CANDOR, n . Quality of being open, frank, or straightforward; whiteness, radiance, openness.
QUOTES ON CANDOR OF BIBLE WRITERS FROM GOVERNING BODY
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"Honest writers would record not just successes but also failures, not just strengths but also weaknesses. The Bible writers displayed such refreshing candor. "
"Indeed, many who have studied the Bible marvel at its…honesty and candor …."
"Furthermore, Jesus’ disciples are portrayed with remarkable honesty, with a candor that instills confidence in the reader. The writers whitewashed --- "no one---not even themselves…"
For one thing, it is contrary to fallen human nature to admit one’s mistakes, especially in writing."
ADVICE TO PARENTS FROM GOVERNING BODY
"Parents, do not pretend to be perfect. Admit mistakes and apologize to your children when necessary. Young people, when Mom and Dad admit a blunder, grow in love for them."
"Do you parents admit mistakes? If a child never hears his father or mother express humility, how can humility become his standard? There is this danger too: If the parents give the idea that they are never wrong, the child may feel that he can safely do whatever they do and it will always be right."
"Of course, imperfect parents are not always going to deal with situations in the best way. They will make mistakes. When children realize that, will it erode their respect for their parents? It may, especially if the parents try to gloss over their errors by harshly asserting their authority. But the outcome may be very different if the parents are humble and freely admit their mistakes. In this, they can set a valuable example for their children, who need to learn to do the same."
"This Dad may have felt that to hold on to his authority he should never admit to having made a mistake or having been in the wrong. Whatever the reasoning, his attitude was not one fostering communication and harmony within the family. By taking this ill-advised course, rather than strengthening his authority he was lowering himself in the eyes of his children. By admitting that at times he had been in the wrong he would have shown himself big enough to take the blame for mistakes!"
PARTING ADVICE TO GILEAD CLASS FROM GOVERNING BODY
"Admit Your Mistakes…Refusing to admit our mistakes is like claiming infallibility…Admitting our mistakes is the course of wisdom. How so? ‘No one can maintain the respect of others if he insists that he is right even when confronted with an obvious mistake. How can anyone have confidence in a person who he knows from experience will even sacrifice the truth just to give the appearance that he is right? Admitting a mistake builds in us strength, self-respect. But a failure to do so is cowardly, and it serves to weaken us morally.’
FURTHER ADVICE
"Admitting mistakes helps us to maintain a good relationship with God."
"Humility will move us to ‘pursue peace’ with our brothers, admitting our mistakes and making appropriate apology. This helps to maintain the unity of Jehovah’s family."
"Candor will keep us from being proud. To admit a mistake takes humility, and honesty will help us to accept the blame whenever we make a mistake. Since we keep falling short of what we strive to do, we have sound reason to be humble."
"Still more serious is the fact that refusing to admit it when we are wrong burdens us with a guilty conscience, especially if someone else gets the blame for what we have done. And if we shrink back from admitting one wrong, this may get to be a habit. Having refused to admit small mistakes, we may soon refuse to admit making large ones, all to our undoing."
CANDID QUESTONS TO [MOTHER] GOVERNING BODY
Do you think you display candor?
Do you freely admit mistakes?
Do you think you are too proud to do so?
Do you think admitting a mistake is a strength?
Do you think admitting a mistake builds self-respect?
Do you shrink back from admitting even small mistakes?
Do you take years before you own up to your mistakes?
Do you have a tendency to blame others first?
Do you pretend to be perfect?
Do you as the mother follow the advice you gave to fathers and mothers?
Do you try to gloss over your errors by harshly asserting your authority?
Do you think to hold on to your authority you should never admit a mistake?
Do you think you are fostering communication and harmony with your lack of candor?
Do you think you are strengthening or lowering your authority in the eyes of your children?
Do you think you are big enough to take the blame for your mistakes?
Do you think you are setting a valuable example for the children?
Do you sacrifice the truth for the appearance of being right?
Do you think that "refusing to admit [your] mistakes is like claiming infallibility?"
Do you think a habit is developing? Has developed?
Do you think the lack of candor and refusal to admit mistakes might contribute to your undoing?
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