Who really is the "faithful and discreet slave."

by EmptyInside 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  EmptyInside

  I've been assuming it was the Governing Body. I remember in pioneer school,well,that was 20 years ago, the faithful slave was annointed,but so were the domestics. It was the annointed "feeding" the annointed spritually. The great crowd were just benefactors of this special knowledge.

  There was an eccentric older man in the congregation I grew up in, who claimed to be of the annointed. Some kind of secretly questioned if he truly was annointed. He kind of did things his own way. He worked in service by himself and made up his own tracts to distribute. It's funny,but he didn't bother knocking on the doors,since the people weren't interested anyway.lol.

  He had been disfellowshipped with a number of others when they didn't accept the Watchtower as God's channel. He and his wife were the only members of the group to be reinstated.

  He claimed that he was part of the "faithful slave". That he was part of the group of annointed that wrote letters to headquarters to explain Bible doctrine. Well,at the time,I doubted this. And now,I know that if he wrote any such letters,they definitely weren't taken seriously.

  I think the biggest discussion was on who the domestics were,the great crowd,but no,they aren't,it's explained to be other annointed. So,it's just another confusing doctrine.

  On my journey out,and maybe not really caring about anything Watchtower related,but maybe this will be my last research question.
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  sizemik

  Who really is the "faithful and discreet slave."

  OK . . . I give up . . . it's me.
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  agonus

  Apparently WT lawyers recently admitted in Australian court that the F&DS is, quite literally, nobody. Rather than a person or group of people, it's a "theological construct".
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  stillstuckcruz

  It really makes me wonder since they have zilch to do with any "dispensing of truth". Sure, the regular anointed ones carry the message from door to door, but so do the rest of the witlesses. Unless you are a part of that Elite group of seven or so men, Jehovah find no other use for such individuals.
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  00DAD

  Q: Who really is the "faithful and discreet slave"?

  A: This is a six-parter:

  1. In THEORY: "all of the anointed ones living on earth at any given time constitute 'the faithful and discreet slave'"- w07 11/1 p. 30 par. 12
  2. In PRACTICE: It's the Governing Body. Shhhhh, they don't want the R&F to know!
  3. In the MIND OF THE AVERAGE JW: A confusing mystical idea that is as fuzzy and unclear as it is powerful
  4. In LEGAL PARLANCE: They don't exist, they are a "religious concept"
  5. In REALITY: A JW Myth
  6. In the BIBLE: A parable for watchfulness, faithfulness and humility.
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  EmptyInside

  Thank you OODAD,you summed it all up rather well.

  For a relgious concept,they get mentioned a lot at the meetings and during prayers. "What wonderful information the faithful slave has provided." "Thank you for the faithful slave." "Let's follow the direction of the faithful slave." Okay,they don't exist,lol.
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  WontLeave

  I'll clear it up for you.

  11,202 people partook of the emblems in 2010, openly claiming their anointed status. The Watchtower says these are "the faithful and discreet slave" and all Christ's possessions will be entrusted to them.

  But wait, there's more. The Watchtower also says that not all of the anointed actually have this position, but only the 7 members of the Governing Body. So, they represent the FDS and are responsible for creating doctrine and establishing policy.

  But wait, there's more. The Watchtower also says that the writing departments are made up of non-anointed and they're the ones who do the research and write the articles which establish doctrine and policy.

  So, in summary, 11k people are the fds, only Jesus doesn't give them the responsibility he said they'd have. 7 old men in NY are the fds, only they don't accept the responsibility Jesus said they'd have. Unnamed and faceless writing committees are the fds, only they don't fit the criteria. I discuss this in greater detail in "Do Christians Have Human Leaders?"

  I'm glad I could clear that up for you.
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  charlie brown jr.

  I had Blind Faith then..........

  I pictured faceless memebers hidden away somewhere......

  And I wasn't allowed to smoke WEED??????

  Damn...... what was I thinking????
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  00DAD

  WontLeave: Nicely done! Thank you for your "infomercial" style explanation. Very appropriate!

  Also, I downloaded and read your essay, ""Do Christians Have Human Leaders?" I could really have benefitted from reading that 27 years ago. I would have saved me a lot of grief! What took you so long to write it!!!
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  WontLeave

  I downloaded and read your essay, "Do Christians Have Human Leaders?"

  So you're the one...

  I could really have benefitted from reading that 27 years ago. I would have saved me a lot of grief! What took you so long to write it!!!

  I was 10 and had writer's block at the time. I only really became a member of the JWs a few years ago. Even though I was raised around it, I never knew much about it until I joined. A year and several back-room ambushes later, I knew too much and realized what they preach and what they believe are two entirely different things. A little cruising around the Internet and the Watchtower CD-ROM and I had all the information I needed to understand it's a high-control cult.

  It warms my heart to know something I wrote has potential to be helpful. Feel free to print it, pass it around, and let me know of any tweaks or additional information that might help it be more effective.