Has anyone noticed the inherent plurality of “spirit” in the outbound baptism question?
To clarify, put yourself in the position of a non-JW who is attending the convention.
When you hear “spirit-directed organization” as an outsider, you quickly surmise that the word “spirit” refers not to the “Holy Spirit” (singular) of the biblical context, but rather to ‘spirits’ in general.
The organization never said “Holy Spirit-directed”, just an unidentifiable “spirit”, thus making the “spirit” plural in nature as it could be any “spirit”, thus all ’spirits’.
Further, if an organization forthrightly claimed that it was in communication with and guided by “spirits” (plural) in nature, not precluding any spirit or spirits, even evil ‘spirits’, or demonic ‘spirits’, then it would word it’s claim similarly to the outbound question.
For example, the ‘high church of the devil’ teaches that it is guided by the demons (plural). Thus, it would claim that it is “spirit-directed”. It would not say that it is “spirits directed” as the plurality of the word “spirit” would be assumed, it would refer to not one spirit in particular, but many spirits (plural).
So, as an outsider, listening to the questions for baptism, but not exposed to clarifying information that defined the “spirit” in “spirit-directed” as the “Holy Spirit” of Christianity, it could, and I further would, be assumed that the JW organization is practicing divination.
