledgeable about the viewpoint of others. In the more distant past, we often did nothing but show derision for such efforts. Surely we are better off now for such research. I don't see this whole thing as a one-sided proof of hypocrisy with no up-side. I believe the posts also show that (through the mistake) we discovered avenues and venues for involvement in human rights awareness that we were not aware of previously.
 

(Giannis, Robert King is disfellowshipped so it's unlikely that loyal JWs will read anything he says.)
I remember the controversy when it broke and researched the matter for myself at the time.
The issue wasn't so much that Watchtower became a NGO, but that it also became associated with the UN's Department of Public Information which required assenting to the UN Charter (read it to see what that involved) and promoting the UN's work, aims and values. Every year, as the rules stood, the Organization had to provide evidence to the DPI that it was doing that in order to continue association. This is why the articles in the Awakes during the 1990s softened their anti-UN stance and put the UN's accomplishments in a more positive light.
It's easy to minimize the Watchtower's involvement as the actions of one Bethelite, but he and the other named representative were high-up Bethelites. At least one GB member was aware because he was also listed as one of the representatives on the accreditation forms (W. [Lloyd] Barry). Not only that but, 
"Each article in both The Watchtower and Awake! and every page, including the artwork, is scrutinized by selected members of the Governing Body before it is printed." - w87 3/1 p. 15 par. 18.
So any 'spiritual food' that promoted the UN's work (in contrast to the usual contempt about it) was checked and signed off by members of the GB. It would be those kinds of articles that were provided to the DPI so the Org. could continue its association.
Given that the UN has long been viewed as the 'disgusting thing' of Daniel and the 'scarlet wild beast' of Revelation, it's understandable why many would be stumbled by the Org's actions.

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Russell purchased when he moved his operations to Brooklyn. It belonged to another preacher, Henry Ward Beecher, before he died. Russell also bought his other properties that Beecher had on Hick street, which I guess would be the first assembly hall. I was wondering if anyone knew if there was any connection between Russell and Beecher besides Russell just buying all his properties. It seems weird that he would buy that much property from the same person, and for the same purposes. The home on Columbia Heights was called "Beecher Bethel" before Russell bought it. After Russell bought it, it just became "Bethel" of the "House of Bethel".
This picture appeared in the Feb. 20, 1909 edition of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle right after it was sold to Charles Taze Russell.

Also, here is the listing that appeared in the paper before it was sold, if you want to know details about the inside. I just found it interesting.
Henry Ward Beecher was quite famous in his time, even more so was his daughter Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

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When this came up elsewhere on jw-archive someone quoted the Watchtower article on Valentine's Day. I won't do that here, but I'm sure you know the information. Valentine's Day is still tied, in name at least, to a "saint." That ties it a little too close for comfort to a religious celebration, no matter how non-religious it is. Anyway, that wasn't even your question, since it was about birthdays. And there is nothing "religious" about birthdays.
I have an old talk outline where celebrating a child's birthday was tied to "creature worship" by giving too much undue attention to the child who had not really accomplished anything more than surviving for another year. Of course, the primary reason we give is that the Bible only mentions two birthday celebrations and they were both by wicked pagans who also happened to suborn a murder on their birthday.
At the meeting last night, it occurred to me that we are often asked to make assumptions and treat them as "gospel." One of these assumptions ties directly to our main public reason for avoiding birthdays. I'll just give a few examples so you can understand what I was thinking.
1. They played the introduction to Esther video that makes very bold and direct statements and gives dates with a high degree of authority in the voice. Nowhere do we ever admit that these dates are assumed dates, and that we often use dates that we KNOW are 10 to 20 years off the dates that ALL the evidence points to, just because we need to make those dates fit another preconceived assumption.
2. The Imitate book (ia) says that "Ahasuerus is widely thought to have been Xerxes I" and later it says that Xerxes I (per Herodotus) did the following: "when a wealthy man begged that his son be excused from joining the army, Xerxes had the son cut in half, his body displayed as a warning."  Yet, per the CLAM workbook (Christian Life and Ministry) it says "Once, he ordered a man to be cut in half and displayed as a warning." There is barely even a hint that this is from a source OUTSIDE the Bible. Yet, of course, the comment at the meeting turned this into a FACT, not about Xerxes I, but about Ahasuerus.
3. The meeting also made a special point to say that Esther was modest because she didn't ask for extra jewelry. (2006 Watchtower) Really? Does the Bible even mention as a FACT that extra jewelry was an option? Could she have asked for LESS jewelry, or only six months of those spa treatments she was given instead of the full year? Again, the speaker turned this assumption about jewelry into a FACT.
4. The other assumption was not at first turned into a fact by the speaker, but by an answer given in audience, and the speaker then agreed 100% and made a point to say how thankful we should be for KNOWING these things. (That Mordechai refused to bow to Haman for historical reasons, but forgetting that the CLAM workbook said "Why MIGHT Mordechai have refused...?")
These were still good points to think about, and there are good reasons to discuss what MIGHT have been going through the minds of these Bible characters. My only point is that we have trouble seeing what MIGHT be true when it goes against a view we hold, but we turn the "MIGHT" into "FACT" when it supports a view. Even a point or two in the book study on Elijah went in this direction, but the main point is about the banquets of Ahasuerus:
At the first banquet, there was drunkenness apparently, and this may have been the reason Vashti was summoned, perhaps even summoned immodestly by the king. Yet at the second banquet, ("THE BANQUET OF ESTHER") the king did this:
(Esther 2:18) . . .And the king held a great banquet for all his princes and his servants, the banquet of Esther. He then proclaimed an amnesty for the provinces, and he kept giving gifts according to the means of the king.
What occurred to me is why we never look at the differences between those two banquets and make an assumption from this about celebrations. Here we have a celebration by a pagan that did NOT end up in a murder, but in just the opposite. So we MIGHT decide that there is a lesson here about parties and celebrations. Bad things happen when there is drunkenness and abuse of power at birthdays (or licentious dancing, too, in the case of Herod). Yet, we also have a lesson about GOOD that can come of birthdays when modesty and proper influences abound. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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