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Authority and accountability · Claim record

The same 1983 issue acknowledged that 'the organization has had to make adjustments before', labelled the inference 'we have to make up our own mind on what to believe' as 'independent thinking' and 'an evidence of pride', and answered the question whether members can 'get along without the direction of God's organization' with 'No, we cannot!'

Claim ID claim-authority-1983-doctrinal-adjustments-no-licence-for-own-conclusionsConcerns 15 January 1983Explicit statement
Explicit statement · 15 January 1983 Verified

The same 1983 issue acknowledged that 'the organization has had to make adjustments before', labelled the inference 'we have to make up our own mind on what to believe' as 'independent thinking' and 'an evidence of pride', and answered the question whether members can 'get along without the direction of God's organization' with 'No, we cannot!' The Watchtower, 15 January 1983

Show the evidence (1 source)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits”

15 January 1983 · pp.23-27 · par. 19-20 (p. 27), section headed 'Fight Against Independent Thinking' · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

“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. … Really, can we get along without the direction of God’s organization?” No, we cannot!”

Companion study article to 'Exposing the Devil's Subtle Designs' in the same issue.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened the WOL document; page marker confirms p. 27.

Corroborated by. src-w-1983-0115-exposing-devils-subtle-designs

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-w-1983-0115-armed-for-the-fight

Claim page

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