JW's latest "New Light"

[Ghislieri]

From their July 15th Watchtower magazine:

“FEEDING MANY THROUGH THE HANDS OF A FEW” paragraph 14:

“However, once the last of the apostles died, the apostasy took root and flourished during a long growing season that lasted for many centuries. Additionally, during that time, the weeds became many and the blades of wheat were few. There was no consistent, organized channel for dispensing spiritual food.”

Now, compare the above with what they said in 1981, below:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly . the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.”” Watchtower 1981 March 1 p.24 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”?

 

[small_sister]

From their July 15th Watchtower magazine:

“FEEDING MANY THROUGH THE HANDS OF A FEW” paragraph 14:

“However, once the last of the apostles died, the apostasy took root and flourished during a long growing season that lasted for many centuries. Additionally, during that time, the weeds became many and the blades of wheat were few. There was no consistent, organized channel for dispensing spiritual food.”

Now, compare the above with what they said in 1981, below:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly . the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.”” Watchtower 1981 March 1 p.24 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”?

Dear Ghislieri,

thank you for sharing those obviously contradictory quotes.
Someone wrote once, that “new light” ( light that increases the brightness) does never (!) extinguish the old light, but adds to the old.
Only the “new light” of the Watchtower seems always to extinguish the old.

Love, small sister

 

[Nicea325]

From their July 15th Watchtower magazine:

“FEEDING MANY THROUGH THE HANDS OF A FEW” paragraph 14:

“However, once the last of the apostles died, the apostasy took root and flourished during a long growing season that lasted for many centuries. Additionally, during that time, the weeds became many and the blades of wheat were few. There was no consistent, organized channel for dispensing spiritual food.”

Now, compare the above with what they said in 1981, below:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly . the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.”” Watchtower 1981 March 1 p.24 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”?

Nothing new with the JW organization. If they are the true Christians as many of them claim, how odd they constantly contradict their own teachings as often as the wind changes directions. They are FRAUDS!

 

[SteveVH]

Nothing new with the JW organization. If they are the true Christians as many of them claim, how odd they constantly contradict their own teachings as often as the wind changes directions. They are FRAUDS!

Which makes perfect sense when one realizes that their authority derives from a publishing company (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).

 

[Nicea325]

Which makes perfect sense when one realizes that their authority derives from a publishing company (Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).

Exactly! I had once an ex-roommate who is a JW and never could defend the JW teachings and their contradicitons.

 

[Matt_Guitar_Man]

My Sister in law is a JW of some 30 years and comes from a family background of athieism with no education in religion of any kind at all. Just the sort of prospect JW’s thrive on.
When ever I question her about this sort of thing her reply is complete denial. For example with the 1914 generation and the new light that extends this generation on and on forever, I say to her that this is not how it was presented in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and I will then show this to her from my own extensive collection of Watch Tower books from these periods that I have collected over the years that state repeatedly and conclusivly thier claims about the generation of 1914. She will then try to reinterprit these statements from the 50’s & 60’s with the new teaching and when I point out that this is not what thier written word says but a distorted, painfull reinterpritation of what has clearly been written by them. She will just deny this, it is actualy incredible to watch, and when I say that if what she say’s is true then Language and the written word just does not mean anything anymore. And if I press the issue she will behave like a pettulant child demanding that I accept her take on this and will accusse me of being intentionaly obtuse and difficult because I will not except this obviouse distortion. And of course she will then accusse me of deliberatly persicuting her because she is part of the “Truth”.
What I ask you can one do when faced with this MADNESS

 

[SteveVH]

My Sister in law is a JW of some 30 years and comes from a family background of athieism with no education in religion of any kind at all. Just the sort of prospect JW’s thrive on.
When ever I question her about this sort of thing her reply is complete denial. For example with the 1914 generation and the new light that extends this generation on and on forever, I say to her that this is not how it was presented in the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and I will then show this to her from my own extensive collection of Watch Tower books from these periods that I have collected over the years that state repeatedly and conclusivly thier claims about the generation of 1914. She will then try to reinterprit these statements from the 50’s & 60’s with the new teaching and when I point out that this is not what thier written word says but a distorted, painfull reinterpritation of what has clearly been written by them. She will just deny this, it is actualy incredible to watch, and when I say that if what she say’s is true then Language and the written word just does not mean anything anymore. And if I press the issue she will behave like a pettulant child demanding that I accept her take on this and will accusse me of being intentionaly obtuse and difficult because I will not except this obviouse distortion. And of course she will then accusse me of deliberatly persicuting her because she is part of the “Truth”.
What I ask you can one do when faced with this MADNESS

None of us get very far when we smack someone over the head with the truth. We force them to become defensive and in reality they hear little if anything of what is being presented. I think this is especially true of JW’s and even Mormons to some extent. There is a lot more at play here than simply learning the truth and changing one’s religion. As has been mentioned on other JW threads, when one leaves the JW’s their life is turned upside down. These external (non-doctrinal) pressures have to be considered along with revealing the truth. Those who leave are “given over to Satan” and they are shunned by family and friends. This obscures one’s spiritual vision. They must hold on to their beliefs at all cost, or risk leaving their life as they know it. That is why it is truly a cult.

Because this is your sister-in-law, I would think the example of your Christian life will speak louder than anything, along with much prayer. When you speak to her just keep in mind how desperately she must hold on to the JW faith, not necessarily because she buys all of it, but because her current way life depends upon it. People that leave these cults are truly heroes. It takes a lot of courage.

I wish you the best.

God bless.

 

[Matt_Guitar_Man]

Good point SteveVH. It is true I do become exsasperated and frustrated with my sister in laws attitude and as it is close to home you are correct it is easy for one to loose perspective and take it personaly.
However I will always have respect for my sister in law and for that matter all people but pretending to have respect for thier beleifs when they are so clearly destructive, negative and wrong is acttualy disrespectfull to the person.

 

[Kc906]

I’ve always wanted to hear personal experiences from those within the JW community when things like this occur. Let’s say you are a loyal witness, and you end up searching through the history books to find the “slavelike congregation” who fed people throughout the years since Christ. You conclude from your research that you do not find evidence of a slavelike congregation who held JW theological beliefs throughout the centuries, and you bring this topic up with your “JW brothers and sisters” who you consider friends.

They in turn, do as they have been trained, and report this to the elders since you are “preaching contrary to the Watchtower.” As a result of this, and you not repenting (accepting a lie,) you are disfellowshipped from the organization and you are cut off from all of your friends and family.

Then several years later, the Watchtower proclaims the exact same thing that you were disfellowshipped for, and they state that there was not a slavelike JW congregation over the years feeding people the spiritual food. Would this person be re-instated into the organization when this new truth is declared, if they wanted to be of course?

 

[Phyllo]

Dear Ghislieri,

thank you for sharing those obviously contradictory quotes.
Someone wrote once, that “new light” ( light that increases the brightness) does never (!) extinguish the old light, but adds to the old.
Only the “new light” of the Watchtower seems always to extinguish the old.

Love, small sister

Concisely and beautiful said. I have tried to explain this to my JW friend. They claim their “organization” to be the true prophet but as you say they are always making 180 degree turns.

I think a recent turn about is the parable in Matthew 13:31-32. They have decided now with the Christians that the yeast here is a good thing helping to grow the kingdom of heaven.

In the past, the yeast here was a bad thing. I tried for years to explain to my JW friend that this chapter in Matthew was all about the growth of the Kingdom and right in the middle of it would not be a parable that denoted something bad. I don’t remember the JW explanation of this parable and I wouldn’t want to mis-quote them but I know it didn’t make sense to me as a lot of their explanations don’t make sense.

 

[pacloc]

Their flip flops on parables are priceless. The tree growing and the birds finding shade in it was also likened to evil, since birds are bad. I think now they have flopped it into common understanding of a good thing. They also think that Abbadon in Revelation is Jesus and the locust demons released were faithful JW’s. You are right about the leaven in the jars too, leaven to them was always bad/sin so they had to make sense of it, but couldn’t. The toes on the statue in Daniel have also been redefined recently. Endless flip flops for those guys.

 

[yogosans14]

Thank goodness I knew that there were a cult before I considered baptism

I plan to take RCIA but until then I dont mind being in a Protestant evangelical church!

As long as there Trinitarian>

 

[Phyllo]

Thank goodness I knew that there were a cult before I considered baptism

I plan to take RCIA but until then I dont mind being in a Protestant evangelical church!

As long as there Trinitarian>

That is wonderful!! Can you imagine how much God loves you to save you from the JW’s?. Just remember the whole truth is found in the Catholic Church.
God Bless

 

[DelsonJacobs]

While I can only speak for myself (having spent a few years as a teenager and in my 20s as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the 1980s), doctrine changes don’t really matter much due to the problems with ambiguity intolerance that members have.

Ambiguity intolerance and dogmatism as well as compartmentalization are traits that are actually encouraged in the Jehovah’s Witness religion. These traits are what keep their cognitive dissonance at bay (i.e., the inability to deal with or act upon the conflict caused when prophecies of the group fail or when foundational beliefs are discarded for “new light”).

Members are made to feel special and wise for choosing the “one true faith” and “possessing the key to Truth” that comes with their being a member of the “one true religion” of Jehovah’s Witnesses. While one may not admit it to themselves so readily as I am confessing to it here, this does tend to make the Jehovah’s Witness prideful as they mentally elevate themselves over the “world” that refuses to be enlightened by their Governing Body. It feels good to be one of the “righteous” living in a “world enslaved and blinded by Satan.”

So don’t expect a person to leave that religion unless they learn to hate this feeling of being made to feel so great for being bright enough to find, choose, and make progress in the “one true religion of the Only True God,” as they see it. How easy is it for any of us to run away from something that makes our egos feel good, especially if we are in a situation we do not recognize as harmful?

Their Governing Body has already changed their religion so much from what it was when I was a JW in the 1980s that a snapshot of what they once were and official taught then is only a memory now. That religion of theirs from that period no longer exists.

 

[adf417]

So don’t expect a person to leave that religion **unless they learn to hate this feeling of being made to feel so great for being bright enough to find, choose, and make progress in the “one true religion of the Only True God,” as they see it. **How easy is it for any of us to run away from something that makes our egos feel good, especially if we are in a situation we do not recognize as harmful?

Their Governing Body has already changed their religion so much from what it was when I was a JW in the 1980s that a snapshot of what they once were and official taught then is only a memory now. That religion of theirs from that period no longer exists.

Welcome to CAF Delson and thank you for sharing. What, may I ask, helped you see this revelation?

Peace!!!

 

[DelsonJacobs]

Welcome to CAF Delson and thank you for sharing. What, may I ask, helped you see this revelation?

Peace!!!

Thanks for the welcome.

As to what helped me return back home to the Catholic Church, well you would think that would be easy since I was actually born into a very Catholic family, baptized and confirmed, etc. But after the JW experience and their teaching me that Catholicism was literal worship of demons consisting of satanic rituals, I came back sort of “kicking and screaming,” so to speak.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in divine providence or in spiritual/mystical experiences unless demons or mental illness are the foundation. While a JW I was a witness to what eventually became a series of spiritual events involving the miraculous cure of a Catholic family member (except for an aunt, I was the only Witness in a family consisting of Catholics). While such events are truly amazing and wonderful, as one Catholic writer explained ‘miracles are so commonplace in Catholic life that they are sort of like breathing.’ Catholic life involves this facet, sometimes the Church will step in when necessary to give a “yea” or “nay” (so to speak) regarding such an event, but regardless of all the details involved it is quite commonplace.

To make a long story short I came to be directly involved in the event. And though I was at first frightened to go against my JW learning and accept that God could and does actively get involved in the life of humans, even non-JWs, after discussion with JW elders and instruction from their leaders who avoided having anything to say about the events, I had to make a decision as to what I was going to believe.

Of course that was not too few years ago. The family member who was healed was an infant at the time and now they are growing up to become a fine adult. While the events that stirred me to reconsider my beliefs led me back home to the Catholic Church, they are not the reason why I am a Catholic. I am a Catholic because I believe its teachings and know this is what God wants me to be.

I was but a teenager when I became a JW and left that group during my 20s, but I do remember the pride I felt in myself for being one of the “special few” who find “the Truth.” Doctrines in the religion would come and go, even fundamental ones, but the mainstay of the organization is that the JW leadership would pat us on the back for our choice of being “one of the few who would be saved.” They would often tell us, “Where else will you go?” The answer was no one else was going to make us feel good for believing we were the only right ones on earth and that everyone else was destined to receive a dishonorable death (which we also believed they deserved for not being bright enough to make the “right choice” in denominations).

This began to bother me from time to time while I was a JW, but I would do or believe anything else when such revelations to my our pride would come up. The alternative was believing I had made a mistake in my choice of religion, and I couldn’t stand the thought of that. So when events unfolded among my Catholic non-JW family in such a way that couldn’t be denied, it was a hard and far fall from the prideful place in that Watchtower.

 

[adf417]

I was but a teenager when I became a JW and left that group during my 20s, but I do remember the pride I felt in myself for being one of the “special few” who find “the Truth.” Doctrines in the religion would come and go, even fundamental ones, but the mainstay of the organization is that the JW leadership would pat us on the back for our choice of being “one of the few who would be saved.” They would often tell us, “Where else will you go?” The answer was no one else was going to make us feel good for believing we were the only right ones on earth and that everyone else was destined to receive a dishonorable death (which we also believed they deserved for not being bright enough to make the “right choice” in denominations).

This began to bother me from time to time while I was a JW, but I would do or believe anything else when such revelations to my our pride would come up. The alternative was believing I had made a mistake in my choice of religion, and I couldn’t stand the thought of that. So when events unfolded among my Catholic non-JW family in such a way that couldn’t be denied, it was a hard and far fall from the prideful place in that Watchtower.

Again, thanks for sharing. I only wish I could bottle this up and feed it to my JW family members…but I will just have to let God do his work in them.

Peace!!!

 

[WitnessSpouse]

Delson,

Thank you for the moving testimony. As my wife is dedicated to the watchtower, I can see the “pride” that you speak of every time she brings up religious differences. The most recent had to do with translating the Bible into various languages. It was propaganda at the core, and far from true. I would never have convinced her of that.

Your testimony of the miracles called to mind the comments of the scribes in Mark chapter 3, when they accused Jesus of being posessed by Beelzebul. Jesus responded that “a house divided against itself cannot stand” These things would not happen because Satan will not rise up against himself to do good!

Thank You again!