In an article on jw.org addressing how we enter God’s rest the Watch Tower emphasise the importance of following ‘scriptural counsel’ from leaders and ‘keeping pace with Jehovah’s organisation.’ This has always been awkward given the history of failed prophecy and changed teachings for which the Watch Tower is known. The Society tries to excuse its past failures, saying, 'It is not easy to accept counsel from an imperfect human,' while trying to keep an iron hold on authority.
Historically, they have leaned heavily on the idea of doctrines being refined, counsel being changed because of new light ‘improving’ our understanding. The article explains:
'In modern times, there have been refinements in our understanding of certain Bible teachings. This should not trouble us; it should bolster our confidence in the faithful and discreet slave class. When representative members of the “slave” discern that our viewpoint on some point of truth needs to be clarified or corrected, they do not hold back from making the adjustment. The slave class is more interested in cooperating with God’s unfolding purpose than in shielding itself from criticism over an adjusted understanding. How do you react when an adjustment in our understanding of the Scriptures is presented—Read Luke 5:39.'
It is truly astonishing how they can make a complete about face, take a failed prophecy, change key teachings, then use words like refinements, clarification, and adjustments and insist this makes it all alright. Bavesh Roger, in our Facebook discussion on this subject, observed:
‘For years the JW's have been trying to justify their false prophesies and doctrinal changes using Prov. 4:18. However, context reveals that this verse is not a justification for doctrinal changes at all, but rather a contrast with the path of the wicked (v. 14). Verse 19 says "The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble." This clearly indicates a progressive brightening of light. How can their flipping and flopping on a subject be considered a gradual brightening of the light?
"One human idea would contradict another, but with God there is no variableness....New light never extinguishes older light, but adds to it" Charles Taze Russell
‘Ps. 119:105 says "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Therefore, any light from God must be true whether it is new or old. Charles Taze Russell himself said, "one human idea would contradict another, but with God there is no variableness....New light never extinguishes older light, but adds to it" (Zion's watchtower 1881).
‘Russell
wrote this after leaving the Adventist movement. It was the Adventists who kept coming up with this "new light" theory
to explain their prophetic failures. In the 1922 edition of The
Watchtower, they claimed that the time of the end began in 1799 and
the Lord's 2nd presence began in 1874 followed by the harvest. They
described this as the "greater light". Now the Watchtower
has taken an 180 degree turn on these claims which were once the
"greater light".
Gone is the cross, gone the crown, gone the bold claim to be the 'Banner of Christ's Coming.' Christ is no longer the imminently expected king. Today they announce Jehovah's Kingdom. It seems new light does extinguish older light; who knew?
There is a salutary lesson for Jehovah’s Witnesses in an example of this ‘new light’ extinguishing older light:
‘In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, certain Bible Students who were excellent public speakers felt that they could best carry out the commission to preach by delivering well-prepared talks to appreciative audiences. They enjoyed public speaking, and some of them fairly basked in the warm adulation of their listeners. However, it later became evident that Jehovah desires his people to get busy in a variety of forms of preaching, including the house-to-house work. Some accomplished public speakers flatly refused to try anything new. Outwardly, they appeared to be spiritual men, fully devoted to the Lord. However, when faced with clear evidence of God’s purpose regarding the preaching work, their real thoughts, intentions, and motives became manifest. How did Jehovah feel about them? He did not bless them. They left the organization.’
Note carefully where the Watch Tower lays the blame; on ‘misguided Bible students’ who, no doubt, thought they were doing what they were told, what had been modelled to them, until the organisation changed its mind.
You can see and hear one of those misguided Bible students basking in the warm adulation of their listeners here. He speaks of abandoning the historical creeds and returning to the Bible. Perhaps modern Jehovah’s Witnesses should consider abandoning the ever-changing, dizzyingly confusing creeds of the Governing Body and returning, themselves, to being what they originally were – Bible students. It would at least be a step in the right direction.
Finally, a pithy and challenging observation from Barry Amor, who joins is regularly in our Facebook discussions:
‘If the path is like a ‘bright light’ how come the Watch Tower Society can’t see where it’s going?’
Comments