Against the defence 'the light gets brighter' (Proverbs 4:18): The Watchtower of 1 December 1981 acknowledged that explanations 'have shown adjustments, seemingly to previous points of view', insisted that 'this has not actually been the case', compared the process to 'tacking', and said it 'has often served as a test of loyalty'. A reversal that later reverses again (the generation: 1951/1984 lifetime view; 1995 wicked contemporaries; 2008 anointed; 2010 overlapping anointed) is not a straight path of increasing light.
Claim ID claim-predictions-defence-light-gets-brighterConcerns 1 December 1981Context
1 December 1981 · p.27 · par. 2 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“At times explanations given by Jehovah's visible organization have shown adjustments, seemingly to previous points of view. But this has not actually been the case. This might be compared to what is known in navigational circles as 'tacking.'”
Uses Proverbs 4:18 ('the path of the righteous ... getting lighter') to frame doctrinal reversals as progress.
1 November 1995 · pp.10-21 · second article, par. 6 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“Jehovah's people have at times speculated about the time when the 'great tribulation' would break out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a generation since 1914. ... Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term 'generation' as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics.”
Redefines 'this generation' as the wicked contemporaries of the last days; first article (doc 1995804) sets out the lexical argument.
Notes. Note the framing 'Jehovah's people have at times speculated' where the calculations were published by the organisation itself (w84 5/15; rs p.97).
Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID.src-w-1995-1101-p10-21-generation
15 February 2008 · pp.23-24 · pars. 10-14 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“Previously, this journal has explained that ... 'this generation' mentioned at Matthew 24:34 meant 'the contemporaneous generation of unbelieving Jews.' ... So Jesus must have been referring to his disciples when he made the statement”
Second redefinition: the generation is the anointed who see the sign.
15 April 2010 · p.10 · par. 14 · Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
“He evidently meant that the lives of the anointed who were on hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation.”
Introduces the 'overlapping generation'; also stated in the 15 June 2010 annual-meeting report (doc 2010446, p. 5).
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