Memorial of the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ

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In 1938 as well in 1984 the new moon visible in Jerusalem was on April 2 after 18:00

In 1938 the moon illumination 4.2%
In 1984 the moon illumination 1.2%

Nisan 14 begins well after 18:00 April 15

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why do you want coincide our calendar with the Jewish calendar? - 

In 2017 the New Moon in Jerusalem is March 29 after 18:00 - as well as in 1979 and 1998

In 1979 the moon illumination 3.1%
In 1998 the moon illumination 3.4%

in 2017 the moon illumination 3.2%

14 Nisan is indeed April 11, 2017

[The Librarian]

 

[TrueTomHarley]

8 hours ago, tromboneck said:

6419 increase in past 9 years

a whole lot a anointin going on.

All anointing, whether true or mistaken, is self-professed. There are 8 mil JWs worldwide? How significant is a  6.4K jump? I have known several 'modern' partakers - not all for whom you would say 'well, of course!'

I like it that the GB is drawn from persons who are A.) annointed, and B.) annnointed, who have proved their dedication through decades of full-time service, performing a ministry more lowly than most of those whom they later will lead.

[Anna]

16 hours ago, tromboneck said:

Jesus made it clear that some of "this generation" will still be on earth when the great tribulation begins; relatively few are left now. Prophecies about the anointed generation prove that the end is near. This increase is positive, but not all of these anointed partakers are of this generation. They are anointed but do not count in the prophecy about "this generation." Those who are of this generation are, once again, dwindling each year, relatively few are left now.

But you also have to take into consideration the anointed of the overlapping generation, i.e those who were alive before the last known anointed of 1914 died. So that buys the "2nd generation" of anointed up to (approximately) 35 years.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I am relying on a memory set over 50 years old, but I remember studying that if a traveler or other person could not make it to Memorial for some very serious reason, that they could have a Memorial Celebration one Lunar Month later. We studied that in the KM at the KH, if memory serves.

Does anybody remember this ... probably from the early 1960's?

[JW Insider]

On 7/10/2017 at 8:08 PM, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

Does anybody remember this ... probably from the early 1960's?

Yes. I remember the "rule" but I never remember anyone ever speaking about specific "anointed" persons actually invoking it. Vaguely remember hearing about a natural disaster somewhere that forced the entire Memorial to be cancelled and then handled a month later, but I think even this became frowned up, especially after a formal announcement in the KM in 1999.

*** w60 4/1 p. 224 Questions From Readers ***
Of course, an exception should be made in the case of those of the remnant who, because of infirmity or sickness, are unable to attend. Individual portions are to be supplied to these, regardless of their age or physical condition, by a brother competent to discuss the occasion with them briefly. Such are to be considered as both attenders and partakers. Disfellowshiped persons are not welcome. Should they attend and partake, they would not be counted. Likewise, if any newcomers who are not yet baptized partake of the emblems, they should not be counted.
What if any professing to be of the remnant should, due to circumstances beyond their control, be absolutely prevented from observing the Memorial and partaking of the emblems? It would seem that the merciful and loving provision that Jehovah made for celebrating the Passover a month later by those Jews ceremonially unclean on Nisan 14 would apply in their case. The individual member of the remnant would therefore observe a personal memorial of Christ’s death on the fourteenth day of the following month, Iyar according to the Jewish calendar, or just thirty days later.—Num. 9:9-14.

In the 1999 KM it was announced that everything possible would be done to avoid this, by having elders take the Memorial emblems to anointed persons confined to their homes, etc. Also it was stated that it was NOT necessary for "other sheep" to make any additional arrangements for a missed meeting.

*** w93 2/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
If a Christian is sick or is traveling and thus not able to be at the Memorial celebration, should he celebrate it a month later?
. . . If one who has each year been partaking is this year confined to a sickbed at home or in a hospital, elders of the local congregation will arrange for one of them to take some of the bread and wine to the sick one, discuss appropriate Bible texts on the subject, and serve the emblems. If an anointed Christian is away from his home congregation, he should arrange to go to a congregation in the area where he will be on that date.
In view of this, it would only be under very exceptional circumstances that an anointed Christian would have to celebrate the Lord’s Evening Meal 30 days later (one lunar month), in line with the command at Numbers 9:10, 11 and the example at 2 Chronicles 30:1-3, 15.
Those who are of Jesus’ “other sheep” class, with the hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth, are not under command to partake of the bread and the wine. (John 10:16) It is important to attend the annual celebration, but they do not partake of the emblems. So if one of them is sick or is traveling and thus not with any congregation that evening, he or she could privately read over appropriate scriptures (including the account of Jesus’ instituting the celebration) and pray for Jehovah’s blessing on the event worldwide. But in this case there is no need for any additional arrangement for a meeting or a special Biblical discussion a month later.

I believe the KM had first began to regularly mention this arrangement for going to the partakers who were confined to home, hospital, etc., in 1987. (As it is already mentioned in 1960.) But I recall that this practice might have fallen off somewhat at least in the late 70s and early 80s, and that there might have been some announcement to bring it back into full effect in 1984, because this is when our congregation began making these arrangements, instead of still making special arrangements to bring infirm, anointed brothers to the Hall. This had proved to be a lot of stress for an elderly person for which my own family had provided the transportation, and I remember the switch-over very well that year. [Not important, but I'd be interested if this was the case for any others prior to 1984, in case it was just a couple congregations in my area who seemed to change their arrangements at that time.]

*** km 3/87 p. 3 Preparation for a Special Occasion ***
Are arrangements complete to help older and infirm brothers and sisters? Are arrangements made to serve any of the anointed who may be confined and unable to attend?

That 1993 WT article was brought up again in the KMS assignments in 1999 when Numbers 9 was part of the Bible Reading. But the main point was not about accommodating anointed with the one-month-later celebration, but only to make sure that it was understood that NO special arrangements were to be made for "other sheep" to have a special meeting one month later.

The "Written Review" in December 1999 said:

If a Christian of the other sheep class is not able to attend the Memorial of Jesus’ death, he should celebrate it a month later in harmony with the principle stated at Numbers 9:10, 11. (John 10:16) [Weekly Bible reading; see w93 2/1 p. 31 par. 9.]

The correct answer was FALSE (he should NOT celebrate it one month later).

[Anna]

On 7/10/2017 at 9:30 PM, tromboneck said:

but I will take into serious consideration anything until Jesus Christ through his "faithful and discreet slave" explains it.

They have explained it, just like I quoted.

[Anna]

10 hours ago, tromboneck said:

I'm sorry. Could you go over all that just one more time?

Tom, I am assuming you are asking me this question.

If you remember Br. Splane (in I can't  remember which month's broadcast) explained that the "2nd" generation of anointed would have to be contemporaries of the "1st" generation. This 1st generation would have had to be anointed in 1914 . He used the example of Br. Franz who was born in 1893 and baptized April 1914. Thus, anyone who became anointed during Br. Franz's lifetime and is still alive now, is of the 2nd generation. Br. Franz died in 1992, so anyone who was of the anointed before then (and is still alive) is of the 2nd generation, because their anointed life overlapped with that of Br. Franz. The youngest members whose lives overlapped with that of Br. Franz and who are still alive and who we know of, are in their early 50's (eg. Br. Jackson and Br. Sanderson) So, in theory, this does buy us about 35 years or so, assuming both brothers live to be in their late 80's and the great tribulation hasn't come before then.

[Anna]

@tromboneck  P.S. We could stretch it even more with using the example of Br. Morris's son who I believe is 43? (or 45) and of the anointed. Assuming his son got baptized when he was 18 in 1992, just before Br. Franz dies, then he will also be among the 2nd generation. So that would "buy" us an extra 46 years (if we were to say he lived to be 89). I think 50 years is about the maximum years you can count. Of course as you say, the anointed don't have to wait until they die. But still, this gives us up to 50 years or so, where the end can come anytime between now and then.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Well ... without HARD FACTS I am not one to take anyone's advice about invisible things that 5 out of 5 Elders I asked were unable to explain to me ... one being an EXTREMELY brilliant Elder that knows intricate detail about every Star Trek Episode ... and things that make no sense to me whatsoever because of their COMPLETELY arbitrary basis, ( that means completely made-up ... for those in Rio Linda) ... and I will allow that all this "gobbledygook", may in fact be true .... but I just DON'T SEE IT.

However, If I was to take someones' advice on these specific matters, It would be, not from someone who was ALWAYS WRONG about EVERYTHING not specifically stated in the Bible, but someone who was ALWAYS RIGHT about things they published.

You may find it interesting that Sir Isaac Newton was such a man ... and that his Core Beliefs are EXACTLY like the Jehovah's Witnesses Core Beliefs, and although he never published it, it was his opinion that Armageddon would occur PERHAPS in the year 2060, but possibly as early as 2032.  He hand wrote over a million words on Theological subjects, and his writings are in the Hebrew National Museum, in Jerusalem, if memory serves.

So .... should we believe someone who is ALWAYS wrong .. or someone who is ALWAYS right?

The way I look at it, since I have no control over ANY of it ... I don't care! 

I am going to try and live what is left of my life, as best I can know how, and let the rest slide.

May the Farce be with you!

 

[TrueTomHarley]

33 minutes ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

So .... should we believe someone who is ALWAYS wrong .. or someone who is ALWAYS right?

Einstein cleaned his clock.