Organization Following the model of first-century Christianity, Jehovah's Witnesses have no clergy-laity division. All baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work. Witnesses are organized into congregations of up to 200 members. Spiritually mature men in each congregation serve as elders. A body of elders supervises each congregation. About 20 congregations form a circuit, and about 10 circuits are grouped into a district. Congregations receive periodic visits from traveling elders. Guidance and instructions are provided by a multinational governing body made up of longtime Witnesses who currently serve at the international offices of Jehovah's Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York.—Acts 15:23-29; 1 Timothy 3:1-7.
Conscience Jehovah's Witnesses avoid making rules and regulations beyond those provided in the Scriptures, and they do not follow traditions that contradict Bible teachings. Emphasis is placed on personal application of Bible principles and the value of a sound, Bible-based conscience.—Matthew 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:24.
So they are back to publishing that, "All baptized members are ordained ministers". I seem to recall that this has fluctuated a few times over the years.
But give me a break on this one, "Jehovah's Witnesses have no clergy-laity division" the rest of their paragraph shows that there is a formal division that exists. They can call it an organizational structure but it is formalized and it does create a division and a well defined hierarchy of status and responsibility.
If you were a baptized Witness male God forbid that you started acting and dealing with matters in the congregation as if you were one of the appointed elders when you weren't. Can you just imagine approaching a couple of other brothers and telling them that a matter has come to your attention that neds to be dealt with and that you'd like them to serve with you to hear out the matter and make a decision. Yeah right! They'd laugh you right right out of there...
No clergy-laity division my ass... Give me a break.
Thanks for the morning laugh JT. Tell the wife hello.
Very twisted - I could say a mouthful on this one - but I will leave it to chance that you all know my exact feelings.
Never knew equal meant some were "superior" to others and depending on what sex you were born equal took take on a new meaning as well. A freind of mine years ago wanted to go the Bethel - but she was told all the cleaning positins and other woman positions were filled and htey were only accepting the brothers. That sounds real equal to me.
Interestingly, this IS basically what they taught me 30 years ago, when I was studying. This "freedom" was the brassring for me. I was raised a Catholic with a strong fear of Hell - and crappy parents to boot.
I used to think that it had changed, corrupted, over the decades - but my husband said that the WTBTS has always been like we know it now.......he didn't know what I was referring to, as he had been raised in the org.
He always felt the stifling effect, whereas it enclosed upon me like a rolling fog.
