-How did you envision the FDS and GB did their work?

by Awakened07 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  misguided

  By the time I got around to thinking about how this worked with the FDS and GB, I really was
  fully indoctrinated. Telling me that "they know" they are anointed, I believed it. Telling me
  that they were spirit-directed, I thought of it much like a prophet writing a prophecy. He just
  lets God's spirit direct the writing.

  Later, I was able to fill in that most of the writing is done without "prophecy" so it's just
  spiritual men doing spiritual writing. If the GB members had something important to add, they
  would write it and tell the writing committee make an article out of it.

  Since Jehovah was directing all the anointed, the FDS outside of Brooklyn didn't have to be
  consulted. Jehovah just made sure He guided the ones nearest the typewriters in Brooklyn.
  The FDS in Iowa or Kenya would just keep an eye on local matters.

  I envisioned the GB where they would pontificate using the Bible. Member One would say
  what he "understood" from holy spirit, and Member Two would add to that (since they were
  all directed by the same spirit). Matters would be discussed until there was a unanimous
  decision reached on everything and anything.

  WELL- imagine as I learned it just ain't so. It really threw me when I learned of the two-thirds
  majority vote in the GB. Sure, a judicial committee could go by two out of three, or a body of
  elders could use the majority vote, but we learned to discuss things until we could avoid this
  majority and get total unity. I couldn't even imagine all the doctrine decided upon without a
  need for unanimous agreement.

  Telling me that these guys made "mistakes" and were not inspired- that was a mistake, too.
  I read enough WT articles that said "a prophet is among us" to know that the writings in the
  WT were really considered the last word. If things were wrong in the articles I have read, then
  how do I know that some major teachings might be wrong, like the end coming before the
  1914 generation passed away. That was "proven" to me. Oh my god, there's an error.
  What should I do? I will keep my mouth shut until I know what to do, afterall, I was just appointed
  an elder in 1995 because I know how to promote WT propaganda.

  That's my story, and I am sticking to it

  Profound.
• 

  oompa

  I now envision hooded men around a candle lit crystal ball.....oompa
• 

  dust

  Slightly off topic, although not completely:
  
  The New York Times reported on July 9, 1912 that the Bible Students' Association had reputiated the idea of hell-fire (almost eighty years before the pope did the same thing). I've mentioned this to my JW in-laws in a recent letter (in an innocent paragraph about the NY Times archive). It was brig. gen. William P. Hall who brought up the question, which lead to an "animated discussion" at the convention, before the 4000 delegates adopted the doctrine as formulated by Dr. L. N. Smith of Louisville. According to the resolution, most Protestant ministers had already privately reputiated the hell-fire theory.
  
  Of course, none of this is shocking, but the information may perhaps divert a little from their accustomed focus in such matters: There is no hell, the JWs are proud that they've known this for so many years, and the doctrine is simply there, given to them by the Society. They are probably not used to thinking of animated discussions prior to the adoption of resolutions. And they are certainly not used to thinking of the non-shocking fact that doctrines are formulated by individuals that even have names. Being reminded of this in an innocent way will hopefully make the Society a little more "human".
• 

  yknot

  I always pictured them with the same mildness, kindness, and grace as the Annointed Sister in my "birth" congregation. Now all I see is fierce corporate greed and "big business" attitudes of leaving those of us in the north western hemisphere for cheaper labor in developing countries. Easier Pickings. Those who can be fed milk for another 25-50 years, vs most of us who are starting to question if this is really meat the we are eating.
• 

  freyd

  "The FDS (Faithful and Discreet Slave) is taught by the WTS....."--QUOTE--awakened
  
  
  I think that about says it.