Omitting "the faithful and discreet slave" doctrine from their website

by truthseeker 8 Replies latest jw friends

  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    I took a look at jw-media.org to see if I could find any mention of the "faithful and discreet slave" or any mention that Jehovah had chosen the governing body as his sole channel on earth.

    Strangely enough, there is no information about the "faithful and discreet slave"

    I am wondering if their Frequently Asked Questions page is none other than a "Questions From Readers" page, created by the writing committee.

    If you examine the Knowledge Book and the What Does The Bible Teach Book, you will find that the doctrine of the "faithful and discreet slave" is either omitted or not introduced until near the end of the book, when a bible study is already hooked on the idea that Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true christians.

    Let's examine some of the information given about who Jehovah's Witnesses are from their website:

    http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/membership.htm

    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.

    For starters, there IS a clergy-laity decision. What the reader is not told here is that ALL appointments of elders are made by the Society, not by the congregation. The congregation elders can only RECOMMEND appointment, it is the Ciruit Overseer who approves it.

    While they say there is no clergy-laity division, the truth is that serving as an elder gives that one authority in the congregation, something that would not be present if there were no clergy-laity divison.

    http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/trueworship.htm

    The Bible

    It is God's infallible, inspired Word, upon which Jehovah's Witnesses base all their beliefs. Some portions of the Bible are to be understood figuratively, or symbolically.—2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Revelation 1:1.

    Yes, many religions accept the Bible is the inspired word of God, but what does the Watchtower omit?

    "...the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah's visible organization in mind."

    http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm

    Beliefs—Frequently Asked Questions

    Are you Christians?

    Yes. We follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and put faith in the ransom sacrifice he provided for the salvation of mankind. We imitate his example in preaching and teaching and in our dealings with fellow humans. We also look forward to living in true peace on earth under his heavenly Kingdom.

    What do the Watchtower omit in this answer?

    "we cannot find the scriptural guidance we need outside the 'faithful and discreet slave' organization.'

    so, in other words, you can't follow Jesus without the "faithful and discreet slave"

    IMHO, the issue of deliberately omitting and downplaying the doctrine of the "faithful and discreet slave" should be at the top of any agenda to expose the Watchtower Tract and Bible Sociey for what it really is - a fraud.

  • undercover
    undercover

    Are you Christians?

    Yes. We follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and put faith in the ransom sacrifice he provided for the salvation of mankind. We imitate his example in preaching and teaching and in our dealings with fellow humans. We also look forward to living in true peace on earth under his heavenly Kingdom.

    Notice how the answer is "we" are Christians, "we" follow Jesus, "we" imitate his example, etc. Who is "we"? Is the writer one of the anointed? Is this answer speaking for all Jehovah's Witnesses or just for those who are considered part of the "Christian congregation", the anointed class?

    A better wording of the question would be, "Are all Jehovah's Witnesses considered Christians?"

  • tall penguin
  • truthseeker
    truthseeker

    Absolutely right Penguin,

    although my issue was for newby visitors to the site who wouldn't think to look up specific pubs. and for bible students.

  • Star Moore
    Star Moore

    I, so agree with you.... The WT..deliberately leaves out the obedience to the governing body, esp..in the new Teach book. I believe they leave it out until you are hooked..like you say.

    Also, they are complete liars, when they say, there is no laity/clergy system...in the WT...They have it, much worse than other churches..!

    Also, you are correct... the bible is ONLY to be interpreted by the GB... never by anyone else..

    And they are playing Jesus to the max....Jesus has no rights..without their permission...

    Crap....

  • moshe
    moshe

    Also, they are complete liars, when they say, there is no laity/clergy system...in the WT...They have it, much worse than other churches..!

    Amen to that! At least in a regular Church the laity have ways to give a pastor the boot, if he becomes oppressive. And disclosure of finances of national Church bodies. You can change churches,too with no repercussions.

  • steve2
    steve2

    As the English are supposedly fond of saying, "There's only one thing wrong with France and that's the French (population)", let me add, "There's only one thing wrong with the Watchtower and that's the "faithful and discreet slave".

  • avidbiblereader
    avidbiblereader

    Read the Bible and everything centers around Chist, read the Wt and everything centers around the Fd slave. HMMMMM

    I am not the judge but I am reading the Bible thanks for the observation who every you are who posted this thread

    abr

  • Terry
    Terry

    The history of worship in Judeo Christian communities was this.

    Jews: follow the law.

    Early Christians: follow Jesus.

    Church Christians: follow the majesterium (the Pope decides).

    Protestant Christians: sola scriptura (the Holy Spirit teaches individuals).

    Jehovah's Witnesses try to have it all in one bundle!

    They claim we are not under "law" while laying down rules which can only be violated because they are really laws!

    They claim to be footstep followers of Jesus while destroying the very nature of what Jesus did (argued for the individual instead of the hierarchy) in debating what true worship is about among his own religious leaders!

    The faithful and discreet slave is the modern day equivalent of the Pope in declaring what is "TRUTH" in faith and morals (and every other damned thing you are allowed to think and do!)

    They claim sola scriptura while maintaining a monopoly on all understanding, interpretation and doctrines of belief and practice.

    Do you see why Jehovah's Witnesses are dangerous to the mind of man?

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit