New Light; New Contradictions, New Light

Conjuring up another magical workaround

If the Watchtower’s “New Light”is a valid truth from Jehovah, why has the Governing Body proven it to be wrong and allowed it to cause such harm to its members with its changes and previous false predictions with no accountability to the people effected?

In summary, the concept of “New Light” has serious flaws:

1. It puts all the power into the hands of the governing body
2. It has produced doctrinal changes that has cause massive harm to the rank and file Jehovah’s Witnesses
3. It contradicts the notion that people who are not in the leadership cannot be used or chosen by God to reveal truths to His nation
4. It removes accountability, transparency and it takes away and ignores a Christians individual relationship with God.
5. Critics argue that the governing body changes are subject to human error challenging the notion that they are uniquely guided by the Holy Spirit.

Below is a more detailed explanation of these points:

According to the Watchtower, Jehovah has not previously given us all the information that we need, but over time He gives us more and more. They claim that is guided by the Holy Spirit, but there are problems with how Jehovah’s Witnesses view this. If you base your life on these changes, they have far reaching impact.

An examples of this is the 1975 prediction in which members were encouraged to sell their homes and work for the Watchtower: “Reports are heard of brothers selling their home and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.” Our Kingdom Ministry 5/1974, p. 3

In short, if “new light” is from God as they claim, why have the members suffered drastically as a result, why have false prophecies of 1914, 1925 and 1975 etc resulted and the governing body ultimately not be held responsible for any of their decisions or changes?

In Matthew 34:24 the interpretation of “this generation will not pass away” changed. ‘New light’ was introduced; the new light changed their understanding so that there is now an overlapping of this generation to include not only the generation of 1914 but the next generation that comes right after them.

This essentially bought them more time as it was obvious that the generation had passed away. as they said that this is just new light. If you believed that the end was coming soon, did you plan?

Next there was an adjustment to the interpretation of the term “superior authorities” in Romans 13. For decades the governing body claimed that governing authorities referred to Jehovah and Jesus but changed that to it referring to the superior authorities of the government. This happened in 1962 ! This had implications in certain civic duties like serving in the military where is was illegal to do any kind of service such as non combat service to where you can now do non combat service. In the meantime many had suffered for not providing any kind of service for which they can now perform according to the governing body. Some people went to prison for failing to take the alternative to fighting and they now find out that it was changed. That seems like a huge change for God to now allow civil service. This was a major change from the superior authorities of Jehovah to the superior authorities of the governing board. This is not a refinement but a complete reversal. That is not light getting a little brighter but rather darkness to complete light. There were revisions around the interpretations around the predictions of 1914,1925 and 1975. The Bible students believed the end was coming in 1914 then it was changed to “the end was beginning in 1914.” Then the end was moved to 1925 and then 1975. That did not happen either. 1975 was implied very strong that the end was in 1975 although not directly stated. In the meantime, people were not planning for this and now they are left in vulnerable circumstances as a result ( like life insurance, building a career or saving money for their later years).The Watchtower does not take care of people as you are on your own financially, without any planning. “Don’t focus on your career but on service for God”. Does this sound like a God of love who would subject its peoples to a set of circumstances that are difficult as a result of serving Him and being eventually unprepared? Or does it look like humans getting things wrong then changing things and then making it like it was New Light from God? Is this really the Holy Spirit if you are guided by truth and then the truth changes? This pattern of significant doctrinal changes raises questions about this process of new light from the governing body. Critics argue that the governing body changes are subject to human error challenging the notion that they are uniquely guided by the Holy Spirit. Do you have the Holy Spirit if you thought that you had truth and that truth completely changes? That leads to debates about the nature of divine guidance, the interpretation of scripture and the authority of leadership within the governing body. These changes don’t just create argument over theology but have an impact on peoples lives, oftentimes leaving them in vulnerable situations that would not have happened if this new light was not initially followed. The Bible tell us that it does not just use its leadership to disseminate truth, light and understanding. but often uses common people . As an example, Amos was not a prophet by profession or born into a family of prophets, he wasn’t in leadership or a Levite but tended sycamore figs as a farmer but was still chosen by God to deliver a powerful message to the Northern kingdom of Israel. You have to ask the question if God only chooses the leadership why didn’t he choose one from the priestly class at that time? Amos a farmer, was chosen and used by God. This draws into question that new light only comes through them. Then there was Debra a prophetess and a judge who led Israel in Judges chapters 4 and 5. Debra was a woman who saved Israel and no one denies that she, a woman, was used to save Israel. In the governing body woman cannot be allowed to be present and in the congregation cannot be allowed to teach or give talks but the Bible shows that women played an important role in governing. So Debra being a prophetess does not jive with the notion that woman cannot lead. The young boy Samuel who delivered a message as a prophet of God to Ely a message from God and he was not in a position of power. Even as a child, Jehovah chose him to be a vessel to bring the new light. These are the three examples that God does not choose one group of men to introduce new light. So what are the benefits of the governing body if they claim that new light only comes through them? First, they can cover up their mistakes but saying that this new light just came from God and if you dissent you are not working g with God’s chosen anointed slave and you should be kicked out because you are dissenting . If you leave the Watchtower cannot control you anymore and you are shunned you loose your entire social network. That control keeps you tied to the governing body. In Jude 1:3 it suggest that the core tenements of Christianity does not change. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which JW know well, it states that all scripture is inspired by God and is sufficient for teaching and that challenges the need for doctrinal interpretation and also challenges the need to have a governing body at all because if all scripture is inspired and is all you need and is sufficient for teaching correcting and training you do not need someone such as a governing body. Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. In short, you need Gods word and a relationship with God. The new light doctrine brings up real problems in transparency and accountability because the errors are hidden and masked as new light from God and it downplays the role of critical thinking and Bible studying because what you read in the Bible can be different from what is said in the Kingdom Hall which will say “ no, it does not mean what you think, it means this.” So you must reject your own understanding . This is not how Christianity works, even in the first century . With the Watchtower you cannot interpret for yourself and you must avoid dissent.

“….the concept of “New Light” has serious flaws:”

Yep, not least of all the term itself, which is a deliberate obfuscation of something which is really, quite simple and clear once the CORRECT and appropriate words are used.

“New Light” = “Our own current interpretation of biblical narrative which we believe God himself now wishes to have broadly communicated and widely publicised, and thus has steered, guided or inspired us to do so on his behalf.”

What “New Light” IS NOT: (According to the JW executive)

“New Light” is NOT just the speculations, guesses or assertions of a body of men with whom God claims no special, unique or distinct affinity with. It is NOT just a body of men who are no more associated with God than any other body of men, or any other bible reading individual who may currently be seeking to know or understand God’s thoughts and intentions.

“New Light” only comes through ONE official channel, and what makes that channel “official” or God ordained is that this channel simply “believes” itself to be so and STRONGLY self-identifies itself in this unique role.

It is this STRONG “self-identification” which also empowers this channel to assert that NO OTHER channels are being used this way by God, because if they were, this channel would know about this and would recognise these channellers as equal and valid co-workers who are also undertaking “God-inspired” communication work on his behalf.

Therefore, “New Light” only shines from one, very distinct location, and is managed by one, very distinct body of men and should be taken as “de facto” messaging from the very mind of God himself.

Unless we (that channel) suddenly decide that it’s NOT the above, in which case, we will blame you for “misunderstanding” our communications and of being far too rigid in lieu of things which we may have previously said or claimed.

Got that?

It’s not YOUR role to “think” about what God may or may not be communicating, or to evaluate or cross-reference his communications as they’ve appeared over lengthy passages of time.

God can change his mind, and whenever we feel that he has, we will simply “change our minds” in accordance with his wishes.

OK?

What’s not to understand about this?

Suffice to say that we take a VERY DIM view of anybody who tries to suggest that God plays no role whatsoever in how we arrive at our messaging decisions.

Such a view would be deemed as apostate thinking.

To deny that God is operating through the JW executive, is tantamount to denying God himself.

Who says this?

WE SAY this…ok?

WE know God, and you don’t.

It really is as simple and straightforward as that…..brothers and sisters.