tromboneck

Not sure why this video is here; there are thousands of friends who have not had the opportunity to go to their convention yet, for those of us who already went we were specifically instructed to be loving and not disclose the video yet so that all the friends can enjoy it when they go their convention.

OF COURSE IT MAKES SENSE !
I just need  a Fifth of Scotch to kill the pain!
 

"I mean, why shouldn't this number increase? I know we have put date limiters on it in the past, but surely we have become less rigid about this in more recent years? (@Melinda Mills could substantiate this with numerous WT references!)
Anointed ones answer only to Jehovah as to the genuineness of their claim (1Cor 11:27-29)." -- Eoin Joyce
Agree with Eoin that we should not worry about genuineness of the claim to be of the anointed of persons who have caused this number to increase. Jehovah is the one choosing them and he is keeping the tally.  It is possible some are not genuine but it still doesn't matter because we still  won't be able to judge or disallow any, whether they might seem to have emotional problems or not.
I get the feeling also that we have not been stressing the date limit as in the past, but here is a fairly recent one I found.
*** w14 2/15 p. 11 par. 14 Rejoice Over the Marriage of the Lamb! ***
"Since 1935, millions of people have allowed the remnant to ‘bring them to righteousness.’ (Dan. 12:3) These loyal companions of the anointed Christians have purified their lives, becoming spiritual virgins. These “virgin companions” of the bride have dedicated themselves to Jehovah and have proved themselves to be faithful subjects of the Bridegroom-King."
In any case Jehovah is not limited by our understanding of the scriptures or to any time period that we may have in mind.  He is managing the big picture (gathering the ones who would be fitting companions for his Royal Son) and it could be that whereas we were expecting logically a dwindling of the number as the 1914 generation disappears it may be that Jehovah will have more persons representing the epoch wherein more persons are living on earth and wherein a greater shout of praise is being carried out on the earth.  Who knows? It could be too that more surprises might be in store for his servants including the faithful slave.
I also like Eoin's reference to Luke 15 because the increase in the anointed is concomitant with the increase in the average publishers worldwide. So although it is puzzling at first,  on re-examination it should indeed be an outcome deserving applause.
 

I will find a good way...  Thank you !

@Queen Esther don't discourage commenting on this topic. I feel it is important for everyone to understand.  There is obviously a lot of confusion out there.  
You can unfollow the topic replies above if you don't want to be notified. :-)
thanks for the great post.  

Perhaps that is good counsel and I should be chastened by it. I will be.
I would hope that the image of someone lying such a thing routinely, casually and openly by their seat in this most non-violent of all places would be instantly recognized as a joke. But you're right. Humor does not universally translate. And there are many humorless people around. And humor is a spice at best; it is by no means a requirement for life. And it is a hair-trigger topic today.
Point taken.

WOW this is absolutely wonderful. This new service year Jehovah has allowed  me pioneer for 36 years I am 60 years old I  have been the pioneer since 2007 I always make sure to be active in the ministry due to seriuos health problems since 2005 I have made different avenue to preached and that is the cart witnessing inside of college recreation . Plus I email 6 rerturn,visits with bible questions using the tracts and ask the question and they email me the answer  back great way to keep up my spiritual routine also sharing online  videos and magazine FROM THE JW.org  site last month I was able to report placement 70 and lots of return visits.
so ther is still much work for us even if we are limited in what we do all JEHOVAH ASKED FOR IS OUR BEST. Maybe this can encourage others and to have this type of spiritual help fron this site is priceless  thanks to all who work hard to help us make studying joyful and rewarding
sister Darlene Antoine from Baytown Texas 

@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.

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.

They have explained it, just like I quoted.

NOT  you.....  @tromboneck   ----    I  meant   TrueTomHarley,  about  his  weird  idea,  I  should  paint  my  Bible  grey !!
Thats  so  silly....   Greetings  to  you  from  Germany  -  Agape !

I like it that the 80 year old elder tells his smart phone to remind him next year of John's wife's death anniversary. Even I, a regular right here on the WorldNewsMediaForum, am not savvy enough to do that.
I also like it that when the Bible is put down, the pages unfurl into a freeze-frame that is our badge. How cool is that?

Booby.....    What  a  silly  comment,   TrueTomHarley !!!!

The parents do that SPECIFICALLY so that "Santa Clause" gets the credit for the presents, and because of cultural peer pressure,  not the rightful originators.
In like manner the Governing Body gets credit for the "presents" ... and not the Brother or Sister that called something to your attention "early".
Remember the basic rule ...... EVERYTHING not specifically permitted ... is forbidden.
If you remember this, you will be approved for disparaging the "little brother", and learn more to love "Big Brother".
Winston Smith had to learn that the hard way ... in "Room 101".

Excellent point. When I worked in the Art Department at Bethel I first realized that "food at the proper time" for English readers was at about two months earlier than Spanish readers and between 6 and 8 months earlier than the average audience for other languages. For some of the books, the delay could be several years.

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).

@MHerzog The video is not actually "here" ... but really hosted on YouTube.com. It is only embedded on this page not hosted here.
No one forces anyone to click on a link with a title then open a page... and THEN press the PLAY button.
My guess is that there is sufficient "spoiler" alerts built in so as to the responsibility of the viewer not me or the owner of this website @admin who doesn't really care.
You might consider writing Larry Page / Sergey Brin of Google to see why they allow it on YouTube and see if they give a good reason for disobeying the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses' order to hundreds of thousands of followers to keep something a secret.
In my short experience on this earth... I haven't found even 3 people that could successfully keep a secret never mind hundreds of thousands of adoring fans in seats.

The great tragedy of 'group' drowning deaths is that good swimmers often get tired out and pulled down by trying to save the ones who cannot swim. Survivors are often haunted by the fact that the only reason they survived is that they decided to swim away and not help their drowning friends.

Although I am relying on a strong but fragmentary memory over 50 years old,  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?

@Cheeto
Hi. I'll try to answer your question fairly simply.
SIMPLE ANSWER
The basic reason is a difference in methods for when an extra lunar month needs to be added. In general every lunar calendar must add about 1 extra month every 3 years to match back up to the seasonal, solar calendar. In fact it's actually not 1 out of every 3 (which is the same as 6 out of 18), but it's 7 out of 19. If it were exactly 1 out of 3, you probably wouldn't see much of a problem because it would be easy to always match up to the Jewish calendar. We'd always know exactly when the leap month was going to be added. But a 7 out of 19 pattern could be done several different ways. The first table below, shows only three of a dozen different methods that could be used, and every one of them would be exactly right again after 19 years.
Since 1929, inclusive, we (JWs) have always followed the exact method in the "Christendom" column. (Always produces the same week as Easter.)  Prior to 1929 we (JWs) always used the exact method represented in the "Jewish" column.
The column in "Method 1" is just for comparison, although it's a well-documented method that has been used by many persons who find it simpler to remember a "1 out of 3" pattern for 18 years, and then correct it with an extra in the 19th year. The problem is that the method is too erratic and unnecessarily makes Spring about 5 weeks late in the 19th year. If these "leap months" are spread out more evenly, as in the "Jewish" method, then Spring will start no more than about 17 days early or 17 days late. In fact, the "Christendom" method effectively starts "Nisan 14/15" at the first full moon after the vernal spring equinox, so that the range is no more than 15 days before, or 15 days after.) 
Every range of 19 years in the following table should contain 7 years with 13 lunar months rather than 12.
Year# Method 1 Jewish Christndm Actual Yr 1 12 lun 13 lun 12 lun 1997 2 12 lun 12 lun 13 lun 1998 3 13 lun 12 lun 12 lun 1999 4 12 lun 13 lun 13 lun 2000 5 12 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2001 6 13 lun 13 lun 12 lun 2002 7 12 lun 12 lun 13 lun 2003 8 12 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2004 9 13 lun 13 lun 12 lun 2005 10 12 lun 12 lun 13 lun 2006 11 12 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2007 12 13 lun 13 lun 12 lun 2008 13 12 lun 12 lun 13 lun 2009 14 12 lun 13 lun 12 lun 2010 15 13 lun 12 lun 13 lun 2011 16 12 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2012 17 12 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2013 18 13 lun 13 lun 13 lun 2014 19 13 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2015 20 12 lun 13 lun 12 lun 2016 21 12 lun 12 lun 13 lun 2017 21 13 lun 12 lun 12 lun 2018
 
MORE COMPLICATED ANSWER
As you know, our calendar year is usually 365 days and sometimes 366 days, so that the average is about 365.25 days. So we divide it into months of either 28, 29, 30 or 31 days. So, our average month is therefore about 30.4 days. 
But if you measure each month by the time it takes the moon to cycle through all it's phases, then the average "lunar month" is 29.5 days. That means that if you start each lunar month when you see that first sliver of a "new moon," then it could be about 30 days until the sighting of the next new month, then 29 days the next new month after that, then 30, then 29, etc.
But that means that by the time you go through 12 lunar months, you will have a "year" of only 354 days. (12x29.5=354)  That's about 11 days shorter than a standard solar year. So if you want to stay matched up to the solar seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, WInter) you will have to add an extra lunar cycle (i.e., an extra 29 or 30-day month) about every three years. Otherwise, if you keep losing 11 days every year, then in a few years you will find yourself trying to pick summer fruits in the middle of winter, which doesn't work very well in Israel's climate, or almost any climate in the northern hemisphere.
Also, if you work it out more exactly, you will see that you it isn't exactly 1 extra lunar month for every 3 years, but 7 every 19 years. But even if it was always as easy as just 1 out of 3, and the pattern repeated continually, there is still no absolute reason to count every three years from the same starting years. The one out of three method works out to mean that you follow a pattern of -11, -11, +19, (repeating), which will be explained below. But there is no reason that one the pattern could not be chosen as -11, +19, -11, (repeating), or +19, -11, -11 (repeating). It's as if in the following example, you arbitrarily picked 2018 or 2019 as the FIRST YEAR and started repeating the cycle in that year, instead of 2017. 
Assume the current year is correct for when it starts the month of Nisan. (2016)
FIRST YEAR: Subtract 11 days to start Nisan next year (2017) 11 days, because 12 lunar months are 354 days and this is 11 days short of 365. SECOND YEAR: Subtract 11 more days to start Nisan the year after that (2018) 11 days short again, same reason. THIRD YEAR: Add 19 days to start Nisan the year after that (2019) 19 days, because 12 lunar months is still -11 (354) but you add a 30-day month (a second Adar) so that this year will be 384 days long.384-365=19; 30 minus 11 equals 19. REPEAT CYCLE for another 3 year cycle: -11, -11, +19.  (Ths can work for up to 18 years before you will need an extra adjustment.) I made a table of all the Memorial dates since the Watchtower started in 1879 up to the present. The following table includes includes only the years 1997 to 2018. These can be used to check the years that were effectively given a 13th month (second Adar). These are the years when Memorial is about 19 days later in the year than the previous year, rather than about 11 days earlier in the year. I bolded them. Notice that Easter is always the Sunday after our Memorial. Passover is always within a day or two, or within a day or two, plus an entire month.
YEAR MEMORIAL EASTER PASSOVER 1997 3/23/1997 3/30/1997 4/22/1997 1998 4/11/1998 4/12/1998 4/11/1998 1999 4/1/1999 4/4/1999 4/1/1999 2000 4/19/2000 4/23/2000 4/20/2000 2001 4/8/2001 4/15/2001 4/8/2001 2002 3/28/2002 3/31/2002 4/28/2002 2003 4/16/2003 4/20/2003 4/17/2003 2004 4/4/2004 4/11/2004 4/6/2004 2005 3/24/2005 3/27/2005 4/24/2005 2006 4/12/2006 4/16/2006 4/13/2006 2007 4/2/2007 4/8/2007 4/3/2007 2008 3/22/2008 3/23/2008 4/20/2008 2009 4/9/2009 4/12/2009 4/9/2009 2010 3/30/2010 4/4/2010 4/30/2010 2011 4/17/2011 4/24/2011 4/19/2011 2012 4/5/2012 4/8/2012 4/7/2012 2013 3/26/2013 3/31/2013 3/26/2013 2014 4/14/2014 4/20/2014 4/15/2014 2015 4/3/2015 4/5/2015 4/4/2015 2016 3/23/2016 3/27/2016 4/23/2016 2017 4/11/2017 4/16/2017 4/11/2017 2018 4/1/2018 4/4/2018 4/1/2018  
 

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.

Another thought, brother, for the "Friends" who simply can't make the convention: The BOE decides if they would be eligible to get the streaming link, and they can view the entire convention. Then, they can access, with a clear conscience, all of the releases, subsequent to that convention series. You see, Jehovah is so loving, that he look after the "lowly ones", and sees to their needs. But those who don't want to go to their assigned venue, and it is that group that my concerns were for. Sorry you couldn't understand that.
I looked at a post above, and someone has posted the manuscripts for the talks at the convention. Do you, also, agree with that?
 

It doesn't matter. "But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness"..., I will take the Apostle's advice. Thank you for your interesting dialogue.
 

Mr. tromboneck, again, sir, what is your standing in your congregation? There is another gentleman on this site, Jay Witness, that I would ask that question of. You can consider it rhetorical, or you can just ignore it altogether, but I think something is amiss here, if your conscience doesn't do anything to you anbout the unethical proliferation of our confidential material. If you have no issue with having the Elder's book online, or the entire library of talks for this year's convention, WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF THE BRANCH, then you really do need to examine WHO you are as a Christian.

Brother, that disclaimer is there. I have the material downloaded, as I have attended the convention, but it still asks the same question: "Have you attended the Convention". Yeah, it's still there. And what I asked was, if you agreed with the talks being posted online. There are far too many people, far too liberal, with the material that should not be viewed by just anyone. Not that there are secrets, but there are things that should be confidential. The Elders book for instance. That's online for download. Do you think the Branch is OK with that? "All things are lawful, but not all things are advantageous". (1 Corinthians 10:23) There are lines, that due to integrity, we should not cross.