With this video called "The Renewed Mind is the Key" gaining popularity all over the internet, I have to ask, what exactly is the "renewed mind"?
It's what you do to line up your thinking with TWI doctrine.
In the Biblical sense it's changing how you think and what you think about to better line up with the teachings within scripture, which is a noble and good thing.
Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Now when some of us actually tried to do this and found that what we saw as God's will differed from what TWI envisioned as God's will, then that verse was altered to limit renewal to aligning thinking with TWI interests.
Of course in the doctrinal forum and in other churches across the world there are different opinions on what Romans 12: 2 is referring to and who is doing the "transforming" and what "renewing" means etc etc.
In TWI it was more or less as Tzala said. It was a catchphrase that was over used and abused both at top leadership levels and at lower interpersonal levels. It means to change the way you are thinking and think the way they say you should think. Don't agree? Well renew your mind. Don't think you can do something? RENEW YOU MIND! Don't like the way I just yelled at you? Renew your mind. Think your sick? Renew your mind. Confessing negatives? Renew your mind. Don't want to eat your vegetables? Renew your mind. Having doubts about TWI? Renew your mind. Think selling your house to stay a fellowship coordinator is a little overboard? renew your mind. Don't want to have sex with the Man O God? Renew your mind. Don't want to break dance in front of a captive audience? Renew your mind. You want to do the worm and the robot instead? Sorry, the present truth is all about poppin' and lockin'... renew your mind! It was the catch-all catchphrase that meant do as we say, not as you think.
Something is seriously wrong when you see someone spanking a young child, who is tired, confused, and crying, while telling them to "renew their mind."
As you build your mind, understanding and heart, you build your believing---your strength or ability in the personal life. When your ability is built on The Word, it builds to the point of utilizing your spiritual ability which is all powerful.
According to the scientists, neurons form a chain in the brain to remember information. By conditioning our minds through the renewed mind process we can correct imperfect chains or patterns in the brain. Actors, actresses, successful sportsmen, and others have become adept in their fields by practicing their role or game before hand in their minds.
By continually feeding our minds on God's Word and practicing The Word in our minds, we become transformed (transfigured) by the renewing of our minds because our knowledge, thoughts, and habits have been conditioned. As this new material displaces the old, a new understanding is formed which in turn purifies the heart and builds additional strength to believe and get results.
As you build your mind, understanding and heart, you build your believing---your strength or ability in the personal life. When your ability is built on The Word, it builds to the point of utilizing your spiritual ability which is all powerful.
According to the scientists, neurons form a chain in the brain to remember information. By conditioning our minds through the renewed mind process we can correct imperfect chains or patterns in the brain. Actors, actresses, successful sportsmen, and others have become adept in their fields by practicing their role or game before hand in their minds.
By continually feeding our minds on God's Word and practicing The Word in our minds, we become transformed (transfigured) by the renewing of our minds because our knowledge, thoughts, and habits have been conditioned. As this new material displaces the old, a new understanding is formed which in turn purifies the heart and builds additional strength to believe and get results.
So much for the argument that there was no thought conditioning taking place in TWI.
That's the explicit purpose of this entire class!
Waysider - I don't see a thing wrong with this other than when things veered off into areas where TWI had no business going. TWI took a good thing (looking at our thoughts and actions and improving them as needed) and turned it into something that benefited the organization at the expense of the individual.
Waysider - I don't see a thing wrong with this other than when things veered off into areas where TWI had no business going. TWI took a good thing (looking at our thoughts and actions and improving them as needed) and turned it into something that benefited the organization at the expense of the individual.
Well, for one thing, it's built around the bogus "law" of believing.
(As if that isn't enough.)
It focuses on utilizing OUR spiritual ability.
Is God on vacation or something?
We were being instructed to "condition" our thinking to be in harmony with "The Word".
Whose version?
In other words, "If you are in doubt about what The Word says, no sweat, we'll tell you."
Here is an abbreviation of page 15 of The Renewed Mind class------1974
To the end that you apply all 6 of these laws you will manifest the more abundant life.
If you are deficient in applying one law you will not manifest the more than abundant life.
1. The Law Of Believing: As you believe, you receive.
Believing appropriates results.
2. The Law Of Learning: No one can go beyond where he is led.
We can never arise in our walk until we superabound in our study of The Word. Receive The Word with meekness.
3. The Law Of Using Knowledge: The knowledge of The Word must be applied in your life in order to retain it.
4. The Law of Effficiency: We must use what we have with haste and precision. We must be efficient in our operation. Redeem the time for the days are evil.
5. The Law of Love Love activates: Until we walk with the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, we will never be activated. Love binds the body together.
6. The Law of Giving and Receiving:
As you give, expecting nothing in return, your rewards will be great. God will bless you beyond what you have given. As you give, you receive.
Now, someone may say, "Well, this does not specifically say ABS".
No, it doesn't. But remember that giving to any cause or organization, be it with money or time, was absolutely off-limits in TWI. Thus, it is axiomatic that this reference to giving and receiving is slanted heavily toward giving to TWI.
Miss this one point and-----No abundant life for you, pal.
And of course the idea of "renewing one's mind to 'THE WORD'" implies that there's some sort of reliable "WORD" actually in existence. Rather than the cobbled-together, ever changing, hopelessly subjective, completely unverifiable blather that we're told is "The Bible"...
Well, for one thing, it's built around the bogus "law" of believing.
(As if that isn't enough.)
It focuses on utilizing OUR spiritual ability.
Is God on vacation or something?
I don't want to derail this too much, but the "law" of believing was a concept that was based on a similar concept, taken out of context, and taught much differently than the original. If you were raised around new-age thinking like I was, it was immediately recognizable as a modified new-age belief.
I don't want to derail this too much, but the "law" of believing was a concept that was based on a similar concept, taken out of context, and taught much differently than the original. If you were raised around new-age thinking like I was, it was immediately recognizable as a modified new-age belief.
The renewed mind is to put on the mind of Christ. His is the new, ours is the renewed. He never had an old mind that had to be...re...(prefix very important) His never had to be fixed. Sorry, a southernism...fixed... He did it right the first time.
He thought everyday (mind, thoughts, decision) about being obedient to His Father. He chose obedience. That is the renewed mind. Choosing what the Lord Christ Almighty chose. He so loved His Father He would never disappoint Him. Obedience. Then again what the Lord did, said and thought is mightier than what I can put into words.
All I know now is that He is the Head...the brain...the thoughts, the Leader of His Body. I had a sunesis moment a few years back when I was trying to figure out stuff and realized that was not my function, calling, job, responsibility. I am a member in particular in His Body and He is the Head honcho. He has it all figured out, already, because He knows how life works. Duh, Kimberly......
Just to know that the Lord Christ and I have the same Father.....beyond any words I know.....
It is often taught in regular Christian circles that God will help you renew your mind. I don't have any problem with this as God has helped me with a lot of things TWI said I had to do myself. But TWI taught it was all up to us to line up every thought with the thoughts of Christ as taught by TWI, i.e. in reality the thoughts of VPW or LCM. Then as another poster pointed out you got yelled at all the time to RENEW YOUR MIND.
Makes no sense to me any more. People need to follow God not organizations. I am so done with worrying myself to a frazzle over what some socalled "man of God" or whatever, Imperial Grand High Poobah for all I care, says I have to do to win God's pat on the back. I'm not worried about whether my mind is renewed enough, I don't care if people think we don't donate enough time or money or whatever to this or that, I don't care if I never attend another "class"or "Bible study" or anything of the sort.
If God doesn't love me for who I am and what I am, it's His problem, not mine.
Watered Garden...You go girl!!! I L!O!V!E! your last sentence. I am still giggling.
Aahh, being restrained under the Law evokes rebellion in His children. I love it!!! And so does our Father. It ain't about rules and regulations but about the heart. And you have that, sister girl.
Sadly the "renew your mind" line went from a good thing of getting back to a calm understanding of our beliefs as a way to focus to what we all got tired of hearing which loosely translated is "think what I tell you to think and quit arguing with me"
So, was I the only one who's eyes glazed over and had trouble paying attention to the BS & self- rightousness when I was told that? Is it any wonder I was kicked out?
Sadly the "renew your mind" line went from a good thing of getting back to a calm understanding of our beliefs as a way to focus to what we all got tired of hearing which loosely translated is "think what I tell you to think and quit arguing with me"
So, was I the only one who's eyes glazed over and had trouble paying attention to the BS & self- rightousness when I was told that? Is it any wonder I was kicked out?
No, you were not the only one with attention that wandered from the tiresome propaganda...
The notion that people can apply this verse is more complicated than I imagined when I took the Renewed Mind class at TWI when I was 19 yrs. It seems to me that TWI used the verse Romans 12:2 (and hundreds more) to justify the claim that by accepting twi teachings, which was equal to thinking "the word," a person would prove the will of God in this world:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." etc. etc.
This version of this verse, which is a version of a translation of a copy of a copy of a copy etc., is one that most scholars believe was originally written by Paul, unlike other epistles that seem as if he was author, such as the pastoral epistles.
IMO, Paul had something in mind when he wrote this verse, but it's not clear to me what he was referring to, but the people he was writing to probably understood him.
IMO "the world" is a vague term. It's hard to know what he meant since he lived in a vastly different culture than mine --- and a very long time ago: about 2,000 years ago. At any rate, he was often telling people what to do [note: if you believe the bible is the word of God that was sort of dictated to the writers, then I guess that what I have to say doesn't mean anything to you. We'll just agree to disagree on that point].
My point is that TWI wanted us to apply this verse, like many many more, to our modern-day situations without our knowing how or when to do so. Oh, yeah, I forgot. Our spiritual leaders would tell us when and how. Like, telling us that a new person in our fellowship who was asking questions all the time... well, he's "of the world," he's not hungry for the Word, he just wants to argue, so cross him off your list of referrals and don't waste God's time on him.
If I'm going to renew my mind to this verse, what do I identify as "the world"? It sometimes became a matter of shunning things like participating in Halloween, listening to pop music, etc. But then it got confusing when we were supposed to put God's word in culture, too. How would I know when I was really not conforming to the world but somehow re-making the world by re-interpreting it, getting God's Word in it, into the culture, blah blah blah. It became very confusing when I stopped to think about it. So I didn't think about it. I did not really do that until about 15 years into the ministry. Yikes. Then I left.
IMO, this verse also assumes we are sort of like blank slates that can be written on and changed. It only addresses the mind. I have nothing against changing my mind in an effort to be more loving, more patient, etc. But clearly this dictate from Paul does not consider emotions, the complex nature of the brain, concepts like nature vs. nurture, etc.
To be fair, how could Paul address these things? Which is part of my point. I have found that this book, the Bible, [which is an anthology, which carries its own issues, as such] is rarely relevant to my life. I soul searched this question: What value is this ancient text to my daily life now? Well, if I cherry-pick some "positive" verses like ones about love that are used at weddings all the time, I feel good. But is that necessary? [i'll refrain from expanding on this].
Here's a link to a talk by someone who IMO has something to add to the conversation about behavior and what makes us the way we are:
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Tzaia
It's what you do to line up your thinking with TWI doctrine.
In the Biblical sense it's changing how you think and what you think about to better line up with the teachings within scripture, which is a noble and good thing.
Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Now when some of us actually tried to do this and found that what we saw as God's will differed from what TWI envisioned as God's will, then that verse was altered to limit renewal to aligning thinking with TWI interests.
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oldiesman
The video was on YouTube but apparently was removed due to copyright violation.
(I removed the video... not sure if it is allowed to be linked on here.)
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Tzaia
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lindyhopper
Well, it's the key to power... like duh?
Of course in the doctrinal forum and in other churches across the world there are different opinions on what Romans 12: 2 is referring to and who is doing the "transforming" and what "renewing" means etc etc.
In TWI it was more or less as Tzala said. It was a catchphrase that was over used and abused both at top leadership levels and at lower interpersonal levels. It means to change the way you are thinking and think the way they say you should think. Don't agree? Well renew your mind. Don't think you can do something? RENEW YOU MIND! Don't like the way I just yelled at you? Renew your mind. Think your sick? Renew your mind. Confessing negatives? Renew your mind. Don't want to eat your vegetables? Renew your mind. Having doubts about TWI? Renew your mind. Think selling your house to stay a fellowship coordinator is a little overboard? renew your mind. Don't want to have sex with the Man O God? Renew your mind. Don't want to break dance in front of a captive audience? Renew your mind. You want to do the worm and the robot instead? Sorry, the present truth is all about poppin' and lockin'... renew your mind! It was the catch-all catchphrase that meant do as we say, not as you think.
Something is seriously wrong when you see someone spanking a young child, who is tired, confused, and crying, while telling them to "renew their mind."
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waysider
Here is something from page 5 of The Renewed Mind class that somewhat approaches a definition of The Renewed mind.----1974
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you build your mind, understanding and heart, you build your believing---your strength or ability in the personal life. When your ability is built on The Word, it builds to the point of utilizing your spiritual ability which is all powerful.
According to the scientists, neurons form a chain in the brain to remember information. By conditioning our minds through the renewed mind process we can correct imperfect chains or patterns in the brain. Actors, actresses, successful sportsmen, and others have become adept in their fields by practicing their role or game before hand in their minds.
By continually feeding our minds on God's Word and practicing The Word in our minds, we become transformed (transfigured) by the renewing of our minds because our knowledge, thoughts, and habits have been conditioned. As this new material displaces the old, a new understanding is formed which in turn purifies the heart and builds additional strength to believe and get results.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So much for the argument that there was no thought conditioning taking place in TWI.
That's the explicit purpose of this entire class!
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Tzaia
Waysider - I don't see a thing wrong with this other than when things veered off into areas where TWI had no business going. TWI took a good thing (looking at our thoughts and actions and improving them as needed) and turned it into something that benefited the organization at the expense of the individual.
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waysider
Well, for one thing, it's built around the bogus "law" of believing.
(As if that isn't enough.)
It focuses on utilizing OUR spiritual ability.
Is God on vacation or something?
We were being instructed to "condition" our thinking to be in harmony with "The Word".
Whose version?
In other words, "If you are in doubt about what The Word says, no sweat, we'll tell you."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a vital component of the RM class that I posted on another thread:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is an abbreviation of page 15 of The Renewed Mind class------1974
To the end that you apply all 6 of these laws you will manifest the more abundant life.
If you are deficient in applying one law you will not manifest the more than abundant life.
1. The Law Of Believing: As you believe, you receive.
Believing appropriates results.
2. The Law Of Learning: No one can go beyond where he is led.
We can never arise in our walk until we superabound in our study of The Word. Receive The Word with meekness.
3. The Law Of Using Knowledge: The knowledge of The Word must be applied in your life in order to retain it.
4. The Law of Effficiency: We must use what we have with haste and precision. We must be efficient in our operation. Redeem the time for the days are evil.
5. The Law of Love Love activates: Until we walk with the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, we will never be activated. Love binds the body together.
6. The Law of Giving and Receiving:
As you give, expecting nothing in return, your rewards will be great. God will bless you beyond what you have given. As you give, you receive.
Now, someone may say, "Well, this does not specifically say ABS".
No, it doesn't. But remember that giving to any cause or organization, be it with money or time, was absolutely off-limits in TWI. Thus, it is axiomatic that this reference to giving and receiving is slanted heavily toward giving to TWI.
Miss this one point and-----No abundant life for you, pal.
---------------------------------------------------------
Think what we tell you to think and------keep that ABS flowing.
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George Aar
And of course the idea of "renewing one's mind to 'THE WORD'" implies that there's some sort of reliable "WORD" actually in existence. Rather than the cobbled-together, ever changing, hopelessly subjective, completely unverifiable blather that we're told is "The Bible"...
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Tzaia
I don't want to derail this too much, but the "law" of believing was a concept that was based on a similar concept, taken out of context, and taught much differently than the original. If you were raised around new-age thinking like I was, it was immediately recognizable as a modified new-age belief.
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waysider
Do you mean like this stuff?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Vincent_Peale
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Tzaia
Similar stuff.
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ljn698
i'm surprised no one has yet replied to this post
that renewed mind is (at least to some) the same as the washed brain
yuk yuk just foolin
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kimberly
The renewed mind is to put on the mind of Christ. His is the new, ours is the renewed. He never had an old mind that had to be...re...(prefix very important) His never had to be fixed. Sorry, a southernism...fixed... He did it right the first time.
He thought everyday (mind, thoughts, decision) about being obedient to His Father. He chose obedience. That is the renewed mind. Choosing what the Lord Christ Almighty chose. He so loved His Father He would never disappoint Him. Obedience. Then again what the Lord did, said and thought is mightier than what I can put into words.
All I know now is that He is the Head...the brain...the thoughts, the Leader of His Body. I had a sunesis moment a few years back when I was trying to figure out stuff and realized that was not my function, calling, job, responsibility. I am a member in particular in His Body and He is the Head honcho. He has it all figured out, already, because He knows how life works. Duh, Kimberly......
Just to know that the Lord Christ and I have the same Father.....beyond any words I know.....
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Watered Garden
It is often taught in regular Christian circles that God will help you renew your mind. I don't have any problem with this as God has helped me with a lot of things TWI said I had to do myself. But TWI taught it was all up to us to line up every thought with the thoughts of Christ as taught by TWI, i.e. in reality the thoughts of VPW or LCM. Then as another poster pointed out you got yelled at all the time to RENEW YOUR MIND.
Makes no sense to me any more. People need to follow God not organizations. I am so done with worrying myself to a frazzle over what some socalled "man of God" or whatever, Imperial Grand High Poobah for all I care, says I have to do to win God's pat on the back. I'm not worried about whether my mind is renewed enough, I don't care if people think we don't donate enough time or money or whatever to this or that, I don't care if I never attend another "class"or "Bible study" or anything of the sort.
If God doesn't love me for who I am and what I am, it's His problem, not mine.
WG
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kimberly
Watered Garden...You go girl!!! I L!O!V!E! your last sentence. I am still giggling.
Aahh, being restrained under the Law evokes rebellion in His children. I love it!!! And so does our Father. It ain't about rules and regulations but about the heart. And you have that, sister girl.
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Watered Garden
Thanks!
WG
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so it was
Sadly the "renew your mind" line went from a good thing of getting back to a calm understanding of our beliefs as a way to focus to what we all got tired of hearing which loosely translated is "think what I tell you to think and quit arguing with me"
So, was I the only one who's eyes glazed over and had trouble paying attention to the BS & self- rightousness when I was told that? Is it any wonder I was kicked out?
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penworks
No, you were not the only one with attention that wandered from the tiresome propaganda...
The notion that people can apply this verse is more complicated than I imagined when I took the Renewed Mind class at TWI when I was 19 yrs. It seems to me that TWI used the verse Romans 12:2 (and hundreds more) to justify the claim that by accepting twi teachings, which was equal to thinking "the word," a person would prove the will of God in this world:
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." etc. etc.
This version of this verse, which is a version of a translation of a copy of a copy of a copy etc., is one that most scholars believe was originally written by Paul, unlike other epistles that seem as if he was author, such as the pastoral epistles.
IMO, Paul had something in mind when he wrote this verse, but it's not clear to me what he was referring to, but the people he was writing to probably understood him.
IMO "the world" is a vague term. It's hard to know what he meant since he lived in a vastly different culture than mine --- and a very long time ago: about 2,000 years ago. At any rate, he was often telling people what to do [note: if you believe the bible is the word of God that was sort of dictated to the writers, then I guess that what I have to say doesn't mean anything to you. We'll just agree to disagree on that point].
My point is that TWI wanted us to apply this verse, like many many more, to our modern-day situations without our knowing how or when to do so. Oh, yeah, I forgot. Our spiritual leaders would tell us when and how. Like, telling us that a new person in our fellowship who was asking questions all the time... well, he's "of the world," he's not hungry for the Word, he just wants to argue, so cross him off your list of referrals and don't waste God's time on him.
If I'm going to renew my mind to this verse, what do I identify as "the world"? It sometimes became a matter of shunning things like participating in Halloween, listening to pop music, etc. But then it got confusing when we were supposed to put God's word in culture, too. How would I know when I was really not conforming to the world but somehow re-making the world by re-interpreting it, getting God's Word in it, into the culture, blah blah blah. It became very confusing when I stopped to think about it. So I didn't think about it. I did not really do that until about 15 years into the ministry. Yikes. Then I left.
IMO, this verse also assumes we are sort of like blank slates that can be written on and changed. It only addresses the mind. I have nothing against changing my mind in an effort to be more loving, more patient, etc. But clearly this dictate from Paul does not consider emotions, the complex nature of the brain, concepts like nature vs. nurture, etc.
To be fair, how could Paul address these things? Which is part of my point. I have found that this book, the Bible, [which is an anthology, which carries its own issues, as such] is rarely relevant to my life. I soul searched this question: What value is this ancient text to my daily life now? Well, if I cherry-pick some "positive" verses like ones about love that are used at weddings all the time, I feel good. But is that necessary? [i'll refrain from expanding on this].
Here's a link to a talk by someone who IMO has something to add to the conversation about behavior and what makes us the way we are:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/steven_...lank_slate.html
peace,
penworks
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