Were the IBSA the FDS in 1919?

by Vanderhoven7 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Vanderhoven7

  Were the IBSA the FDS in 1919?

  I just came across this question.

  In 1919 the organization that claims appointment was known as the International Bible Student Association (IBSA). Witnesses have since claimed a "cleansing" that lasted into the early 30s. An interesting occurance that also happened early during this time period was the take over by Rutherford, against the will provisions of Russell, the dropping of many of Russell's teachings and mass exodus of "Bible Students" as they are still known today, and changing of the name to JWs. All of this happened between 1917-1931. So were the IBSA the FDS in 1919?
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  designs

  Van-

  It functioned similar to how it does within the JWs in that the 'anointed' or fully 'consecrated' were considered part of the Body Of Christ but in reality it was Russell who was almost by himself doing the teaching similar to the GB.

  My maternal grandparents were IBSA.
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  NeonMadman

  The IBSA is (or was until recently) still Watchtower-affiliated. The groups that left the WTS took other names, like "Associated Bible Students," "Dawn Bible Students," "Pastoral Bible Institute," etc.; and then there were the followers of Paul S.L. Johnson, who became the "Laymen's Home Missionary Movement." So from the JW POV, the IBSA was and, as far as I know, is still affiliated with the F&DS. Look on the publisher's page of any but their most recent books and the IBSA is listed right under the WTS (I just looked at the Proclaimers book and it's there, at least as of 1993 when that was published). The most recent books lack the IBSA designation, so I'm not sure if maybe they deep-sixed that corporation during the 2000 reshuffle.
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  Band on the Run

  This is very interesting. I never noticed the IBSA listing on WT books. It doesn't seem authentic that Russell would allow a schism group. Is IBSA only a different name for the Witnesses or did they have separate doctrine? Yet another item no one knows about.
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  thetrueone

  Charles Russell himself proclaimed he was the faithful and wise servant.

  In reality he was a faithful and wise servant of his own religious publishing company.

  When he died in 1916 and the organization was taken over by Rutherford, this self announcement was used again

  as a marketing strategy for the publishing corporation.

  This self induced proclamation would help in strengthen the organization's viability toward the public and it did more or less just as it does today.
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  NeonMadman

  IBSA was not a schism group. It was one of Russell's corporations, and was retained by the WTS at least into the 1990s. It was never a different group, just one of the corporations used by the WTS in different countries.
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  00DAD

  NO. The idea of the FDS as some special group or class or even a unique individual is all a myth.

  It was just a parable for individual Christian watchfulness. Stop trying to make it fit some man-made BS.