They could probably say prior to 1971 it was the WTS Board of Directors, which in fact used to be called the "governing body". Rutherford was "a part" of the Board of Directors in 1919. The office of the president is where the power actually lay, so such a spin would assimilate and subordinate the president to the Board itself.
2012 annual meeting notes
by lostinthought 100 Replies latest jw friends
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pontoon
So that's it? Living in the most unpreceedented time in human history, deep in the last days and this is all they could come up with? Doctrine about themselves. And any witness even half asleep already knew that the thousands of annointed around the world already had nothing to do with feeding the sheep. I think it's all pathetic.
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blondie
The WTS has had many large and small adjustments of "light."
The WTS once taught that the GT started in 1914 and temporarily stopped in 1918. Then in 1970 they adjusted the GT start to yet in the future. I remember how my family how the WTS could have been wrong for45 years. But openly challenging the WTS was "spiritual" suicide. But 1975 was yet to come and the "generation" change in 1995.
*** w56 2/15 pp. 118-119 pars. 37-38 Triumphing over Wicked Spirit Forces ***
37 The wicked spirit forces are now closer to all mankind than ever before. This is because God’s kingdom by Christ was established in the heavens in 1914. War broke out in heaven immediately and the high heavens were forever cleared of the presence of Satan and all his demon angels. Defeated in that war with God’s newborn kingdom, those demons and their ruler were hurled down here to the earth. Being in a Tartarean darkness as to the details of God’s purpose, they may have thought that Armageddon was immediately at hand and that their being imprisoned in an abyss for a thousand years was therefore near. So they might then have been bent on wrecking human society in order to destroy especially Jehovah’s people who were then in a captive condition to human society. The policy of Satan and his demons who have been the gods and invisible governors of this world is, “Rule or ruin,” but particularly with the ruin of Jehovah’s witnesses in mind.—2 Pet. 2:4, NW; Rev. 12:17.
38 However, Almighty God prevented this and foiled the demons’ reckless plan. It was not his purpose to abyss the demons in 1918 or to let them wreck human society as a climax to World War I. He did not let his victorious King Jesus Christ press the war in heaven as far as the Armageddon feature of the “great tribulation” upon Satan’s organization invisible and visible. Jehovah halted that “war in heaven” with the casting of them out of heaven and down to this earth in order that he might let Satan and his demons remain here in their debasement of defeat for a “short period of time” before Armageddon. Thus he cut short the “great tribulation” upon Satan’s world. (Matt. 24:21, 22) He did this, not for the sake of the demons, but for the sake of his “chosen ones,” to enable them to escape destruction with human society of this world. This has meant a constant fight by Jehovah’s witnesses with these wicked spirit forces at specially close range. Yet till now they have been able to “stand firm against the machinations of the Devil.”—Eph. 6:11; Rev. 12:13-17, NW.
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Does this sound like a suggestion compared to the statement above?
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*** w70 1/15 p. 52 par. 9 Peace with God amid the “Great Tribulation” ***
On account of his “chosen ones” he cuts short the days. How? Back in the year 1925 the suggestion was set out in the leading article of the Watch Tower issue of May 1, entitled “For the Elect’s Sake,” that “those days” of the “great tribulation” were cut short in the middle. The explanation was given that the “great tribulation” had begun in 1914 C.E. and that it was not allowed to run its full course then but God stopped World War I in November of 1918. From then on God was allowing an interval for the activity of his anointed remnant of elect Christians before he let the final part of the “great tribulation” resume at the battle of Armageddon and come to its termination. This would allow for sheeplike persons to be saved.—Matt. 25:31-46.
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wannabefree
(THANKS lostinthought!)
It makes things nice and tidy ... not if you start questioning what they have said from the end of the nineteenth century through this first decade of the twenty-first century ... but it is basically just like the recent comment about not writing in with your questions ...
(SHUT UP and) Listen, OBEY, and be Blessed ... The Governing Body is the Faithful and Discreet Slave, it is what it is, whatever we said before doesn't matter so you best look ahead because God's Organization is progressive, you are moving ahead with us or you will be left behind.
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Eustace
but it is basically just like the recent comment about not writing in with your questions ...
Where did they say that?
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wannabefree
*** w11 10/15 p. 32 Questions From Readers ***
What should I do when I have a question about something I read in the Bible or when I need advice about a personal problem?
... there are some topics and scriptures that our publications have not specifically addressed. And even where we have commented on a particular Bible text, we may not have dealt with the specific question that you have in mind. Also, some Bible accounts raise questions because not all the details are spelled out in the Scriptures. Thus, we cannot find immediate answers to every question that arises. In such a case, we should avoid speculating about things that simply cannot be answered, lest we get involved in debating "questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith." (1 Tim. 1:4; 2 Tim. 2:23; Titus 3:9) Neither the branch office nor world headquarters is in a position to analyze and answer all such questions that have not been considered in our literature. We can be satisfied that the Bible provides sufficient information to guide us through life but also omits enough details so as to require us to have strong faith in its divine Author.-See pages 185 to 187 of the book Draw Close to Jehovah.
What if you have done all you can to search out a matter that affects you personally but still have not found the direction or solution you need? Feel free to approach a mature fellow believer, perhaps one of the local elders. They have considerable Bible knowledge as well as experience in Christian living. Their balanced help would be especially fitting if you need advice about a personal problem or decision, for they know you and are close to you and your situation. And never forget to pray to Jehovah specifically about your concerns and ask him to guide your thinking by means of his holy spirit, "for Jehovah himself gives wisdom . . . and discernment."-Prov. 2:6; Luke 11:13.
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blondie
Moving that direction in writing:
*** w11 8/15 p. 18 A History-Making Meeting ***
Brother Lett urged the audience to keep praying that the Governing Body, as the representative of the slave class, continue to be not only faithful but also wise, or discreet.—Matt. 24:45-47.
*** w10 9/15 p. 23 par. 8 “Your Leader Is One, the Christ” ***
In this time of the end, Christ has committed “all his belongings”—all the earthly interests of the Kingdom—to his “faithful and discreet slave” and its representative Governing Body, a group of anointed Christian men. (Matt. 24:45-47) The anointed and their other sheep companions recognize that by following the lead of the modern-day Governing Body, they are in fact following their Leader, Christ.
*** bt chap. 13 p. 103 par. 9 “There Had Occurred No Little Dissension” ***
When serious issues arise today, let us imitate the fine example of the believers in Antioch by trusting God’s organization and its Governing Body of anointed Christians, who represent “the faithful and discreet slave.”—Matt. 24:45.
*** bt chap. 9 p. 71 par. 10 “God Is Not Partial” ***
To this day, Jehovah leads his people progressively. (Prov. 4:18) By means of his holy spirit, he is guiding “the faithful and discreet slave” and its Governing Body. (Matt. 24:45) At times, we may receive clarifications in our understanding of God’s Word or changes in certain organizational procedures. We do well to ask ourselves: ‘How do I respond to such refinements? Do I submit to the leadings of God’s spirit in these matters?’
*** bt chap. 14 p. 114 par. 14 “We Have Come to a Unanimous Accord” ***
Principally, unity results from the clear and decisive direction that Jesus Christ, the Head of the congregation, provides through “the faithful and discreet slave,” represented by its Governing Body. (Matt. 24:45-47) Unity also results from the way the worldwide brotherhood cooperates willingly with the direction of the Governing Body.
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kepler
Discreet: tactful and judicious, especially in dealing with others.
Well, at least the NWT is consistent about its use of fronimos Strong number 5429 (thoughtful).
Take, Matthew 7:24.
"Therefore everyone that hears these sayings of mine and does them will be likened to a DISCREET man, who built his house upon the rock mass."
Matthew 25: 2 ... ten virgins that took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegrooms,
4:Five of them were foolish and five of them were DISCREET...
8: For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them. whereas the DISCREET took oil in their receptacles with their lamps.
9: But the DISCREET replied...
Strangely, it was the foolish virgins that were not admitted at the door, because the marriage party did not KNOW them!
Luke 12:42 ...
But in Luke 16:8, it is "practical wisdom"
Where others would say, of Romans 11:25, "may not claim to be wiser",
In full the NWT: For I do not want YOU brothers, to be ignorant of this sacred secret , in order for YOU not to be discreet in your own eyes that a dulling of sensibilities has happened in part to Israel to until the full number of nations has come in."
As a high school student translating Caesar's Gallic Wars, I used to turn in homework assignments like that.
1 Corinthians 4:10. We are fools because of Christ, but you are discreet in Christ.
15: I speak as to men with discernment... ( what happened to discreet?)
2 C 11:19 For you gladly put up with unreasonable persons, seeing you are REASONABLE...
Now, in the funeral orations for Charles Taze Russell was he not described as the faithful and wise slave or the faithful and discreet slave?
Who described him as such?
Can faithfulness, wisdom or discretion be inherited by the holder or holders of the office?
What if some of the discreet/wise and faithful slave(s) tend to disagree?
How is it that such discreet people can be so rigid and insistent in their outlook?
I guess that it's just that it's 2012.
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JW GoneBad
Mickey Mouse had it nailed one year ago!
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Gayle
Fact is, they are finally telling the truth that no one is directing them, no thousands of partakers are writing them nor getting together in meetings to express God's will, They are the 'it,' They are the beginning & the last of what to believe, teach or preach.
They are under no one's direction but remain to themselves only,,no questions allowed. They are the arrogant of totalitarians, they check with no one else. They admit unashamedly they don't even know what God wants them to do, as moving their "most holy,"nor do they even care about God's response, not partakers, not to anything they do or say.