Shift in beliefs?

by blankspace 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • blankspace
    blankspace

    I was wondering whether anyone observed this point in the previous week's WT study, in paragraph 17: "Jehovah’s spirit moves “the faithful steward” to keep giving His servants their food supply."

    I see this as a subtle move away from earlier claims to be channel for spiritual food. The GB earlier said that they weren't inspired or infallible. Now they say that Jehovah's spirit moves there to provide food. So logically they're saying that the spirit just motivates them and doesn't speak through them, thereby nullifying earlier claims of them being the John class.

    I wonder where this subtle shift in statements is going to lead.

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    Yes it sounds like watering down I think you are correct.

  • blondie
    blondie

    I'm no psychologist but I would call it conditioning

    What does it mean to condition someone?
    1[usually passive] to train somebody/something to behave in a particular way or to become used to a particular situation condition somebody/something (to something) the difference between inborn and conditioned reflexes (= reactions that are learned/not natural) Patients can become conditioned to particular forms of ...

    https://www.psychologistworld.com/memory/conditioning-intro

    Examples of Conditioning

    A dog receiving positive attention after fetching a stick back to its owner, learns to associate bringing the object back with favorable attention - positive reinforcement.

    A rat in a cage with an electrified floor learns that by pressing a lever, the electrical shock will stop - negative reinforcement.

    A cat being shouted at for scratching furniture is discouraged to repeat this - positive punishment.

    A child not being allowed to watch television after misbehaving associates bad behavior with an absence of rewards - negative punishment.

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    The only thing being moved are the goal posts and the Watchtower is doing the moving.

    Good catch Blankspace!

  • StephaneLaliberte
    StephaneLaliberte

    Quite frankly, not sure that it means anything considering that they expect the same authority as being full fledged inspired prophets anyway.

  • Pickwick
    Pickwick

    Hello blankspace.

    A nice finding. Could I add this :


    The Watchtower Study Edition 2017 February p.26 paragraph 12

    “The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction.”

    and

    The Watchtower Simplified Edition 2017 February p.24 paragraph 12

    12 The Governing Body is neither inspired nor perfect. It can make mistakes when explaining the Bible or directing

    the organization.

    Greetings

    Pickwick

  • waton
    waton

    when they use the move word. they become a moving target, at no fixed point is the "truth" stable. How about those wheels within wheels, being able to park the celestial chariot going sideways into the tiniest places? Instant course change? better have military grade seat belts on the seat above.

    The phrase excuses past moves, and opens the excuse for future ones.

    Even the name they are [ab]using spells change at one's whim.

    just observing, not affected.

  • Vidiot
    Vidiot

    Just more weasel words to try and avoid being responsible for stupid shit that results from doing what they say.

  • westiebilly11
    westiebilly11

    If they profess to err etc and are not inspired or infallible, then how can they come down on 'honest' ones who express sincere reservations within their ranks? There may be some who seek truth and yet may disagree with the society's 'current' thinking...perhaps it's time for open discussion at meetings rather than just swallow and regurgitate present day doctrines..

  • days of future passed
    days of future passed

    I remember the articles about how Holy Spirit is used to pick the elders. How the GB is chosen and inspired by Holy Spirit. How they made changes with the Holy Spirit.

    All this in effect, made them infallible. Because when you have God using the Holy Spirit to "illuminate" the scriptures to the GB to make these changes, you couldn't be making mistakes or be wrong. Hence their use of "new light" as an explanation and all of the mumbo jumbo that went into using the illustration of how when the sun comes up, gradually you will see more detail and so the understanding becomes much clearer etc. Then you had the "tacking" of the ship explanation. All of this piling on explaining their flip flopping, means that not everyone was buying it so they had come up with something else. It also put into the followers minds, that nothing is clear cut with the workings of Holy Spirit and so they should leave it to the GB.

    Then the article came out about them not being infallible and that they were "spirit directed" instead of Holy spirit inspiring them. Which to me means the GB is not going to accept responsibility for past "mistakes" or present ones. They can wash their hands of it all. And the regular JW's love that the leaders are being "so humble" and are just like them.

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