CAN WE SOLVE THE MYSTERY of why Watchtower doctrines changed when they changed?

by Terry 24 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Finkelstein

  There's really no mystery about it, the WTS. and other religions were made by men who are inherently endeavored to make their

  select organization and its statured doctrines distinct in the effort to show how false other religions are in their teachings and

  practices.

  It has to realized that this is not unique to the JWS religion alone, many other Christian based organizations are endeavored to

  do the very same thing with the same direct inherent intent.

  Throwing dirt on to the competition as it were is the game these religious leaders play.
• 

  hamsterbait

  As I recall, about the time the blood fractions thing came in, there were a couple of Gibbering Buddies who were seriously ill - cant remember their names, but it could be the reason...

  Like the "adjustment" ON UNSCRIPTURAL VACCINATIONS, just before Nathan Homo Knorr went on his world tour including third world countries rife with typhoid cholera yellow fever and smallpox. He didnt want to come home in a coffin - but surely he wanted to be in heaven ASAP??
• 

  Finkelstein

  One thing we can be solidly confident of is that the WTS. and its involving leaders created doctrines to attract attention to its own publications

  and to exploitively use and manipulate people to further the proliferation of those published goods.

  .

  In other words they lied a lot and twisted doctrines to serve that core agenda as well to self empower these men.

  J Rutherford may not have gotten the power of the State laws in his hands but he did get the power of the almighty God instead,

  as well the use of the money which the original founder of the WTS. left behind.
• 

  Slidin Fast

  I think it is just a case of Freddy having read Hislop's book. The "Babylon" book of (I think) 1963 was a massive tome that quoted and plagiarized "The Two Babylons". The book had chapter after chapter exploring pagan origins of almost anything you could think of up to and including wedding rings.

  I have no direct knowledge as to who wrote the book but have little doubt that it was F.W.Franz. Whoever it was we know that they had spent the previous months reading and digesting Alexander Hislop's hateful rant.
• 

  SAHS

  It would seem that those later changes toward banning Christmas and birthdays, dogmatically insisting on a stake/pole as opposed to the standard cross (which was, in fact, used in Rome at the time), as well as the ban on transfusing whole blood or the four major components thereof, including autologous transfusion (can’t store your own blood to transfuse back into yourself because it would be “stored,” but blood tests are allowed) – all those and many other changes weren’t so much to do with any supposed scriptural validity but, rather, as a mechanism to foster a black-and-white, “us-verses-them” view pertaining to the “world” in general. And that, of course, is quite an instrumental means used by the WTS in securing control over its ignorant and bewildered membership.
• 

  EndofMysteries

  The big changes happened after Rutherfords failed prophecies or big changes that would or could result in many leaving. So first reason is power and control and damage control. After 75% left over rutherfords 1925 prediction and elders in the independent congregations giving their own talks and talking exposing rutherford, he changed to get control of all elders and congregations so troublemakers could be expelled, they had to be approved and reported by the company men, etc.

  Holidays and other things to isolate people so they become reliant on the system and less likely to leave or risk loosing their entire social and family status and connections. Holidays and celebrations to show a difference as well and a distinction between JW's and the 'other so called false christians'.

  Blood changes for control but slowly things allowed most likely due to GB and high rankers needing or their families needing things so when it effected them, then it was okay.

  DFing and apostacy because of the accumalation of false prophecies and false teachings so must tighten control before it gets uncontrollable.

  No money for other charities or holidays, etc, as well because having them not get higher education to keep them in the system also results in followers barely having enough money to get by, they want that extra money, so no holidays and no charity, no vacations, make sure that extra money goes to the WT.

  No fun, education, anything that may wake somebody up or take from the money and time they have for the WT.
• 

  Ding

  Several different reasons in various situations perhaps:

  1. Additional loyalty and obedience tests.

  2. Separate JWs even more from everyone else.

  3. Give JWs more to feel persecuted about.

  4. Diversion from other matters (failed prophecies, for example).

  5. Make it obvious which JWs aren't keeping up with the readings and meetings.

  6. Foster the illusion that the GB is constantly studying the scriptures and learning more.

  7. Further the illusion that the GB is constantly receiving new light from Jehovah.

  8. Forced into it when the "old light" is clearly false (1914 generation, for example).
• 

  Phizzy

  Your No 8 is the prime mover in any change in teaching and policy. They simply react, most often very late in the day, to the circumstances that they find themselves in.

  If they were truly a "Spirit Directed Organization" they would not get themselves in a mess in the first place, and so would not have to constantly change Doctrine and Policy.

  Most of the recent major changes, if not all ? were foreseen here on JWN, the GB and their advisors then play catch-up and implement the changes too late.
• 

  millie210

  Wonderful thread and I have learned so much about the accurate early history.

  I was thinking of two more reasons "doctrine"changes.

  1) public outcry on the part of the mostly asleep followers.

  2) law suits

  EXAMPLE of #1 is the bedroom policies of the '80s. People were getting scriptural divorces over oral sex! That caused mass confusion and anger. Pretty soon all that sank like a rock and was never mentioned again.

  EXAMPLE of #2 This one is currently happening...all the law suits on child abuse have the leadership dancing. This is behind the distancing of the GB from the "local" Halls. They are putting space between the crazy local elders and the money the Society holds.

  I guess the thought is if they back way off and leave the "infrastructure" in place (elder arrangement, donation arrangement) the average wittness wont know. The Circuit Overseers are the only legal connection anymore.

  I would say inmodern day JW world, doctrine is determined by legalities.

  Follow the money - predict the doctrine.
• 

  donuthole

  My personal study has left me with the impression that many of the Rutherford-era changes were to:

  A.) seperate his Jehovah's Witnesses from the Bible Students

  B.) seperate his Jehovah's Witnesses from the rest of Christendom

  During Rutherford's time you had a reinterpretation of Bible prophecy to fit JW's as God's organization. Fred Franz continued this and used the Bible to "prove" that organizational changes were prophecised and proof of the Watchtower's appontment.