"New Light" on "New Light" creates a dilemma (July 15, 2010 WT)

by pirata 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  pirata

  For the majority of my years in the truth, the "new light" did not bother me at all.

  I reasoned this way: "The faithful slave is imperfect, right? Logically they're going to make mistakes. The main thing is that they're trying to do God's will they best they can and stick as close to the Bible as they understand it." The "tacking in the wind thing" kind of made sense to me.

  Now this year in the April 2010 WT, and more so in the July 2010 study articles, the claim is specifically made that changes in teachings are made by Holy Spirit:

  When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of “the faithful and discreet slave” at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13) The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. (Acts 15:6) What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all. (Matt.10:27) As time goes on, further clarifications may be needed, and these too are honestly explained.

  These statements have totally laid waste to my rationalization that 'new light' is required due to human imperfection. If indeed the Holy Spirit is responsible for changing the JWs understandings, that means that our changes were NOT due to human imperfection. It means that God used his holy spirit to change the Faithful Slave's understanding.

  Does that make sense?

  Flip-Flops:

  These cannot be understood as clarifications. These are changes that were changed at least once, and then returned to an earlier understanding. This means that at least one of them must be untrue. Why would God, who "cannot lie", use the Holy Spirit to mislead his people into believing an untruth, even if "beneficial" at the current time?

  The superior authorities: Governments => Jehovah and Jesus => Governments

  The Generation: People in General living between 1874-1914 => Chosen Ones (Congregation, Anointed) => People who understood 1914 => People born in 1914 => Wicked people in general => Anointed => Anointed born on or before 1914 overlap with anointed who see armageddon

  Sodom and Gomorrah Resurrected: Yes/No/Yes/No...

  The meaning of the Leaven: Righteousness => Unrighteousness => Righteousness

  Science and faulty logic

  Blood Fractions: Minor blood fractions allowed because of a scientific study showing that God designed/allows for transfer of some minor fractions between fetus and mother. How can it be rationalized that using a large amount of blood to make a small amount of fraction is okay and respects the principle of the "life is in the blood".

  Predictions

  1925, 1975, etc. These have been written off by the Faithful Slave as "eager expectation". They had to be written off because NOTHING happened in those years. This contradicts the claim that "deep truths" are delivered by the Holy Spirit to the representatives of the Faithful and Discreet Slave at the world headquarters.

  How is a witness supposed to know which new truths are from the holy spirit and which ones are due to human mistake (eager expectations)?

  Lives lost/ruined due to old light

  Why would the holy spirit allow lives to be lost/ruined for a long time before deciding to let the Faithful Slave know the truth?

  Death due to refusing Organ Transplants and Minor Blood Fractions

  Not allowed to divorce a marriage mate who cheated by commiting bestiality or homosexuality.

  Inconsistencies

  Malawi vs Mexico: One of God's primary qualities is Justice. Why would God use the holy spirit to guide the Governing body to decide that witnesses in Malawi must refuse to buy a political party card in order to be "no part of the world", at the risk facing death and rape, wheareas it was decided that it was a matter of conscience for Mexican brothers to bribe an official to get a card that identified one as having served in the military?

  Human Mistakes? Okay. But just don't blame the Holy Spirit.
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  OnTheWayOut

  These explanations are hollow. They are saying "We are not saying we are inspired, we just want to imply that. We leave the loophole that we are 'spirit-directed' and explain it as if we are inspired so that you will put faith in everything we say. Then we might change it later and try to make you feel that we always had Holy Spirit guidance. We are not saying that we have our correct understanding of everything right now, but we do."
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  sir82

  As time goes on, further clarifications may be needed, and these too are honestly explained.

  A "clarification" takes you from "Well it might mean this, or that, or the other thing, we're not really sure" to "It definitely means this".

  A "clarification" is NOT "It definitely means this" followed by "No it absolutely means the opposite" followed by "Well, we certainly had it right all along" followed by "Well, it turns out both those earlier ideas were wrong, but this time we've got it" followed by....
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  Terry

  Bottom line? We (Watchtower) are not the ones behind the curtain pulling the lever! Don't blame us!

  Scapegoating the Holy Spirit is quite a new low. In fact, it might even be the Unforgiveable Sin!
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  restrangled

  Pirata, I agree with you and base my opinion on what was mentioned in COC as to the major decision making by the GB:

  Some falling asleep DURING voting, some voting, and just one of the following examples:

  from page 141 Crisis of Conscience Fourth addition revised and updated:

  "Because of the power of control the organization exercises over its members through its decisions, and because of the enormous effect that these can have on people's lives it seems proper here to review what I consider one the greatest examples of inconsistency experienced in my nine years on that Body. It still seems difficult to believe that men who voiced such strong concern for "an uncompromising stand," could simultaneously gloss over a circumstance that can only be described as shocking. You may judge the appropriateness of that term by what follows."

  If you have the book you can read Chapter 6....DOUBLE STANDARDS.

  It's absolutely understandable this book is labeled "apostate". In reality its not. That label apostate is given as a scare tactic to avoid any current members getting insight into exactly what happens. There are no accusations, just descriptions of inner workings that no one has ever had privy to....

  Kind of like the Kremlin? Catholic church hierarchy, congress, senate, heck even Goldman Sachs!!!!!

  r.
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  Lozhasleft

  Once again I assert that they're giving Jehovah/God/the Almighty ...a bad name...now via the holy spirit...

  I agree with the premise that with the 'new light' clarifications should by definition be something that was seen previously albeit 'cloudily' but now has become crystal clear. Their new light theories are after all based on Proverbs 4:18 which I seem to recall states that the 'light will get brighter'.

  This would not ever tie in their methods of saying one thing and then changing it and saying the opposite, or something entirely different.

  Loz x
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  heathen

  Lmao@restrangled Just another ponzi scheme in the works . Holy spirit the comodity that can't be assessed can be manipulated and blamed or sold to a bunch of brain dead zombies for a life time of service, without any accountability .
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  My Struggle

  Pirata,

  I love the way that you broke down the various errors by the WTBTS.
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  stillajwexelder

  I agree with Terry -sinning against the Holy Spirit is an unforgiveable sin
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  pirata

  In the past we said this:

  It is not claimed that the explanations in this publication are infallible. (Revelation Climax--p. 9)

  Those who make up the one true Christian organization today do not have angelic revelations or divine inspiration. (Kingdom Proclaimers--p.708)

  Although the slave class is defined as "faithful and discreet," Jesus did not say that it would be infallible. This group of faithful anointed brothers still consists of imperfect Christians. Even with the best of intentions, they can be mistaken, as such men sometimes were in the first century. (WT December 1, 2002--p. 17)

  Looking at the recent paragraph some more I think OnTheWayOut is right. They stop short of saying they are directed by the Holy Spirit, but rather that the Holy Spirit "helps" them. Still, though, this gives the impression that all new understandings are a result of the help of the Holy Spirit.