If you were a GB member how would you reply to this letter?
I am writing in reply to your letter of the 22 Nov 2001.
I had previously written with concern over some statements found in the Aug 1, 2001 Watchtower pg 14 which stated, a mature Christian “does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbour private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding”
You asked me not to take the statement out of context, but failed to explain clearly how I had done so.
It is my understanding that it is believed that the Governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses has the sole responsibility and is the sole channel that can understand and teach Gods message in the Bible. If you do not agree with the “spiritual food” provided by them in some matter , this above statement seams to be telling us to forgo the use of our minds even on these private issues and to trust what someone else says , even ideas make little sense to you.
In fact since Christian living based on the Bible touches on all aspects of our lives , we are asked only to have ideas or opinions which are directed by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s witnesses.
You direct me to the book of Matthew and talk of the “wonderful provision that he (God) has made to reveal truth through the faithful and discrete slave.” Yet these are not the words of the Bible, nor does the bible indicate that our minds would have to be kept in check by a “faithful and discrete slave”
The fact than some men could be used by God to help others understand the Bible , does not in its self lead to the conclusion that they solely can understand the bible or that others must come to be in complete agreement with such men or otherwise be viewed as immature Christians.
In fact there is also a difference between the “faithful and discrete slave” and the governing body of Jehovah's witnesses, that has oversight as regard to what is believed by Jehovah's witnesses. Many of the “faithful slave”, that is anointed ones on Earth, have no part in deciding what is considered spiritual truth by Jehovah's witnesses. Most have never been consulted by the Governing body.
So I can see no scriptural backing for the idea that you cannot have private understanding of Biblical matters.
A scripture from 2 Peter 1 is mentioned , but this is talking about prophecy coming from God, not man .I can not see what bearing that has on the matter, as it is talking of how God used men to utter prophecy.
The idea of not having private ideas as in regard to the Bible , raises some important issues in my mind.
This means we must put our complete trust in the governing body , that they are used exclusively by God and the Bible is not understandable without help from them .
When we put this in line with the comment found in the July 1 2001 Watchtower pg 18 p 3. “Religious exhortations to the effect that you should just believe and should doubt nothing are dangerous and deceptive” we get a problem.
Does this only apply to other religions or to Jehovah’s witnesses also?. Is it only Catholics , born again , muslins etc that need to consider that issue?
The book “Is there a creator who cares about you” uses a quote on pg. 9 p3, “We invite all who have an open mind to consider this subject. The book Belief in God and Intellectual Honesty notes that one who possesses “intellectual honesty“ is characterised by a readiness to scrutinize what one believes to be true“ and “to pay sufficient attention to other evidence available.””
It does seem dangerous to me that we should let others do our thinking for us , if they make mistakes in understanding Gods word , and because of following them we do also, how do we stand in Gods eyes?
Can people who supported such regimes as the Nazis , with blessing from their church to do so, claim they are innocent since they were just following who they believed were Gods representatives on Earth?
What if the society tells us, to do , or not to do something and this turns out to be wrong, yet all along we knew it was wrong but chose to forgo our reasoning ability and conscience due to fear of disobeying the Governing Body of Jehovah's witnesses?
This has happened before. And everyone in the Governing Body knows it.
Beliefs and polices have changed, and mistakes have been made.
Does it make sense then to criticise other religions for following their leaders blindly when Jehovah's witnesses are encouraged to do the same?
Should we not be following the principle of the July 1 watchtower , in testing all we believe and making decisions for ourselves? Not blindly following what others tell us to think due to fear of being considered disloyal or rebellious.
Is it not dangerous for men to believe that they speak on behalf of God, and that they have absolute authority over his creatures ?Did God write the Bible only for the Governing body or for humans to read and understand?
If I have misunderstood these issues I would like to know how and why.
I thank you for your time in considering this letter.