The FDS and the 144,000

Doug Mason

Would someone please verify and explain the following WTS theocratic arrangement for me.

It is my understanding that the FDS is made up of all members of the Anointed who are on earth (WT March 1,2004 page 10 par. 9), and that this FDS Class is represented on earth by the Governing Body. (WT Sept 15, 2005, page 22).

How does this arrangement relate to the 144k? Presumably the 144,000 are not part of the FDS. In WT theocracy, does the 144,000 have any active role?

How does Jesus Christ manage the GB? Is it by some direct mechanism?

Doug

Vernon Williams

Doug,

The "F and D S" is the most convoluted mess: if you pay attention.

Here is the short take, as I remember,

The total in Kingdom Rule is 144,00.

They are the FDS.

The GB is chosen from the FDS.

BOTH the FDS and the "domestics" have existed since 33 CE.

HERE is where it gets complicated: the "120" in the "upper room:" were the first "FDS." They "fed" the "domestics." Now, AT SOME POINT the "domestics" of the first century would HAVE to become the "FDS" to continue and enlarge the "domestics." Make sense?

There would HAVE to be a mutation from one group to the other. This, to my knowledge is never discussed. Also, this "FDS"/"domestics" relationship is not plainly explained. The FDS members are ALSO "domestics" in the sense that they are, too, "fed" by the Org. But, in this case WHO is the one feeding????

There is NO WAY a sane person can make sense of the reasoning on this topic.

"Jehovah's people" can make perfect sense of it.

Reach your own conclusion from here....

V

jwfacts

There are some quotes about it at http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/slave.htm

It is really a contradictory doctrine, totally senseless. EG

Watchtower 1995 May 15 p.16 “ If all the anointed as a group , no matter where on earth they live, are members of the slave class , who are the “ domestics”? They are the same anointed ones but considered from a different viewpoint—as individuals. Yes, as individuals they would be of the “slave” or they would be “domestics,” depending on whether they were dispensing spiritual food or partaking of it. To illustrate: As recorded at 2 Peter 3:15, 16, the apostle Peter makes reference to Paul’s letters. When reading them, Peter would be as one of the domestics feeding on the spiritual food provided by Paul as a representative of the slave class.”

From the above quote technically the F&D slave include only those of the 144k that are alive on earth (presently 8000 people from memorial partaker records).

It made far more sense to say Rusell was the slave and everyone else are the domestics.

Or the 144k Anointed are the slave and the Great Crowd are the domestics.

But to say the Anointed are the Slave and the Anointed are also the domestics is just mad.

Better still, why not say the Governing Body are the Slave and everyone else are the domestics. That is how it works in practice. The individual 144k around the world have no say in doctrine at all. As soon as an individual 144k started to promote a new belief they would be disfellowshipped as apostates. It is only the GB that feed. They are the leaders, 144k and Great Crowd alike have no rights.

Doug Mason

The following are the two WT pieces I referred to in my original post. These quotes are quite recent and should therefore reflect the latest “light”.

I would like to know if the 144,000 in heaven have a “Class” name and what role they play. Further, it seems as if Jesus Christ directly guides the GB. What do they mean by "COMPOSITE FDS"?

I know it’s confusing, hence my question.

Doug
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The following are the quotes from the Watchtower mags.

"The 'master' is Jesus Christ. The 'slave' is the group of anointed Christians on earth. ... A small group of qualified overseers from among the composite 'faithful and discreet slave' form the Governing Body, serving as the representative of the slave class. They direct the worldwide Kingdom-preaching work and the supplying of spiritual nourishment at the right time. Christ thus leads the congregation by means of the spirit-anointed 'faithful and discreet slave' and its Governing Body. (w05 9/15 p. 22 pars. 8-10 Go On Walking as Jesus Christ Walked)

"Every member of 'the Israel of God' is a dedicated, baptized Christian anointed with holy spirit and having a heavenly hope. Hence, the expression 'faithful and discreet slave' refers to all members of that anointed spiritual nation as a group on earth at any particular time from 33 C.E. until now, ... Who, though, are the 'domestics,' who receive spiritual nourishment from the slave? ... The domestics were also anointed Christians, viewed, not as a group, but as individuals. All, including those who held responsible positions in the congregation, needed spiritual food from the slave. (w04 3/1 p. 10 par. 9 A “Slave” Who Is Both Faithful and Discreet)

moggy lover

Hi, Doug. According to the WTS definition of the FDS, the thing to remember is that they are made up of all the "anointed" who are on earth at any one moment in time. That last phrase becomes important when you get close to definitions. Remember Paul? Yep. Well he was "anointed" so he was part of the FDS. But, and this becomes a big but - he is not of the FDS now!! He's not on earth anymore see? The same goes for all those of the "anointed" who have passed on. They were, as long as they were alive, part of the FDS, but they no longer fulfill that esteemed role. Presumably they are all contemplating their collective navels right now up there in heaven, and according to the Revelation Climax, though they are deceased, and the Bible forbids communication with the dead, the present day FDS get many "truths" from their mates who have passed on.

The relationship between the "anointed" and the GB is a checkered one. Technically, these "anointed" ones get together in quorum and "elect" the various members of the GB, to lead them. In practice this is an empty sham. The GB is a self perpetuating organism which arbitrarily decides to choose any whom they want among their ranks. Naturally they only pick the die hard company men.

The original view was that "Jehovah" communicated his truths to Christ who then through "holy spirit" somehow conveyed these to the "anointed" When that drunken lout Rutherford came along, he decided that the end was so near, that the "holy spirit" had ceased to function. Now it was "angelic beings" who did the conveyance. To Rutherford only. Evidently the "anointed" were left out of the loop. With his passing this humbug was discarded and the original view renewed. With no clarification, or any acknowledgment that any change had occurred.

The finer points and the mechanics of how all the plumbing works has never been detailed, and the R&F are simply too somnolent to make inquiries. The polite fiction simply carries on. Unchallenged.

Cheers

Honesty

It is so easy to understand when you keep this in mind...

It is all Bulls hit designed to maintain control over 6 million mentally disturbed people.

OnTheWayOut

The FDS is supposed to be the earthly "remnant" of the 144,000. The term "remnant"
came about because they were supposed to be a very small number that was left over
until Armageddon arrived just around the next corner.

freeme

thats the reason for the belief change regarding 1935 btw.

they ran out of good members of the 144000... in some centuries there would be NO anointed ones on earth anymore (or at least it would look more and more suspicious that SO many anointed ones would be "replaced" by new ones). who would lead the jws then? so they decided to let the 1935 doctrine drop and let new anointed ones chosen for infinite time.

greendawn

The whole FDS concept is a hoax, the FDS is in theory the remaining so called anointed on earth which number 8 000 according to them, but in practice the FDS is only the GB members and their close associates whether "anointed" or not.

There is obviously no valid explanation as to why the vast majority of the FDS are excluded from participating in any doctrine formulation or in running this org.

I suppose the GB are far too power lusting to allow that to happen. They want everything for themselves and made it clear that all the rest of the "anointed" can do, is give a good example to the other JWs in terms of behaviour.

Ri

Greendawn said: I suppose the GB are far too power lusting to allow that to happen. They want everything for themselves and made it clear that all the rest of the "anointed" can do, is give a good example to the other JWs in terms of behaviour.

Sounds exctally like a Nigerian scam!

The FDS and the 144,000

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