Jehovah's Witnesses & Independent Thinking

Are Jehovah’s Witnesses allowed for Indipendent Thinking?

Let’s get the answer directly from the leaders (The Faithful and discreet slave)

The Watchtower  15 Sept 1982

Be Obedient to Those Taking the Lead

Why Appreciate Their Service?

¹³ In the world, there is a tendency to reject leadership. As one lecturer said: “The rising education level has improved the talent pool such that followers have become so critical that they are almost impossible to lead.” But a spirit of independent thinking does not prevail in God’s organization, and we have sound reasons for confidence in the men taking the lead among us.

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The Watchtower 15 January 1983 

Exposing the Devil’s Subtle Designs

Avoid Independent Thinking

How is such independent thinking manifested? A common way is by questioning the counsel that is provided by God’s visible organization....

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The Watchtower 15 January 1983 

Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits

Fight Against Independent Thinking

Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?

Such thinking is an evidence of pride.

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The Watchtower 15 July 2006

Focus on the Goodness of Jehovah’s Organization

“This Speech Is Shocking”

In modern times, a very small number among God’s people have become disgruntled with some aspect of Christian teaching and have murmured against the earthly part of Jehovah’s organization. Why does this happen? Such murmuring is often caused by a lack of understanding of God’s way of doing things. The Creator progressively reveals the truth to his people. Hence, our understanding of the Scriptures is bound to be refined from time to time. The vast majority of Jehovah’s people rejoice over such refinements. A few become “righteous overmuch” and resent the changes. (Ecclesiastes 7:16) Pride may play a role, and some fall into the trap of independent thinking. Whatever the reason, such murmuring is hazardous, since it can draw us back into the world and its ways.

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The Watchtower 1 January 2006  

Seeking Righteousness Will Protect Us

Beware of an Independent Spirit

In the world today, many are “headstrong, puffed up with pride,” and some Christians have been influenced by that way of thinking. Some have even become opposers of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:4; Philippians 3:18) When it comes to pure worship, it is vital that we look to Jehovah for direction and cooperate with “the faithful and discreet slave”(The GB J) and the congregation elders. That is a way to seek righteousness, and it protects us from developing an independent spirit. (Matthew 24:45-47; Psalm 25:9, 10; Isaiah 30:21) The congregation of the anointed is “a pillar and support of the truth.” Jehovah has provided it to protect and guide us. (1 Timothy 3:15) Recognizing its vital role will help us to ‘do nothing out of egotism’ as we humbly submit to Jehovah’s righteous will.—Philippians 2:2-4; Proverbs 3:4-6.

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