The "new light" never extinguishes the old "light", but adds to it - C.T. Russell, WT February 1881

[Srecko Sostar]

The problem surrounding the nature of the inspiration of the first Christians.

There is a claim that the OT and NT writings are the inspired Word of God because the people who wrote them were inspired to write them. Is that the only moment when these individuals, and there are few writers, were inspired?

Then the question follows; Were these people inspired by HS in their everyday life? When they were doing everyday life things like; worked at some job, built a house, went on a trip, educated children, talked with neighbors, talked with strangers, dug a well and planted wheat, etc ... when they had "assembly meetings" and have to solve "theocratic" matters due to newly emerging needs or problems?

Hardly anyone today will claim that the "inspiration" of HS appeared so widely. It means that all these people were beyond the reach of HS inspiration for a large part of their lives. The exception is only a short moment when they wrote or spoke God's Word. This means that outside of this very narrow and short-term action of HS, they were ordinary and sinful people, imperfect.

People who wrote "inspired writings" could also misinterpret and apply what was written at another point in their lives. For example the apostle Peter or Paul, whoever, writes under inspiration, and tomorrow he is no longer inspired and misinterprets an inspired record that he may have written himself or his fellow Christian wrote. This is a reality and a high probability. Well, they themselves wrote about some of their wrong assumptions and decisions and teachings.

So how will WTJWorg restore the original 1st century Christianity, which was in error from the very beginning? How will today's "uninspired" believers aka GB make better decisions than their 1st century predecessors?

Would the WTJWorg thesis of "progressive truth" also apply to 1st century Christianity? It should, because they showed it in the 1st Century standing with their statements, teachings and actions. For example, at that time they had not yet introduced the counting of hours spent in house-to-house preaching. It took almost 2000 years for that light to shine in WTJWorg. Now a partial abandonment of that idea (except for exceptions, pioneers etc.) is an approach to primitive Christianity. But the question is whose practice is correct? Those in the 1st century who have not yet developed the "new light" or those today who have returned to the "darkness" of the past?

[Pudgy]

… which brings up the question, can multiple personalities be counted on taxes as dependents?

[Srecko Sostar]

7 hours ago, Errikos Tsiamis said:

Furthermore, Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would guide his followers in their understanding and interpretation of God's truth. As a result of this belief, some argue that there is no need to make additional additions to the scriptures as they currently exist. They see the written word as sacred and complete, with a comprehensive message that doesn't require further augmentations. Deuteronomy 4:2.

This perspective holds that the guidance of God's spirit, which directed the authors of scripture in the past, is still available today. It is important to emphasize that, within this belief system, there is a distinction between inspiration and behavior. While the authors of scripture may have been divinely inspired, it is acknowledged that human beings, including those who receive such guidance, are capable of flawed behavior. 

If it is about Jesus' promise that his followers will have support and guidance from the HS, then it should be made clear whether the theology of WTJWorg differentiates between followers. In terms of whether only GB has special treatment from HS and is the only one capable of distinguishing things, or does Jesus' promise apply to every disciple.

Because the Scriptures say that there is no difference between young and old disciples, nor between male and female disciples.

Another thing that seems even contradictory is the statement; there is a distinction between inspiration and behavior. 

The Scriptures speak about the gifts of the spirit, but also about the fruits of the spirit that cause people to become good, righteous, show love for their neighbor, express peace and joy, and so on. So, the action of the spirit, regardless of whether it is "inspiration" or "guidance", has effects on human behavior.

The Bible mentions that even a donkey changes its behavior when the spirit prompts it to act, so I don't understand why it shouldn't be the same for humans.

However, since this is a about dogma related to GB, then it becomes clearer why it is good to emphasize "this part of the truth", as it is still about people who cannot escape the natural tendency to make mistakes when making their interpretations.

[Matthew9969]

On 10/10/2023 at 9:05 PM, Pudgy said:

I remember with great fondness what used to be called the midweek bookstudy, which to me was always the “Tuesday Night BookStudy” because it was always on Tuesday for us, where small groups would meet in someone’s home, and study one of the society’s publications, always a book.

This was a custom for many years, and it evolved into the bookstudy with association afterwards, which means the meeting took about an hour and a half, instead of one hour, and we would associate with each other and chat before going home, and one night of the month was called “Goodie Night” when we would bring cakes or pies or muffins and associate while eating the goodies, after the official bookstudy ended.

Very pleasant. Educational too. A half century later I have a very clear mental image about the fall of Babylon, and the wise verses foolish virgins and the sources of Truth ….

I don’t know anybody who ever objected to it for any reason and can’t even think of a reason why it was not continued.

So then one day the Governing Body, and I didn’t even know we had a Governing Body back then, decided to discontinue the “Tuesday Night Book Study“., And it was consigned to the ash bin of history.

The reason they gave, officially, is that gas prices had gotten so high, this would save money on driving to the book study. The letter was read at the Kingdom Hall.

…. and it was consigned to the ash bin of history. 

Even as a young man I did not believe this from the instant I heard it.

…. It just made no sense at all.

To cancel the book study for that reason made no sense at all.

Did I mention that it made no sense at all?

I have always wondered in the decades that followed,  what the real reason was.

Does anybody have any idea what the real reason was?

 

I remember those. We hosted for a while until my parents let my older disfellowshipped brother visited from Chicago for vacation.

I believe they stopped them after coming out with an article chastising the rank and file for meeting in unsanctioned bible study groups. But I may be wrong.

[Srecko Sostar]

Jehovah's Witnesses are harmed not by former members, but by current members.

 

 

[Pudgy]

… if you really want to hide your identity so you can give yourself upvotes, submit your text first to ChatGBT and ask it to translate into Ebonics, then paste the translation here. 

Hmmmmm … I think I will try that to see if it works!

[Pudgy]

6 hours ago, C.J.T.J. said:

Dear brother, I must express my profound gratitude for your remarkably thought-provoking and knowledge-enriched post. It has left me truly impressed. I am currently in search of a previous article that delved into the significance of the year 2023, suggesting it to be an exceedingly captivating period in time. Considering the events unfolding in the world today, I am inclined to agree with that astute individual. By any chance, would you be aware of the whereabouts or fate of those particular posts?

Well … ChatGBT could not translate it into Ebonics, but it could easily translate to “Mouse Mad Scientist”, in the style of “Pinky and the Brain” …..

"Dear sibling! I must cackle with glee at your marvelously cerebrum-tickling and brainiac-infused message. It has electrified my neurons! Currently, I'm on a quest to uncover a previous manuscript that explored the cosmic importance of the year 2023, proclaiming it to be a magnificently zany era. Given the world's wild and wacky shenanigans today, I concur with that brilliant mind. By any chance, do you possess knowledge of the whereabouts or destiny of those specific scribbles?"

… just for the record … I liked yours better.

[Srecko Sostar]

They say: "The truth always remains the truth".
Yes, maybe somewhere else. But many of the so-called "truths" in WTJWorg are unnecessary, meaningless and harmful to the health of the followers.

 

 

 

 

[Matthew9969]

This old light new light doctrines changing has become like a strobe light causing seizures, is the hs working while they are having a seizure or not?

[Srecko Sostar]

7 hours ago, Matthew9969 said:

This old light new light doctrines changing has become like a strobe light causing seizures, is the hs working while they are having a seizure or not?

The Jewish religion was/is more permanent in time (duration) and without the appearance of "new lights". Its founder was YHVH. Jesus was a Jew. And as such he was supposed to continue the existing religion of "his fathers". He did not renounce his Jewish faith, he just wanted to cleanse it of the accumulated corruption.

WTJWorg has different religious roots in which it wanted to make changes by bringing religious beliefs closer to what they believed to be "truth" in the OT and NT. A century and a little more of the existence of that organization has shown the failure of the initial idea.

Dramatic changes that accompanied this organization throughout its history became more and more frequent. Today, they culminate in almost daily changes in doctrines and instructions and ways of acting.
It is clearly visible that they are getting more and more entangled in the web they have woven themselves. Maybe some new "Messiah" needs to come to shake the 8 million believers in their sleepiness.