Well well, what a surprise. If you all remember, the 5/1/07 QFR stated that "anointed" members have no more Holy Ghost than the Great Crowd, and that they don't demand any special attention. The very last paragraph stated that the anointed and the great crowd all follow under the direction of the GB. I know that every-day-JW's still believe that the "anointed" are running the organization. Maybe this article will wake them up a bit... It's not a surprise they're finally putting in print what has been established for so long. Which is it, the tail wagging the dog, or the other way around?
June 15 Study Watchtower now on jw.org
by dozy 19 Replies latest watchtower bible
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isaacaustin
I don't think they will drop the 2 classes though. It is central to their paradise earth teaching. They would have to deal with "If all go to Hevaen who will they rule over" and since they teach the children of weak JWs are slaughtered they can not say that they will rule over children.
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sir82
I don't think they will drop the 2 classes though.
They actually seem to be moving toward 3 classes:
1) The "Great Crowd"
-- Status now: peons, followers, sloggers, doers of grunt-work
-- Status in future: peons in paradise
2) The "Anointed"
-- Status now: identical to "Great Crowd", but allowed to eat the crackers & sip the wine at the Memorial
-- Status in future: kings and priests in heaven
3) The "Governing Body"
-- Status now: wonderful, glorious, illustrious leaders, hand-picked by Christ himself, in direct contact with holy spirit, stewards of Christ's earthly possesions (and thus deserving to take full advantage of whatever material assets can be accumulated by the org.)
-- Status in future: kings and priests in heaven, with their thrones just a tad closer to Jesus' own.
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hamsterbait
To say that Paul got his authority from a first century equivalent of them is actually BLASPHEMOUS.
Read the book of Acts - Paul received his authoruty DIRECTLY from Jesus Christ Himself and was personally spoken to and directed by the Holy Spirit.
In fact he was called back to Jerusalem by the "pillars" and "superfine apostles" because he was preaching what they had not heard or told him to.
HB
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civicsi00
OK, I just listened to the audio of the study article. It seems they took the 5/1/07 QFR and have now turned it into a Study Article, with scriptures and contexts pulled left and right to support their current setup. And Sir82 is right: They are moving towards creating 3 classes of Christians for JW's (this has existed, I feel, since 1976 when the GB took power, but only now has it been clearly explained to the R/F). The GB will no longer hide behind such words as "faithful and discreet slave" or "anointed brothers" or whatever. Now it will be crystal clear that the GB, and only they, are fully responsible for all the "truths" published.
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Gladring
This article is hilarious, I just listened to the whole thing.
Paragraph 3 says that Christendom's commentators interpret the "steward" to be those who hold responsibility in the Christian churches. But obviously Jesus wasn't talking about all the different leaders of all the different sects of Christianity. Jesus speaks only of one steward - so this must mean all of the annointed!!!
So let's get this straight - Because Jesus spoke of one slave only, this rules out multiple "slaves" in the churches -- but this one slave means 144000 people??? Do these guys read this stuff before they print it???
Paragraph 12 is great. The question is about how one knows if one is spirit annointed. In answering this they quote Rom 8 14-17 which says, in part - "For YOU did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but YOU received a spirit of adoption as sons."
Ok, maybe I'm just dumb, but did these guys just say that you know that you are a member of the slave class if you did not receive a spirit of slavery?????? Maybe I'm too thick to be a dub.
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slimboyfat
I don't think there is an actual change in teaching because in paragraph 3 it affirms that the 'steward' comprises all the anointed: "So as this journal has often explained, the steward must represent the 'little flock' of anointed disciples as a collective body, or group." However the emphasis is very much on the fact that the Governing Body alone has authority to provide 'spiritual food': "Are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truth? No. Although as a composite body the slave class is responsible for feeding the spiritual household, not all individuals of the slave class have the same responsibilities or assignments." (Paragraph 16) Knocked on the head is any idea that partaking of the emblems is somehow a way to 'get ahead' in the organization. People claiming to be anointed do not have any "special insights" nor do they "necessarily have any more holy spirit" than anyone else. But it gets worse for new would-be partakers. Not only is partaking not going to ensure a special position, but it will bring you under direct suspicion.
I think there are two key words in the penultimate paragraph that reveal the motivation for the article:
"What effect should the above facts have on the ever-increasing great crowd who hope to live on earth? As part of the King's belongings, they are happy to cooperate fully with the arrangements made by the Governing Body, which represents 'the faithful and discreet slave'. Members of the great crowd appreciate the spiritual food produced under the Governing Body's direction. But at the same time, while respecting the slave as a class, members of the great crowd are careful not to elevate any individuals who claim to be part of that slave. No Christian who genuinely receives the anointing with God's spirit would want or expect such treatment. -Acts 10:25, 26; 14: 14, 15."
It seems pretty clear the Governing Body is not happy about the rise in the number of people claiming to be anointed. They want to point out that claiming to be anointed in itself confers no special position or authority. They also want to generate suspicion in the congregations of any Witnesses newly claiming to be anointed, reminding them that they only "claim" to be anointed, and calling into question whether they do so "genuinely". The author of the article seems to be inviting congregations to scrutinize people who start partaking for signs of bad motives or looking for any "special treatment".
Against rhetoric as strong as that it is hard to see how anyone can now start partaking of the emblems without their character and motives being seriously called into question. Witnesses are already extremely adept at scrutinizing each other for adherence to Watchtower standards. With this thinly veiled invitation to doubt the motives of new partakers that process will go into overdrive.
Of course the extreme irony of the "Governing Body" of all people making the following statement will not be lost on anyone on this forum:
members of the great crowd are careful not to elevate any individuals who claim to be part of that slave
No one elevates themselves more than the Governing Body! However that jarring contradiction will no doubt be lost on most Witnesses who sit through the study.
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cameo-d
Paul and Barnabus got their authority from the GB? What scriptural proof do they offer for this?
Wasn't Paul a member of King Herod's family?
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dozy
Notably the article makes no effort to develop or identify any concept of a FADS class between the death of the apostles and the structure that exists today.
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yadda yadda 2
It's completely wrong to say that Paul got his authority from the apostles and older men in Jerusalem. Paul got his authority by direct revelation from Christ, or claimed to. In fact he did not go to Jerusalem for 2 years after his conversion.
And where in the book of Revelation is there the slightest hint to any 'Governing Body'. If there was a first century GB, then why did Jesus give his messages direct to each congregation.
You have to pity the 7 million idiots who suffer this cultic brainwashing and idolatry of men every Sunday.