jehovah-s-witness-beliefs
What Does “This Generation” Mean to Jehovah’s Witnesses?
One of the most recognizable teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the belief that we are living in “the last days.” Closely connected with this belief is Jesus’ statement recorded at Matthew 24:34:
“This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”
For much of the twentieth century, Jehovah’s Witnesses understood this verse to refer to the generation of people who were alive in 1914, the year they believe Jesus Christ began ruling invisibly in heaven.
Read moreWhen Bible Principles Become Organizational Laws | Jehovah's Witnesses and Christian Conscience
The Watchtower's July 12, 2026 study says that Bible principles should guide our conscience.This raises an unavoidable question:
If a Bible principle is supposed to guide the conscience, what happens when an organization removes the conscience from the decision by making the principle into a rule?
That's the irony at the heart of the article. On one hand, the article praises conscience. On the other hand, the organization's history shows a repeated pattern of replacing conscience with regulations in areas such as smoking, gambling, tobacco sales, military-related employment, birthdays, and other matters. That contrast gives your article its central point without needing to overstate the criticism.
Read more