*****posted by "Venice" from H2O*****
Hi all:
Would you believe it if someone told you that the December 1, 2000 issue of The Watchtower gives its readers permission to reject the published conclusions of the organization if these should in any way contradict God, ignore his Word, and violate common sense? You decide.
Read the following sizable extract from an article titled, “Must You Believe It?”:
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The 12-year-old student was struggling to grasp the basic principle of algebra. His teacher presented the class with a seemingly straightforward algebraic calculation.
“Let x=y and let them both have the value of 1,” he began.
‘So far so good,’ thought the student.
After four lines of what looked like logical calculation, however, the teacher produced a startling result: “Therefore, 2=1!”
“Disprove that,” he challenged his bemused students.
With his very limited knowledge of algebra, the young student could not see how to disprove it. Every step in the calculation looked perfectly valid. Should he, then, believe this strange conclusion? After all, his teacher was much more versed in mathematics than he was. Of course he should not! ‘I do not have to disprove this,’ he thought to himself. ‘Common sense tells me that this is absurd.’ (Proverbs 14:15,18) He knew that neither his teacher nor any of his classmates were going to exchange two dollars for one!
In time the algebra student did find the flaw in the computation. Meanwhile, the experience taught him a valuable lesson. Even when someone with vastly superior knowledge presents a carefully crafted and seemingly unassailable argument, a listener need not believe a foolish conclusion simply because he cannot disprove it at the time. The student was actually following a very practical Bible principle found at 1 John 4:1—not to believe too quickly everything you hear, even when it appears to come from an authoritarian source.
This does not mean that you should stubbornly stick to preconceived ideas. It is a mistake to close your mind to information that could adjust mistaken views. But neither should you be “quickly shaken from your reason” in the face of pressure from someone who claims to have great knowledge or authority. (2 Thessalonians 2:2) The teacher, of course, was merely playing a trick on his students. Sometimes, though, things are not so innocent. People can be extremely “cunning in contriving error.”—Ephesians 4:14; 2 Timothy 2:14,23,24….
The most renowned of thinkers have been proved wrong again and again, even though what they taught seemed at the time to be beyond dispute….
The situation is the same today. In contrast with the confusing and conflicting opinions of men, God’s inspired Word provides a solid foundation on which we can base our beliefs. (John 17:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21) Without it we are left in the impossible situation of trying to build something solid on the shifting sands of human theories and philosophies.—Matthew 7:24-27….
Whatever authority people may arrogate to themselves, you do not have to accept their conclusions if they contradict God, ignore his Word, and violate common sense. In the final analysis, the wise course is always to “let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.”—Romans 3:4. (pp. 29-31)
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Would you say that unprecendented groundwork is being laid for the emerging of a New, more open-minded, thinking, autonomous, JW for the future or 21st century? One that does not have to "cowtow" down to every whim and wish of the G.B./WTS? Could this information be used to substantiate such a "new" viewpoint?
What do you think?
TFS
Edited by - TFS on 1 November 2000 8:21:51