by Mickey mouse 46 Replies latest watchtower bible
My brother always tells me that we must obey the slave! I thought the slave must obey us!
It seems to me too that this emphasis on the GB HAS been increasing and there is less and less about the F&DS class. Perhaps over time the f&ds class is going to dissapear and only the gb will be referred to.
They recognize, however, that Christ is using a small group of anointed Christian men as a Governing Body to lead and direct his disciples on earth.—Read Acts 15:6, 28-30
I've just figured out something that is really obvious. The FDS (composed of annointed ones) is supposed to be guiding all JWs but their numbers are getting less and less and the org don't want many of the current 'supposedly' annointed ones to be directly leading anyway. But, hey presto, there is a huge problem that has occurred over the number of years.
As we are approaching the most turbulent of times in mans history there are fewer annointed ones left to help guide jws through armageddon and not to mention bring as many other people, from all lands and nations, the same salvation. But most of the annointed ones aren't here anymore to do that, they're supposed to be in heaven.
Surely in the grand plan, the JWs would need more annointed ones rather than less so to overcome this they are raising the profile of others within the hierachy, such as the elders.
So it would seem that the FDS' earthly appointment is becoming less important as we approach the GT, their numbers and appointments to the WTBS have reduced dramatically since they advised that the majority were chosen up until 1935.
It makes no sense that there are less and yet the need for them now is greater.
myelaine wrote:
the changing doctrine and flip flops that people have gone along with for years proves that the majority would "change" their "beliefs" over night if the GB said to...and that kind of sudden "change" could not occur quickly in the protestant churches or the catholic church.
love michelle
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Thanks for sending your love,
I have some questions for you regarding your comment above. You don't need to answer them just reflect on them.
Is it necessary that every person thinks the same and mean the same in order to be on the right side?
Is it a right side?
The background for WT training in this aspect is John 17:3, see the verse below from both editions.
Direct translated from the KIT (Kingdom Interlinear Translation 1969 - Westcott and Hort se: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Testament_in_the_Original_Greek):
"This but is the everlasting life in order that they may be knowing you the only true God and whom you sent forth Jesus Christ."
New World Translation:
"This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."
Even governments existing now allow us to think independently and even be critical?
Wouldn't God manage to live with that? If not what does that tell us about him?
Sincerely adonai.
I always find the wording by the society quite curious.
Take the expression "most of the elders are of the other sheep".
Lets do the maths - even after the big increase in "anointed" ones in recent years , they still only number 10,000. Assuming 60% are women (in line with the ratio of female to male JWs) that makes approx 4,000 male anointed JWs. Again assuming the same ratio , less than 1 in every 1000 of elders are anointed. ie 999 are other sheep.
So in reality the use of the word "most" is wrong and would be marked down in any school context. The correct expression would be "virtually all" elders are of the other sheep. Say you had a full time job and turned up for work one day in every 3 years. Would you say that "most of the days I don't go to work?" Would your employer or workmates agree with that description?
I think the reason that the WTBTS uses such an inappropriate expression is that they need to maintain the fiction that although small in number , there is a core of anointed elders to prop up their description of scriptures like the societies interpretation of Revelation.
rechap.21p.136Jehovah’sPlaguesonChristendom While the seven stars in Jesus’ right hand picture the anointed overseers in the Christian congregation, the elders in most of the approximately 100,000 congregations in the world today are of the great crowd. (Revelation 1:16; 7:9) What is their position? Since they receive their appointment by holy spirit through the anointed faithful and discreet slave class, these can be said to be under Jesus’ right hand of control, for they are also his undershepherds. (Isaiah 61:5, 6; Acts 20:28) They support the “seven stars” in that they serve where qualified anointed brothers are not available.
dear adoni...
greetings and welcome to JWN...
you asked: "Is it necessary that every person thinks the same and mean the same in order to be on the right side?
Is it a right side?"
I would say that the scripture you sited answers your question doesn't it?...taking in knowledge of God and Jesus Christ is important in the same way that learning about your loved one is important before you decide to commit to marriage. if you are given the wrong impression or lied to that would have an impact on how you would relate to them presently and in a shared future.
hummm...the right side?...well I don't know if I would phrase it as the right side so much as the same side. if everyone is on the same side and engaging in the same work for the same purpose there is LESS FRICTION between persons. Jesus sent out the disciples for the purpose of evangelization. He didn't send them out to fight amongst themselves so that one group could claim superiority over another. There is imo a plain truth that should not be overlooked in favor of other "details"...that is unity of purpose. The WTBTS is presently at war with everyone that isn't one of them because they suppose that all other religions are being mislead by satan...while there is a great problem of "worldliness" in the churches that needs to be confronted by pastors and congregants alike I don't think that God put the WTBTS in charge of pointing it out to anyone.
I have my own thoughts on why ALL those that name the name of Christ MUST get together to confront another "entity" (the real enemy) but suffice it to say those thoughts and any resultant actions seem to be the furtherest thing from the minds of others that are waiting for God to go into action or for Jesus to dazzle them by TCOB. God gave US the victory...doesn't that mean we are the ones IN the theater?
anyway...now I feel stumbled or maybe just really sad
love michelle
The FDS (composed of annointed ones) is supposed to be guiding all JWs but their numbers are getting less and less and the org don't want many of the current 'supposedly' annointed ones to be directly leading anyway. But, hey presto, there is a huge problem that has occurred over the number of years.
As we are approaching the most turbulent of times in mans history there are fewer annointed ones left to help guide jws through armageddon and not to mention bring as many other people, from all lands and nations, the same salvation. But most of the annointed ones aren't here anymore to do that, they're supposed to be in heaven.
Listener, the numbers do not support your theory. Anointed numbers are growing rapidly among JWs and the Governing Body is reacting to that by suppressing their importance to the organization (2/15/09 and 6/15/09 WT study articles). If they wanted to use the anointed members of the Faithful and Discreet Slave to assist in leading the rank and file JWs, they could easily do so. That is precisely what they DO NOT want; they have absolutely no desire to share power outside their little room on Wednesday mornings. Little do they realize that they too are a tool of their masters - the attorneys and executives who run the WT corporations.
I frankly wonder if the Society is about to implode. This strident reinforcement of the authority of the GB by and for the GB is perhaps yet another indication, but there are others.
There exists a small, but determined, dissident group working from within to change blood doctrine (they call themselves the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood, or AJWRB) an indication that Group Think (critical to maintaining solidarity) is waning, there is anectdotal evidence that rank and file attitudes toward the once sacred blood doctrine are shifting, there's been and continues to be a pedophile scandal, there is abundant evidence that many of the Society's youth are rebelling and can't wait to get out of the house, there's a large number of apostate Jehovah's Witness internet sites hammering people with contrarian facts, figures and historical perspectives and there are YouTube videos galore debunking official Society positions and claims. There's no place to hide. The iron grip of the Governing Body and the Society they rule as I see it will loosen and it will become just another Christian sect, and then the smart ones will leave. I hope I live long enough to see it happen.
I think you will see the emphasize on the Governing Body's authority being used more and more to keep the congregations looking to them.
At a time of year when the rest of the Christian world is preparing to celebrate the birth of "Gentle Jesus meek and mild" the WTS paints a decidedly different view of him . The WTS Jesus is a warrior king "conquering and to complete his conquest"....J W's venerate an aggressive, warlike, avenger who is to slaughter his enemies. They themselves have described the pagan god creations of ancient people as mirroring the character of those that worshipped them. What does that say about their own idea of Jesus Christ?
Witnesses are told (par 9) that Jesus is watching everything that they do and passes judgement, so they must refrain from "delving into the deep things of Satan by means of the internet or violent video games or by indulging in permissive human reasonings".....Or else?????
On the mag goes describing Jesus "executing Jehovah's judgement" using words like "destruction", "annihilation" "total destruction"....Did we really used to read this as 'good news'????
Jehovah's Witnesses dream of seeing the mass slaughter of mankind and the total destruction of the world ....It is a good job they do not carry arms !
[BTW..I just noticed that it is nine years ago to the day that I joined JWD ! Doesn't time fly? ]
.the teaching that Jesus is using a group of anointed Christians as a GB has been always taught by the Witnesess based on the various NT descriptions of the 1st century Christian congregation.
True...however, the point is that this teaching is reinforced almost weekly now.
This was not the case 20, 15, or even 10 years ago.
The scriptural citation of Matt. 24:45-47, one of 2 verses in the entire Bible that mentions a "faithful & discreet slave" or equivalent, is included in at least 1/2 of of all study articles in the Watchtower.
It is also emphasized quite frequently in the Kingdom Ministry, Theocratic Ministry School, and every assembly and convention.
A couple dozen new songs in the latest songbook either outright praise the GB, or at least mention "how wonderful and happifying it is to obey those taking the lead".
Of course, these clods don't seem capable of grasping the notion that repeating over and over "you VILL obey us!" won't change things.
They are so incapable of original thought that the only thing they seem to be able to do is repeat over and over and over "we are God's spokesmen...obey us....we are God's spokesmen...obey us...obeying us is exactly equivalent to obeying God...obey us...obey us....obey us...."
