"Slave Organization" Re-defines A "Beroean" -- Ones "Willing to Believe" Without Checking Scriptures
Something very diabolical I believe is going on with the WTS. Years ago, when I joined the JW organization, we were encouraged to become a "beroean". Back then, it used to be a good thing to be a "beroean". One who scrutinizes all things with regards to all "religious instruction". The true "beroean" was one who verifies, checks all important matters and "makes sure of all things" as to important "religious instruction". When it comes to these very important, the wise course would be NOT to foolishly " put faith in every word" but be "the shrewd one who carefully considered all his steps". The WTS initially recommended this course for all christians. What happened? -- Proverbs 14:15
In 1957, newly interested ones and rank and file JWs were given the following "food" as acceptable "christian" behavior, by the Faithful and Discreet Slave. The "Beroean" procedure was fully endorsed and encouraged by the WTS to assist individuals to arrive a proper understanding of scripture and God's Will. The WTS said:
"Third, to lay a foundation for understanding that is sound, one must be willing to compare any religious instruction he receives with the Scriptures. Can it be proved by the Bible? If not, then reject it. God's command is: "Make sure of all things." The Bible commends those who do this, such as the Beroeans of whom the scripture says: "Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest readiness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so." They examined even the teaching of the apostle Paul, checking it carefully with the Scriptures. So lay the right kind of foundation for understanding by following the Bible counsel: "Prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and complete will of God." -- 1 Thess. 5:21; Acts 17:11; Rom. 12:2 -- 6/1/1957 Watchtower page 327
So a Beroean was one who "carefully examined the scriptures" to make sure, the message had true scriptural backing. They "carefully checked the scriptures", daily. The WTS said: If the teacher couldn't prove it, then reject it! Even if the teaching was from Paul an apostle, no that didn't matter. Paul's teachings was not exempt from this possibility of proper "rejection" using the "Beroean" procedure. The Beroean was the recommended course. He was one who always "proved to himself" all things. He made sure. And we notice the WTS used 1 Thess. 5:21 and Romans 12:2 in conjunction with Acts 17:11, which say, "prove it to yourself" the will of God, and "make sure of all things". That's "Beroean" procedure.
Now, the latest spiritual "food" from the "faithful and discreet slave organization" on the attitude of a "Beroean".
"But does this mean that those Beroeans were looking for flaws in the message they were hearing, or that their attitude was one of doubting? Does this set a precedent for regarding critically the publications brought forth by the faithful and discreet slave, with a view to finding fault? Not at all!...These Beroeans listened with a readiness, yes, an eagerness, to believe. Thus not only were they open-minded, but they were wanting to have this good news proved true. In fact, for a person to acquire faith he must have "the will to believe." If he is determined not to believe, then no amount of evidence will convince him; for if a person looks for them he can always find excuses, plausible reasons for not accepting the accountability that belief will bring upon him...But the Beroeans had the will to believe. They considered what they heard with a receptive frame of mind...Jesus' disciples wrote many letters to Christian congregations, to persons who were already in the way of the truth." But nowhere do we read that those brothers first, in a skeptical frame of mind, checked the Scriptures to make certain that those letters had Scriptural backing, that the writers really knew what they were talking about...the record that the faithful and discreet slave organization has made for the past more than 100 years forces us to the conclusion that Peter expressed when Jesus asked if his apostles also wanted to leave him, namely, "Whom shall we go away to?" No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the faithful and discreet slave organization." -- 2/15/81 Watchtower pages 18, 19
So now, "the faithful and discreet slave organization" (and not Jehovah's apparently), says the brothers of the first century DID NOT CHECK THE SCRIPTURES to make certain of the veracity or truthfulness of the message. They did not check the scriptures, but approached these things with an "open frame of mind" and genuine "willingness to believe". This is what's important. The attitude of the reader. The "Beroean" would just accept the message without checking. Otherwise, that would be a "critical", "skeptical frame of mind". That would be an unseemly inappropriate attitude to take on all messages coming forth from the "faithful and discreet slave organization" and publications "coming forth" from them. Do not check, just be willing to believe the "slave". Because "you cannot find the scriptural guidance you need outside" of the WTS. So just be willing to believe.
Does anybody else here see something awfully diabolical or sinister in such a statement?
Big change here, I think.
BTW, on another "sinister" note, when did it change from "Jehovah's Organization" to the "faithful and discreet slave organization"? I thought the organization belonged to Jehovah? Did that change? What's this "faithful and discreet slave organization" stuff I'm reading? I missed that one. Has anyone else noticed that subtle change in their writings?
winsome