For the majority of my years in the truth, the "new light" did not bother me at all.
I reasoned this way: "The faithful slave is imperfect, right? Logically they're going to make mistakes. The main thing is that they're trying to do God's will they best they can and stick as close to the Bible as they understand it." The "tacking in the wind thing" kind of made sense to me.
Now this year in the April 2010 WT, and more so in the July 2010 study articles, the claim is specifically made that changes in teachings are made by Holy Spirit:
When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of “the faithful and discreet slave” at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. (Matt. 24:45; 1 Cor. 2:13) The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. (Acts 15:6) What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all. (Matt.10:27) As time goes on, further clarifications may be needed, and these too are honestly explained.
These statements have totally laid waste to my rationalization that 'new light' is required due to human imperfection. If indeed the Holy Spirit is responsible for changing the JWs understandings, that means that our changes were NOT due to human imperfection. It means that God used his holy spirit to change the Faithful Slave's understanding.
Does that make sense?
Flip-Flops:
These cannot be understood as clarifications. These are changes that were changed at least once, and then returned to an earlier understanding. This means that at least one of them must be untrue. Why would God, who "cannot lie", use the Holy Spirit to mislead his people into believing an untruth, even if "beneficial" at the current time?
The superior authorities: Governments => Jehovah and Jesus => Governments
The Generation: People in General living between 1874-1914 => Chosen Ones (Congregation, Anointed) => People who understood 1914 => People born in 1914 => Wicked people in general => Anointed => Anointed born on or before 1914 overlap with anointed who see armageddon
Sodom and Gomorrah Resurrected: Yes/No/Yes/No...
The meaning of the Leaven: Righteousness => Unrighteousness => Righteousness
Science and faulty logic
Blood Fractions: Minor blood fractions allowed because of a scientific study showing that God designed/allows for transfer of some minor fractions between fetus and mother. How can it be rationalized that using a large amount of blood to make a small amount of fraction is okay and respects the principle of the "life is in the blood".
Predictions
1925, 1975, etc. These have been written off by the Faithful Slave as "eager expectation". They had to be written off because NOTHING happened in those years. This contradicts the claim that "deep truths" are delivered by the Holy Spirit to the representatives of the Faithful and Discreet Slave at the world headquarters.
How is a witness supposed to know which new truths are from the holy spirit and which ones are due to human mistake (eager expectations)?
Lives lost/ruined due to old light
Why would the holy spirit allow lives to be lost/ruined for a long time before deciding to let the Faithful Slave know the truth?
Death due to refusing Organ Transplants and Minor Blood Fractions
Not allowed to divorce a marriage mate who cheated by commiting bestiality or homosexuality.
Inconsistencies
Malawi vs Mexico: One of God's primary qualities is Justice. Why would God use the holy spirit to guide the Governing body to decide that witnesses in Malawi must refuse to buy a political party card in order to be "no part of the world", at the risk facing death and rape, wheareas it was decided that it was a matter of conscience for Mexican brothers to bribe an official to get a card that identified one as having served in the military?
Human Mistakes? Okay. But just don't blame the Holy Spirit.