How Does One Get Into The GB?

by Cold Steel 30 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Finkelstein

  How Does One Get Into The GB?

  You must show a bit ignorance in regards knowledge and education subsided in arrogance

  Have little intellectual honesty within your character.

  Can give a big pretentious righteous smile when appropriate.

  Must be able to be deceivingly corrupt in promoting the workings of the WTS. in a top executive position .

  Must be able to converse and show comprehension with the WTS. lawyers.

  Must love being an egotist as well a power loving individual, with little compassion for humanity in general.

  If you believe you have some or all of these qualities, please apply for the position at Bethel Headquarters.
• 

  dark angle

  Lol!!
• 

  botchtowersociety

  How Does One Get Into The GB?

  One must go through a secret induction ritual passed down from Charles Taze Russell. The initiates must enter his tomb (the pyramid conceals a secret entrance to a vast underground complex) and use ritual names (Beelzebub, Abednego, Hadadrimmon) which they can never use outside. There is also a secret handshake but they have to pay fines if they mess it up. New initiates must dress up as maids and scrub the floor of the tomb with toothbrushes while the others put out cigarette butts on their bare posteriors. If they pass the test, the left cheek is also branded with a hot brand that leaves a mark. Some who have claimed to have seen the mark tell us it says "666," but this has never been confirmed.

  A brewery with an ancient secret recipe is contained in the underground complex and GB members have been known to engage in games of beer pong and dodge ball while inside. The inside of the tomb is lavishly decorated, and includes priceless works of art that have gone missing, as well as the dug up skulls of famous historical persons. Some believe this is also the final resting place for the Ark of the Covenant. In the most prominent spot, however, is a life sized portrait of "Pastor" Russell in a Baphomet costume overlooking the main hall.
• 

  Cold Steel

  I find this fascinating. Curious, though. Who does the ordaining of elders?

  Now let's say I joined the holy brotherhood in the church. Then in a few years I claimed to know I was anointed. If pressed, I could say I had a number of dreams where I was anointed by Father Adam and ushered into Heaven. Upon waking I had a small amount of oil on the crown of my head. Naturally my wife could back me up. Would this be over the top?

  Or suppose I just began to be studious and intelligent and not say much. Then when the emblems were passed, I'd partake of them.

  When people partake of the emblems, do other people whisper and gossip? Do they ever say, "Oh that Brother Jones. Can you believe he actually partook of the emblems (or whatever)! He's got some nerve. He's only been a member for two years and now he thinks he's anointed!"? Would I be "talked to" by an elder if I did it? Or would people just take it for what it's worth?

  Is it better to be anointed or to be an elder? Wouldn't most people prefer being anointed and in Heaven rather than stuck in some crummy garden for eternity? I've seen the pictures of people in the garden and it doesn't look appealing.
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  biometrics

  Does anyone know how many GB are born-ins vs converts?
• 

  MC RubberMallet

  When people partake of the emblems, do other people whisper and gossip? Do they ever say, "Oh that Brother Jones. Can you believe he actually partook of the emblems (or whatever)! He's got some nerve. He's only been a member for two years and now he thinks he's anointed!"? Would I be "talked to" by an elder if I did it? Or would people just take it for what it's worth? Depends. If your under 30 and still "new" in the truth (recently baptized) you will be looked at funny. When people say "so and so is anointed", there is minimal reason for doubt. But when they say "so and so partakes", so and so is viewed as a fraud.

  Is it better to be anointed or to be an elder? Wouldn't most people prefer being anointed and in Heaven rather than stuck in some crummy garden for eternity? I've seen the pictures of people in the garden and it doesn't look appealing. For brothers, better to be an elder. But if a male is anointed, then if he's not an elder than something is wrong with him, in the eyes of the congregation. If he is an anointed elder, the organization is his oyster.

  Does anyone know how many GB are born-ins vs converts? I have not yet seen it officially documented, but I know Loesch is the only one in his family in the org, so i believe he is a convert. And Guy Pierce is a convert. 2 out of 7 I believe converts. Grand majority of all GB members though have been born in.
• 

  MC RubberMallet

  w085/15p.29HowtheGoverningBodyIsOrganized

  Howthe Governing Body Is Organized

  THE Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses consists of dedicated men who are anointed servants of God. They act as representatives of the faithful and discreet slave class, which has the responsibility of providing spiritual food and giving direction and impetus to the Kingdom-preaching work throughout the earth.—Matt. 24:14, 45-47.

  Governing Body meetings are held each week, usually on Wednesday. This enables these brothers to work together in unity. (Ps. 133:1) The members of the Governing Body also serve on various committees. In caring for Kingdom interests, each committee has its area of oversight, as briefly outlined below.

  COORDINATORS’ COMMITTEE: This committee is made up of the coordinator of each of the other Governing Body committees and a secretary who is also a member of the Governing Body. It makes sure that all the committees operate smoothly and efficiently. It also concerns itself with major emergencies, persecutions, disasters, and other urgent matters affecting Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.

  PERSONNEL COMMITTEE: The brothers on this committee have been entrusted with oversight of the arrangements for the personal and spiritual welfare and assistance of Bethel family members earth wide. This committee oversees the selecting and inviting of new members of Bethel families and handles questions regarding their Bethel service.

  PUBLISHING COMMITTEE: This committee supervises the printing, publishing, and shipping of Bible literature worldwide. It has oversight of printeries and properties owned and operated by the various corporations used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. This committee arranges for the best use of funds donated for the worldwide Kingdom work.

  SERVICE COMMITTEE: Those on this committee have oversight of the preaching work and matters affecting congregations, pioneers, elders, and traveling overseers. It supervises the preparation of OurKingdomMinistry and calls in Gilead School and Ministerial Training School students, later giving them postgraduate assignments.

  TEACHING COMMITTEE: This committee oversees the instruction provided at assemblies, conventions, and congregation meetings. It arranges spiritual programs for Bethel family members and has oversight of various schools, such as Gilead School and the Pioneer Service School, as well as of the development of audio and video programs.

  WRITING COMMITTEE: It is the responsibility of this committee to supervise the putting of spiritual food into written form for publication and distribution to fellow believers and the general public. This committee answers Bible questions and approves such material as drama scripts and talk outlines. It also oversees the translation work done worldwide.

  The apostle Paul likened the congregation of anointed ones to a human body and emphasized the important places occupied by all members as well as their interdependency, love, and cooperation in doing God-given work. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1 Cor. 12:12-31) The Head, Jesus Christ, supplies the body members with what is needed for good cooperation, coordination, and spiritual nourishment. (Eph. 4:15, 16; Col. 2:19) In such respects, the Governing Body is organized to take the lead as Jehovah directs them by holy spirit.
• 

  James Brown

  Do elders help their friends become elders?

  My observations of the kingdom hall back in the 70's tell me thats the way it works.
• 

  MC RubberMallet

  Blue highlights my thoughts w075/1pp.30-31QuestionsFromReaders

  When does the calling of Christians to a heavenly hope cease?

  The Bible does not reveal a precise answer to that question. We do know that the anointing of Jesus’ disciples with a view to their heavenly inheritance began in 33 C.E. (Acts 2:1-4) We also know that after the death of the apostles, genuine anointed Christian “wheat” came to “grow together” with counterfeit Christians, “weeds.” (Matthew 13:24-30) Then, starting in the late 1800’s, anointed Christians were again prominently active. In 1919 “the harvest of the earth,” including the gathering of the final ones of the anointed, began to be reaped.—Revelation 14:15, 16.

  From the late 1800’s until 1931, the main thrust of the preaching work was the gathering of the remaining members of the body of Christ. In 1931 the Bible Students took the Bible-based name Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in the November 15, 1933, issue of TheWatchtower, the thought was expressed that this unique name was the “denarius” referred to in Jesus’ parable recorded at Matthew 20:1-16. The 12 hours mentioned in the parable were thought to correspond to the 12 years from 1919 to 1931. For many years after that, it was believed that the call to the heavenly Kingdom had ended in 1931 and that those called to be joint heirs with Christ in 1930 and 1931 were “the last” called. (Matthew 20:6-8) However, in 1966 an adjusted understanding of that parable was presented, and it became clear that it had nothing to do with the end of the calling of the anointed.

  In 1935 the “great crowd” of Revelation 7:9-15 was understood to be made up of “other sheep,” Christians with an earthly hope, who would appear on the world scene in “the last days” and who as a group would survive Armageddon. (John 10:16; 2 Timothy 3:1; Revelation 21:3, 4) After that year, the thrust of the disciple-making work turned to the gathering in of the great crowd. Hence, especially after 1966 it was believed that the heavenly call ceased in 1935. This seemed to be confirmed when almost all who were baptized after 1935 felt that they had the earthly hope. Thereafter, any called to the heavenly hope were believed to be replacements for anointed Christians who had proved unfaithful.

  Without a doubt, if one of the anointed unrepentantly falls away, Jehovah does call another individual to take his place. (Romans 11:17-22) However, the number of genuine anointed ones who have become unfaithful is likely not large. On the other hand, as time has gone by, some Christians baptized after 1935 have had witness borne to them that they have the heavenly hope. (Romans 8:16, 17) Thus, it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends.

  How should a person be viewed who has determined in his heart that he is now anointed and begins to partake of the emblems at the Memorial? He should not be judged. The matter is between him and Jehovah. (Romans 14:12) However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special “insights,” beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have. They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the other sheep have; nor do they expect special treatment or claim that their partaking of the emblems places them above the appointed elders in the congregation. (Unless your on the Governing Body) They humbly remember that some anointed men in the first century did not qualify to serve as elders or ministerial servants. (1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12, 13; Titus 1:5-9; James 3:1) Some anointed Christians were even spiritually weak. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) And sisters, although anointed, did not teach in the congregation.—1 Timothy 2:11, 12.

  Hence, anointed Christians along with their other sheep companions strive to stay spiritually strong, cultivating the fruitage of the spirit and working for the peace of the congregation. All Christians, whether anointed or of the other sheep, work hard at preaching the good news and making disciples under the direction of the Governing Body. Anointed Christians are content to do this for as long as it is God’s will that they remain on earth as Jehovah’s servants.
• 

  MC RubberMallet

  *** w08 1/15 pp. 22-23 Counted Worthy to Receive a Kingdom ***

  Completing the Foretold Number

  13 Not all 144,000 anointed Christians were selected in the first century. Their calling continued throughout the apostolic period and then apparently slowed down. However, it did continue throughout the succeeding centuries into modern times. (Matt. 28:20) Eventually, after Jesus began to reign in 1914, things moved ahead rapidly.

  14 First, Jesus cleansed the heavens of all vestiges of opposition to godly rule. (ReadRevelation12:10, 12.) Then he turned his attention to the gathering of the remaining prospective members of his Kingdom government so as to complete the number of 144,000. By the mid-1930’s, that task was evidently well along and many of those responding to the preaching work did not have the desire to go to heaven. The spirit was not bearing witness with them that they were sons of God. (Compare Romans 8:16.) Rather, they identified themselves with the “other sheep,” who have the hope of living forever on a paradise earth. (John 10:16) Hence, after 1935 the thrust of the preaching work turned to the gathering of “a great crowd,” those whom the apostle John saw in vision and who would survive “the great tribulation.”—Rev. 7:9, 10, 14.

  15 Even so, over the years since the 1930’s, a few individuals have been called to a heavenly hope. Why? In some cases, it could be that they replaced individuals previously called who had become unfaithful. (Compare Revelation 3:16.) Paul even spoke of personal acquaintances who had left the truth. (Phil. 3:17-19)Whom would Jehovah call to serve as such replacements? Of course, that is his decision to make. Still, it would seem reasonable that he would call, not newly converted ones, but individuals who—like the disciples to whom Jesus spoke when he initiated the Memorial observance—have already proved their loyalty to an extent.—Luke 22:28.

  16 It seems, however, that not all who have been called to a heavenly hope since the 1930’s are replacements for ones who have fallen away. Jehovah has evidently made sure that we will have anointed Christians among us all through the final days of this system of things until the destruction of “Babylon the Great.” (Rev. 17:5) And we can be confident that the full number of 144,000 members will be completed in Jehovah’s due time and that all will eventually take their place in the Kingdom government. We can also believe the prophetic Word that the ever-growing great crowd will as a group continue to prove itself faithful. Soon it will “come out of the great tribulation” brought upon Satan’s world and will joyfully move on into God’s new world.