this is a copy of a PM i sent to V for a possible WT Comments article. At his request I am posting it here. Of course i suggest Leolaia's involvement in the research.
This is regarding the WTS use of the term "light" and its recent statements about "having no special insights" and "drawing certain conclusions"
I myself am very taken by the info I have uncovered and would love a collective effort on this research.
Hi V.
first off I have watched several of your clips and thoroughly enjoy them.
I have been thinking alot lately about "new light" of Proverbs 4vs 18 that the WTS constantly refers to as carte blanche for changing doctrine.
We all know the WTS long time stance as an infallible, non-inspired Organizaion, but with the recent statement of "having no special insights, not even more so than experienced GC" there appears to be dichotemy in the way the org freely uses the term "new light" and its admission of having no special insights.
*** w55 11/1 p. 659 pars. 6-7 Qualified to Be Ministers ***
“And immediately there fell from his eyes what looked like scales, and he recovered sight, and he rose and was baptized,” and he was
************ “filled with holy spirit.” ************
Acts 9:17, 18, NW) He washed his sins away in the cleansing blood of the Mediator of the new covenant by calling upon the name of the great Author of the new covenant, Jehovah God, who had covenanted to forgive iniquity and remember sin no more.—Heb. 9:14-26.
7 Saul, now baptized, forgiven and filled with holy spirit, felt adequately qualified and sent by God. Hence he at once took up the ministry for which he had been made fit
In the above quote Paul was fit to be a minister because he was filled with holy spirit.
*** w55 11/1 p. 659 par. 8 Qualified to Be Ministers ***
No one can be adequately qualified to be a minister of God in his new covenant unless, like Saul, he has the light from God through Christ shine upon him, repents of his sinful course, accepts God’s mercy, calls upon God’s name as the Forgiver of sins to have his sins washed away in the blood of Jesus’ sacrifice and gets baptized in water and thus shows faith and makes a public confession of that faith
in this quote qualified ministers are compared to Pual, having light shine upon them, yet the scripture upon which the discussion is based says nothing of light, but rather, Holy Spirit. So is Light not Holy Spirit? Dichotemy.
*** w81 12/1 pp. 16-17 par. 3 ‘Light Has Flashed Up for the Righteous’ ***
The experience of God’s servants has been just like that. Viewing certain matters from a distance in time and with only a little light on the subject often we have had an incomplete, and even an inaccurate, view of things. In such situations we may well have been influenced by previously held views.
But as the light gets brighter and we draw much closer to events, then our understanding of the outworking of God’s purposes becomes clearer. ******************Prophecies open up to us as Jehovah’s holy spirit sheds light upon them,**************** and as they are fulfilled in world events or in the experiences of God’s people. Has this not been just the way that Jehovah God has dealt with his servants from early times? Indeed it has been!
this quote from Albert Schroeder again connects light with HS. Yes the org spins the "spirit directed" BS but there is definitely more to this.
*** w95 5/15 p. 12 Flashes of Light in Apostolic Times ***
No More Circumcision
8 A further bright flash of truth appeared in connection with the question of circumcision...............
9 **************This time, it was not by means of an obvious miracle that those early Christians received the light that circumcision was no longer a requirement for Jehovah’s servants. Rather, they **received that increased light by searching the Scriptures,** looking to the holy spirit for guidance, and hearing the experiences of Peter and Paul regarding the conversion of uncircumcised Gentiles. (Acts 15:6-21) The decision was issued in a letter that read in part: **********“The holy spirit and we ourselves********* have favored adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things, to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication.” (Acts 15:28, 29) The early Christians were thus set free from the command to practice circumcision and from the other requirements of the Mosaic Law. Hence, Paul could tell the Galatian Christians: “For such freedom Christ set us free.”—Galatians 5:1.
Again, we see a connection of "New Light" and HS. This scripture clearly shows that the "first century GB" had HS. Yes they were apostles and the org says they themselves are not nor are they prophets yet we see the obvious dichotemy here.
"Light" in the scriptures is always connected with HS.
In the above article the WTS attempts to sway the reader from seeing this by its statement in paragraph 9
-"This time, it was not by means of an obvious miracle that those early Christians received the light that circumcision was no longer a requirement for Jehovah’s servants. Rather, they **received that increased light by searching the Scriptures,** looking to the holy spirit for ****guidance****, and hearing the experiences of Peter and Paul regarding the conversion of uncircumcised Gentiles. (Acts 15:6-21" - END QUOTE
The WTS tries to draw a parallel between the "Light" they receive to the "light" the apostles received.
Yet the apostles DID HAVE Holy Spirit!!!!!!!
Thus, with the recent "no special insights" comment and the "draw certain conclusions" statement - in other words, GUESSES - How can the org claim they have "New Light" (or any Light for that matter) when by their own admission they are just making guesses and have no more insight than non-annointed? If they have "Light" as per Acts 15:28, 29 then they claim to have Holy Spirit (inspiration), if they claim that the apostles were NOT provided the light on circumcision via Holy Spirit - which they do in w95 5/15 p. 12 par. 9 - then they contradict Acts 15:28, 29
I know this logic requires more substance but I am sure it is out there. Between myself, you and perhaps Leolaia we could substantiate this line of reasoning. It just smacks of Double-think. The WTS expects the R&F to unquestionably accept their everchanging teachings as New Light but then the R&F defend the errors of the GB by saying they are uninspired.
If I am out to lunch on this then I appreciate you taking the time to read this lengthy PM
Thanks for all your efforts
