Still Waiting For the Governing Body To Explain Their “New Light”

by Cameron_Don 66 Replies latest jw friends

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  Cameron_Don

  Regarding the Governing Body’s “new light” relative to Matthew 24:45-47, Anointedjw.org recently said the following:

  “This ‘new light’ certainly poses a problem for the Governing Body. Perhaps this is another reason why they have not yet published a sober and scriptural xplanation of this ‘new light.’ Perhaps in their attempt to write a logical and reasonable explanation, they have come up against problems like this and have not found a way out.”

  When “Captives of a Concept” came out in 2004 it emphasized the importance of understanding the Society’s then current interpretation of Matthew 24:45-47. It doesn’t take long to realize the problems that old interpretation caused when compared to the organization’s history that related to that interpretation.

  The book then said, “The Governing Body inherited their interpretation of Matthew 24:45-47 and are now stuck with it. To date they have not been able to figure a way to get out of it.”

  It would seem that the Governing Body’s recent “new light” is their attempt to find a way out of the mess that was created by that “old light” interpretation. It may well be that their “new light” may just create an even bigger mess when or if they ever do try to explain it.

  Don Cameron
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  tornapart

  Yes it's been months since they introduced it. Lots of JWs haven't even seen it on jw.org yet! Those that have (that I've spoken to) seem a little uncomfortable about it, not really quite knowing what to make of it. I mean, why bring out a 'new light' and then hide it under a bushel?

  It may just wake a few more JWs up....
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  AnnOMaly

  It's crossed my mind that they've been waiting for feedback - either by personal communication from puzzled JWs or by snooping around internet forums. Once they know what JWs'/ex-JWs' biggest criticisms are, they can work on how to spin the study articles.

  Whatever's really going on behind the scenes, it is very strange that a WT article wasn't ready to publish soon after the AGM.

  Anyway, never mind. All we need to remember is this:

  w08 8/15 p. 6 par. 15 Jehovah Will Not Leave His Loyal Ones

  With hearts full of gratitude, we stay close to "the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time." Christ has appointed this slave "over all his belongings." (Matt. 24:45-47) Therefore, even if we as individuals do not fully understand a certain position taken by the slave class, that is no reason for us to reject it or return to Satan's world. Instead, loyalty will move us to act humbly and wait on Jehovah to clarify matters.

  J/k.
• 

  wasblind

  
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  wannabefree

  I suppose they may eventually have to get around to explaining it ... although they would probably be better off not doing it since most JW's seem to think that it is what they already believed anyway.

  All they really have to do is drop the term Governing Body, representatives of the Faithful and Discreet Slave ... which they already have done ... noboby would know a difference.

  I have spoken to a number of people about it (an elder, 2 disfellowshipped men, pioneer, wife, baptized daughter, mother in-law, father in-law), every one thought it wasn't a change at all, they already believed it that way and if it even was a change it was just a technicality. Watch Tower should be pleased, the gradual way they introduced it did it's job.
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  Christ Alone

  In the past I've noticed that they've waited til April before releasing info on the new light. I've been waiting for the April WT's to come out assuming that they'd be there.
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  ScenicViewer

  Cameron_Don said,

  It may well be that their “new light” may just create an even bigger mess when or if they ever do try to explain it.

  I believe you are right. There are a few issues that need to be explained; not that they will ever attempt to answer the hard questions, they may just ignore them for years, but I'm wondering about these...

  Why did it take so long?

  If the GB is the Faithful Slave (when they are gathered to gether and in session), and the Slave was appointed in 1919, why are we just now being informed of this in 2012? Why didn't the previous groups of men that formed the GB have a clue about their identity?

  It doesn't inspire confidence in these men that they didn't know who they were for over 90 years.

  Circular reasoning

  Where is the proof that the new understanding is true? There should be hard Scriptural evidence, but instead we have a Governing Body declaring that they themselves are the Slave. How do we know it's true? Because the GB says so! That is curcular reasoning in a very simple form.

  Where is Jesus?

  If I remember correctly the Slave is declared to be Faithful by Jesus when he returns. At least the old understanding fit this scenario (Slave is appointed in 1st Century, then declared faithful after Jesus' 1914 return), but with the 'new light' where did Jesus go after he made the initial appointment in 1919? What is he doing there? When will he be back? Are there Biblical answers to these questions?

  Faithful Slave, or Evil Slave?

  The Slave was either going to be Faithful or Evil, which would be determined by Jesus after his return. At this point we are told the Slave has been appointed (1919), but we can't know for sure if the Slave is Faithful or Evil because Jesus has not yet returned to make that judgment. At this time it is impossible for the GB to declare itself to be the 'Faithful' Slave. Even if the 'new light' is partially true, the Slave might be judged 'Evil' when Jesus returns from where ever he is.

  It seems like this new information about the Slave was made up by a group of children playing King-of-the-Hill.

  (AnnOMaly has a great idea, that they are testing the waters by watching the internet before they publish it to Witnesses. That's funny! They need 'apostates' to help them clarify this silly belief.)
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  AnnOMaly

  It's not in the April Study Edition, Christ Alone.
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  sir82

  I would have expected it in April as well.

  If it doesn't appear until May or even later, that indicates it was not written out in December or even January.

  So, at least 2 , possibly 3 months or even longer, and they are still hashing out the details? "We love this idea" but it doesn't make it into print yet?

  Very odd - did they jump the gun in their October announcement, and are now having trouble manipulating the scriptures to fit their new idea?

  I always smile a bit when people say "oh, they read JWN to work out the kinks in their new light before publishing it".....but stuff like this makes me wonder....maybe it's not so far-fetched after all......
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  RayPublisher

  As seen with the recent two-part article on 607, they only have to address something and regurgitate the same old tropes for it to be considered "settled" in the minds of the willing sheeple of the KH.

  I suspect the same will happen. Time will pass, knowledge of this "new light" will have trickled down to virtually all the rank and file Joe Publishers out there and then by the time it gets printed in a WT study that asserts it as fact, it will be a ho hum event because everybody already knows that change was made at last year's annual meeting, right?