Identifying who Jehovah is using

by jwfacts 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwfacts

  The Governing Body seems to have ramped up the number of comments in the Watchtower in recent years that they are chosen by God and must be trusted as such. How exactly has Jehovah manifested that the GB are his representatives and must be followed. Tell me if I am missing something, but it seems in the Bible, God provided dramatic signs to prove who his representatives were, yet these days there seems to be none.

  In Bible times Jehovah made it simple to recognise those that he had chosen to lead his people. Watchtower leaders demonstrate none of these indicators. The following table is presented with from the point of view that the Bible is inspired. Please comment on whether anything is incorrect or can be added. Identifying those used by Jehovah Bible Times Watchtower Governing Body Miracles Jehovah used miraculous works to identify those chosen to lead others. For example: Noah - gathering of the animals Moses - Egyptian plagues Apostles - gifts of the spirit, such as faith healing None Prophecy When Jehovah used a person to make future predictions, the prophecies were always correct. For example, Daniel's prophecy for the fall of Babylon and the line of world powers 100% of Watchtower predictions have been false, such as that the end of the world would be in 1914, then 1925, then 1975. Furthermore, the generation teaching held up to 1995 is about to be proven false as the last survivors born prior to 1914 die out. Consistency Bible is harmonious, with Bible writers presenting a message without contradiction. Watchtower doctrine has been in constant flux. This cannot be explained as new light, as there have been numerous flip flops and contradictions, such as the generation teaching, organ transplants, and superior authorities.
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  wobble

  You obviously do not understand faith, JWF, faith is trusting in something that has no evidence.

  They ask for faith in the FDS really. There is no evidence that stands up to even the slightest scrutiny that "Jehovah" or any god ,has the slightest interest in the GB/FDS or JW's, let alone has chosen them for anything.

  They work on the principle that say a thing often enough, and the thickos who don't use their critical thinking skills will believe it is true.

  It has worked so far with 7 million JW's !
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  inbetween

  JW would answer:

  1) They are the only ones, fulfilling Matth 24:14, preaching the good news of the kingdom all over the world. Thats why, they are so obsessed with numbers regarding field service.

  2) The love among themselves. Main point: No witness goes to war to kill anybody else or another witness.

  3) spiritual food, just look at the wonderful magazins, books conventions etc...How can someone not see, that this is really the slave of Matth 24:45-47 ?
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  stillstuckcruz

  I agree 110%. I truly wonder how those who have been in the "truth" for 30+ years can honestly sit there and say YES this is gods chosen people. There has been NO evidence whatsoever. Brothers on the platform may say that its all bible prophecy. Persecution, values, teachings, the "love of the people",etc, none of which has been to such a degree to constitute that they are the only ones to survive armageddon.

  This is why I'm trying to leave ASAP.
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  wobble

  Inbetween, you have the JW answers exactly as they have been given to me.

  As I said above, none of these claims stand up, they believe any Bull***t the WT comes out with, without examination or thought.
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  jwfacts

  Inbetween that is exactly what would be said, but it is all just words. Any religion can point to something to show how loving they are, how effective their growth is, why there doctrine is correct. But none of that addresses that the Bible shows God used great signs to prove who his chosen leaders were in past times. Pillars of smoke, raising the dead etc put those that he was using beyond the realms of faith.

  Is my reasoning sound, and can anyone add to some of the examples of how God identified his chosen ones?
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  MrMonroe

  Great thread, Paul. Some suggested rejoinders:

  1. Weirdly enough, they count their numerical increase as proof of God's blessing and confirmation that God is using them. " As in the first century, today ‘a great number have become believers and have turned to the Lord.’ Although numerical increase is not in itself proof of God’s blessing, it does provide evidence that “the hand of Jehovah” is with his people." (WT05, 9/15, pg 8). "The earthly belongings of the King Jesus Christ have continually grown. Since 1971 the number of Witnesses has leaped from under 1,600,000 to a peak of over 3,700,000 in 1989. What proof of God’s blessing!" (W90, 3/15, pg 18).

  2. Sure their "expectations" were sometimes awry. But in their eyes the fact that they realised and admitted they were wrong (eventually!) is proof that God continues to lead them to truth. "Things published were not perfect in the days of Charles Taze Russell, first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society; nor were they perfect in the days of J. F. Rutherford, the succeeding president. The increasing light on God’s Word as well as the facts of history have repeatedly required that adjustments of one kind or another be made down to the very present time. But let us never forget that the motives of this “slave” were always pure, unselfish; at all times it has been well-meaning." (W79, 3/1, pg 23). Bottom line: they're only human, but God is patiently helping them see truths when he thinks they're ready for it.

  3. See (2) above.

  In summary: Absolute hogwash.
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  sizemik

  Good post jwfacts . . .

  Moses was given the provision to convince the most serious doubters of his status as chosen by God. The following passages are interesting in light of this discussion . . .

  Signs for Moses from Exodus 4

  1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”

  2 Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

  “A staff,” he replied.

  3 The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”

  Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4 Then the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

  6 Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous [a] —it had become as white as snow.

  7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

  8 Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

  It seems from this example Jehovah went to great lengths to positively identify his spokesman
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  carla

  I like your chart! Well done as always. I know jw's like to say God uses and org but I have yet to find an example from the Bible where He used and org and not individuals.
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  Heartofaboy

  Never thought of that before sizemik.

  The failure of the GB/FDS to get ANYTHING right regarding scriptural interpretation seems to strongly indicate God is NOT using them.