The "founder" of the modern-day faith of Jehovah's Witnesses was charged with crimes, but was never convicted. In fact, his wife turned apostate because she wanted to control certain aspects of the printing of the journals (and other reasons). She has a bone to pick with Charles, but testified in court that he never abused her and did not do what he was being accused of. He has many other opposers who had motives to portray him as the way he is portrayed by SOME today. But, these accusations are FALSE.
The fact is, he was a humble man who was searching for truth. He was humble enough to make changes where he found error in his thinking and didn't give credit to himself.
What has "independent thinking" gotten the world? The independent thinking started with Adam and Eve and followed through down until today. Satan was an "independent thinker" and he is set up for destruction.
We are all humans that are gifted with FREE WILL and can make whatever decision we want to make. However, God knows best, and he has set in place the congregational arrangement that are led and represented by other humans. They do NOT claim to be directly inspired of God. Being led by his spirit is not the same as inspired. The apostles and many, many others were incorrect in their expectations and beliefs of the time. Daniel and others were not given all of the details of what was to come in the future (Dan 12:4). At Daniel 12:4, it was shown that some information was to be sealed up until the time of the end, where knowledge will be abundant. So, if Daniel a truely inspired prophet of God himself was not privileged to all information, why do you expect inperfect elders to be put at a HIGHER level than Daniel and must be right all the time..or else? That is wrong thinking. Your called "free thinking" is leading you astray.
