Beautiful analogy, Awakened... and I think I'll use it myself! Forgive me if I don't quote you when slipping this into conversation with my loved ones still in!
Cheers!
Baba
"New light"...
by Awakened07 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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BabaYaga
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MissingLink
My wife is reading CoC. (I'm so proud of her! ) And she is just shocked by it all. This very point of "where does new light come from"; she commented how it was just a bunch of old guys fighting about their own views. The r&f don't have a clue that this is the process. The top GB dude kicks the bucket, and all of a sudden a whole load of new light appears! Wow.
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proplog2
Jehovah's Witnesses have been consistent on some things:
No - Immortal Soul
No - Hell Fire
No - Trinity
Baptism by immersion
Don't eat blood
Don't kill people in war
Keep end in mind
everyone has responsibility to make converts
moral cleanness
there are more...
But these are the most important things.
The things that have flip flopped and changed have to do with reactions to governmental policy legal climate, exact end-time scenarios, size of the organzation (structure of leadership) , relationship to technology (blood transfusions), social change (role of women and race).
The changes they have made are the kind of changes an organization has to make together to avoid schism. It is expected that change has to be certified from the top down. Change may emerge from the bottom (rank & file) but for change to be effective you need executive direction.
As far as date setting. There would be no organization of JW's if they didn't believe the end was near. Since this is a large part of their orientation they are expected to explain prophecy. I have commented many times on why the mistakes they have made were necessary mistakes. But I am absolutely confident that when the time comes they will understand end time prophecy. The main thing they have to understand yet is the real identity of Babylon the Great and the disgusting thing that acts in a way that presages the complete destruction of Babylon the Great and finally the need for literal flight from Babylon the Great.
I know how the story ends. Not because "God" told me. I rely on my un-conventional intuition. -
cognac
Did they actually state this in print??? If so, where did they state this??? Thanks, I have a feeling I'm going to be questioned soon and this information would be very helpful!!!"But the FDS aren't inspired at all - they've said so lately, so this doesn't apply anymore."
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Awakened07
I know what your position is on this proplog2, but it's a bit besides the point of this thread, as Jehovah's Witnesses believe that their organization is the only God directed entity on earth today.
How many mistakes does JWs acknowledge that the Bible - which admittedly was penned by fallible men - has? Conversely - how many mistakes should God's only organization have in the final days before the end, arguably the most important time in mankind's history? Again - not according to your understanding of all this, but JWs own.
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DJPoetech
Missing Link: Glad your wife is coming aboard. I am still praying that my wife will see the light... The right light.
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Awakened07
Did they actually state this in print??? If so, where did they state this???
-It's a bit 'messy' - they claim to be spirit directed, but at the same time, they're not inspired. I don't have a quote on hand, but I'm sure someone here can come up with it.
If you trust a YouTube interview (JWs won't, so it's rather pointless in that regard), you can hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqX5aQ51uxM
However, the May 1st. 2007 Watchtower (page 31) states:
How should a person be viewed who has determined in his heart that he is now anointed and begins to partake of the emblems at the Memorial? He should not be judged. The matter is between him and Jehovah. (Romans 14:12) However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special "insights," beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have. They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the other sheep have; nor do they expect special treatment or claim that their partaking of the emblems places them above the appointed elders in the congregation.
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cognac
Thanks Awakened!!!
All I have to say is this:
"Well, let's say that the FDS is God's spirit directed org. According to the 5/1/07 wt, that doesn't mean that they have any special insights that the Great Crowd doesn't have. So, that means I don;t have things wrong just because they state something different. Given this new light, there are a lot of things that I don't agree with. Also, I have to honestly answer to Jehovah for the decisions that I make and I feel that that is exactly what I am doing based on my knowledge and conscious according to what is written in the scriptures. I cannot let myself do something that I feel very strongly is wrong towards Jehovah due to peer pressure and you should never, ever make me feel otherwise."
What the heck could he possibly say to that???