This quote is revealing, if you're paying attention:
"Although the primary concern of the 'faithful slave' has been to provide spiritual food at the proper time for the household of God, that slave has reflected the generosity of Jehovah God in providing an abundance of spiritual food for anyone who hungers for knowledge of him."
If you paid attention, what they did not say here is very significant. They did not say that their primary concern was the preaching of the good news of God's Kingdom. Isn't that supposed to be the most important work anyone can do, something worth giving up education, careers, even starting a family for?
If we could translate this into normal-speak, it would probably go like this:
"Our main job is to give you literature. Because we're nice, we just happen to have literature for other people, too." We could probably add, "So get out there and do as we say--place our literature. Now."
So the 'faithful slave', supposedly the class of people who 'spear-heads' the preaching work, by its own admission does not consider said work as its primary concern. Bottom line? Anyone who goes out in the 'field ministry' is doing the slave's legwork for them. They have, in this statement, effectively excused themselves of responsibility for the preaching work. Better still, like in any company, you do the hard work, the folks at the top get all the credit, pat themselves on the back. 'Look at how much God and Jesus trust us!' they say. 'Look at all the magazines we've printed and placed, all the buildings we've built, all the hours we've spent glorifying God's name!'
Why does this sound so familiar? Oh, that's why:
"In that day many will come to me, saying, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?' And yet I will say to them, 'I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!'"
In this statement is highlighted the slave's most basic error: failing to lead by example. If their main job is to give us literature, how are they all that different from the clergy of 'Christendom', who, by their own reasoning, just stand up there and give speeches to their people? It is abundantly clear that the clergy/laity division, so derided as an apostasy from true Christianity, is alive and more powerful than ever in this religion.
Just flipping through the Organized book showed the change--the 'faithful slave' seems to show up on every other page. 'Cooperate' is the buzz word they like to use, as if we're being treated as equals. Cooperate = obey. Now that we've got the uh, private edition of the Watchtower, 'obey the direction' is a phrase showing up a lot. Considering the aforementioned quote, it would be wise for Witnesses to ask themselves just what kind of slave they're obeying. Or indeed, what kind of slave demands obedience from fellow slaves? Does that seem right to you?
I think all one needs to do is examine the history, and it's clear that Christ is not giving direction through men like this. Not unless he has a really twisted sense of humor.
SD-7
SD-7