SAD talk, a CLEAN consceince VS a CLEAR conscience. Such dubspeak

by Wasanelder Once 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Wasanelder Once

  I was informed by a witness that there was a "wonderful talk" at the SAD this week. It was about a CLEAR conscience as opposed to a CLEAN conscience. A CLEAR conscience is no proof of God's approval because one my not feel condemned by thier actions due to a faulty perspective. Thus Saul of Tarsus felt godly for persecuting Christians. But he was not approved by God, his consceince was not CLEAN in Gods eyes. So a CLEAN conscience comes from knowing and accuragely doing God's will. So does this strike you as more propaganda to guilt people into doing God's Will as jammed down thier throats by the GB? I think its semantics and a bunch of random crap.

  Your thoughts?
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  Retrovirus

  A CLEAR conscience is no proof of God's approval because one my not feel condemned by thier actions due to a faulty perspective.

  Another "don't rely on your own conscience/principles/logic; just obey". I was initially shocked when my jw SIL told me a conscience was of no value unless it was "bible-trained", which I now understand to be wt-trained.

  Cult

  Retro
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  yourmomma

  so a clear conscience is now not enough, wow
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  minimus

  I see their point. Saul was in good conscience doing what he felt was right, and it wasn't.
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  steve2

  If you're into a legalism, having a clean conscience makes perfect legalistic sense. Often, the coldest people in the world are the neatest, tidiest and cleanest.
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  sir82

  In Watchtower-world, having a "clean conscience" means "you will do what we want you to do, even if we don't explicitly tell you what to do."
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  LouBelle

  I do get the difference. I could go and have sex with a married man with a clear conscience as it may not bother my conscience at all - doesn't mean it's right. There is a difference between clear and clean. I've said that twice - I'm actually on some tablets right now and this makes perfect sense.
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  Amelia Ashton

  It makes perfect sense to me.

  There are quite a few decisions still left to one's own conscience in Watchtower world and to be deemed to have a clean conscience will soon be subject to scrutiny and judgment by hounders.

  A decision that at one time grown adults may have been able to make on thier own with a clear conscience can now be questioned and possibly considered unsatisfactory or even wrong in light of scriptural interpretation as defined by WT and therefore will subject that adult to even more control by the bOrg.
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  steve2

  Just to add: Yes, I can see a difference - but it is subtle - until you give it some hard thought.

  Within the context of membership in a tightly-controlled religious group, having a CLEAN conscience is at the "mercy" of the group leaders' latest prescriptions. It is a conscience that obediently complies, falls into line, does not disrupt, doubt or question.

  By contrast, the concept of having a CLEAR conscience is applicable to adult, rational-thinking (i.e., the kind of "reasoning" that is normal among people who take responsibility for their decisions).

  We know the Watchtower has a strongly vested interest in keeping its members "anxious" about whether they, as individuals, have clean (i.e., obedient, subservient) consciences; heaven help the Watchtower if its members gave priority to the need for a clear conscience because those members may start taking responsibility for their lives and begin to unhook themselves from "mother's" iron-clad apron strings.

  Independent thinking among Witnesses would virtually spell the end to the Watchtower's control.
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  breakfast of champions

  CLEAN CONSCIENCE = ALLOW US TO PROGRM YOUR CONSCIENCE