# *2'GB' question about;

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Posted by proplog2 [proplog2] on November 10, 1999 at 20:51:55 {AAJB0ph6mY/CPYT8orz2lJ4aSwVkqg}:

In Reply to: 2'GB' question about; posted by SIFTING on November 09, 1999 at 15:30:07:

The presumption by Jehovah's Witnesses is that Jehovah is actively
guiding their organization.

It follows from this premise that Jehovah will not let his people
be guided into a situation that would not be for their general
"good". Jehovah would not let the Gov. Body make a mistake that
would be detrimental to his Witnesses.

Now here is the problem. Jehovah's Witnesses at time make errors
of doctrine, prophesy, & morality that require that they change
their position. How do JW's deal with situations where Jehovah has
allowed them to be in error.

They have to maintain that Jehovah is actively guiding the
organization otherwise there would be no organization at all. So
they have developed some coping mechanisms.

1. IT WASN'T A SERIOUS ISSUE. In some cases it is determined that
the change of view point was a minor issue. The problem here is
who is to decide whether a point is major or minor?

2. PROGRESSIVE REVELATION. The claim is made that Jehovah is slowly
revealing things as part of his work of forming and educating his
people. This is a useful technique until they encounter flip-flops
in views. A flip flop view is one that has gone through several
reversals. Flip flops usually make JW's resort to coping mechanism
number 1. The flip flop point is declared (by whom?) a minor
issue.

3. THE BIG TEST. When there is no coherent explanation for a
clearly big error then it is concluded that Jehovah may be testing
his organization to do a purifying work. Those who are stumbled
because their coping mechanisms failed are "wicked" and Jehovah has
purged his organization. Those who couldn't keep up with the
changes are "not of our sort". Old timers in the organization will
talk about how they didn't think a teaching was right but they
faithfully continued until Jehovah corrected matters. They will
then look with scorn on those who quit. Had they just had enough
faith to wait a little longer their desired change would have
occurred.

4. TIME. Life is demanding and complicated. When the organization
that forms the foundation of your "faith" starts to crumble you
easily lose yourself in your personal life and occupation. Zeal
suffers. Meetings are missed but not abandoned. Witnessing
decreases. Spiritual conversations are avoided. YOU TOO now have
your
own religion. You were born a JW. You were raised a JW. You will
die a JW. You ARE a JW right or wrong. JW's welcome to
Christendom. You can stay as long as you want.

- Prophecy

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