Jehovahs Spirit-Directed Earthly Organisation

by Englishman 6 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Englishman

  I just want to get back to some basics here, this post is not meant to take the Mickey.

  I am of the opinion that the above-mentioned phrase is something that JW's absorb into their sub-conscious minds over a long period of time, with the end result that they actually do believe that Jehovah does indeed operate through this organisation.

  Can someone please take me step by step through this essential belief of JW's, right from when the idea of an Earthly org was first mooted. I can't find any scriptural backing for this belief at all, not one tiny bit. Even if I really stretch and link isolated scriptures there just does not seem to be any basis for belief here at all. No concealed thread, no theme even, unlike the NT recurrent theme of love, forgiveness, hope, charity and faith, there is just nothing to support the "Earthly organisation" that is a mainstay of JW teachings.

  Englishman.

  Bring on the dancing girls!
• 

  Joseph Joachim

  Well I can't tell you step by step through this belief, but I will tell you how I used to see things, having been "born in the truth". I thought (or better the dubs made me think) that if there was a God (which I didn't doubt at the time) there had to be one true religion (and no more than one for obvious logical reasons). By properly demonizing other religions, specially catholicism, the Society convinced me that there was only one acceptable religion left: The Truth! So, in my case, it wasn't so much what they said for their supposed Spirit-direction but what they said against other religions.

  Joseph Joachim, an overly-enthusiastic pundit of borderline reality
• 

  Joseph Joachim

  More to the point of your question: by cleverly selecting parts of Acts you can "prove" (fundy style) that early christianity was a homogeneous movement under the leadership of the Apostles, so that you could call it, in effect, an "earthly organization". Of course you have to ignore Paul's letters, especially Galatians, but then again Dubs and fundies never read the Bible to get the big picture, they just look for proof texts.

  Coupled with this is the (wrong) idea that today's christianity should resemble first century christianity. If you set that as your standard, you are forced to discard all mainstream christian churches, because nothing could be further removed from the unpopular and persecuted little sect that christianity originally was than one of today's main churches.

  Joseph Joachim, an overly-enthusiastic pundit of borderline reality
• 

  Geordie

  ive found numourous acounts of charles taze russell's belief that he was the sole channel of comunication between god and man and numourous acounts of him referring to himself as "gods mouthpiece".

  There is also quite alot of information revolving around spiritism in the early days of the WTBTS wich would also go some way to acount for the belief that god speeks through them alone.

  I also found last night some info about a court case aganst WTBTS in which jehovah was refured to as being the "editor" of the WTBTS's publications but ive lost the link. If i find it ill post it in this thread and you can read it for your self.

  Hope this helps.
• 

  Englishman

  Thanks Guys.

  Bit weird this. It's quite an assumption to make yourself on a par with the apostles and to say that this makes you spirit directed. Weren't the apostles doing healing and stuff?

  Anyway, the comparison between the WTBTS and the apostles is so far apart as to be farcical.

  Englishman.

  Bring on the dancing girls!
• 

  Will Power

  AND they probably had beards, wore long dresses & open-toed sandals!
• 

  Sirona

  Hi,

  I brought this thread back up because I'd really like an answer to the question raised. What scriptural proof is there that there would be an earthly organisation?

  What about the "people for his name" thing?

  It really annoys me when dubs say "there is no other organisation doing gods will"...blah blah "where would we go?"

  Sirona