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Unbelievable Assertion!!!!!!!
by The Searcher 94 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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sir82
They do seem to be circling the wagons.
A statement like that would have any "interested one" or visitor fleeing for the exits. However it might well give wavering or fence-sitting JWs just enough of a scare to jump back in to the center of JW life.
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frankiespeakin
I'm afraid the DO is really expressing the Governing Body's ideas, he gets it. When he reads the Directives of the Governing Body addressed to him personally he gets it and he's walking the walk and talking the talk that the Governing Body want him to talk, he may even be a Governing Body wannabe.
District Overseer next step up is GB, so they got to be DO's because they are company men, to them the organization is everything.
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Apognophos
Thank you for those quotes, blondie. I was still thinking that this guy is probably a rogue and we shouldn't take his words so seriously, but now I see the Society has said as much. In fact, he was practically quoting that '87 WT.
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wolfman85
If the FDS is the GB and the FDS ONLY exist in the last days, according to the "new light", and "Jehovah does not provide wisdom through Holy Spirit apart from the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class", Who received wisdom and power the first-century Christians from? Remember that none of them were the FDS.
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DATA-DOG
FWFRANZ, Great observation. Being indoctrinated since birth, sometimes my mind starts going crazy. Their quotes are written in such a way that they screw with your resolve. I guess that is what it's like to be in a bad relationship with someone who knows how to manipulate your feelings. When I read the quotes that Blondie posted ( Thanks Blondie!! ) I start to doubt. I have found that I have to read at JWFACTS and Watchtowerquotes, and others, just to keep thinking correctly! The pressure to conform and to not reason is strong.
Your observation about the GB's view not being based in scripture is really all that matters. How did the Apostles and older men receive Holy Spirit? Those guys were not even FDS members according to current light. What about Cornelius?! What about the man who was performing powerful works alone? The Disciples of Christ wanted to shut him down, assuming he was in the wrong. Christ said " He who is not against us is for us" , that guy had Holy Spirit!!
Frankiespeakin, You are right too. It is all orchestrated. The DO says what the GB allow and sanctify as official light. If he doesn't then next time a new DO will...
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DATA-DOG
Wolfman, right on! We posted around the same time. I had similar thoughts.
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wolfman85
How did the Apostles and older men receive Holy Spirit? Those guys were not even FDS members according to current light. What about Cornelius?! What about the man who was performing powerful works alone? The Disciples of Christ wanted to shut him down, assuming he was in the wrong. Christ said " He who is not against us is for us" , that guy had Holy Spirit!!
Thanks D-D, You expressed very clear my thought.
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rubadubdub
I was there for the pre-1975 frenzy through mid-2011. I have the CD ROM and Shepherd the Flock Book and can substantiate the following, however, my intention is to share my own thoughts about how it felt to be under the control of the GB.
The change in the baptismal vows was an obvious power/control grab. Not what I signed up for.
The following changes have been made incrementally over the years to induce more control and obedience through fear:
The shunning doctrine has been morphed from 'it doesn't interfere with natural family relations; 'just don't talk about spiritual matters' to 'Essential family business only' to 'Don't speak a single word, not even a text message or email.' Even though the 'Don't speak a single word. . .' was initially presented through an "experience", trust me the message is getting through. My FIL (50 years+ as an elder) has never initiated a phone call to my husband, who walked away over 30 years ago, but would take his call and speak for about 5 minutes. This weekend when my husband called to inquire about the impact of Blizzard Charlotte, my FIL was exceedingly nervous and said he couldn't talk, as he was waiting for another call. He hung up immediately. Until now, on average they would speak only once or twice a year.
The morphing of the definition of "apostate" has been progressive over the years. In the early 1980's when my husband left, I was told by a C.O. to treat my husband as an "unbelieving mate". My husband walked away, never DF'd or DA'd. Now he is a "mentally diseased apostate."
"Get-togethers" have been down-sized, and are no longer congregation sanctioned. (Remember when they would announce gatherings after the Book Study?) Congregation picnics are a thing of the past in our area. An elder has to take responsibility for anything that may go wrong (Dubs gone Wild!) Who would take that on?
Weddings are down-sized. No destination weddings. Weddings must be at the local KH, "the center of pure worship in the community". There must be a "Director of the Feast" to insure that all takes place "properly and by arrangement."
The position that the GB is the FDS and HS only comes through them is a blatant power grab. When the FDS was the remnant of 144,000 still on earth today, who were later to become our kings and priest in heaven, it kind of gave me the warm fuzzies. After all I had met several "annointed ones" and they seemed to be good, kind shepherds who displayed "the fruitage of the spirit". We were asked, 'If Jesus trusts the FDS, shouldn't we?' The FDS was "God's sole channel of communication on earth" and dispensed the "proper food at the proper time". Inspite of all the quotes provided by Blondie (Thanks!), it still felt like the GB fell under the authority of the FDS and Jesus, directed by the HS. All of that is gone now. Eight men are in charge and have sole ownership of HS? End of discussion. Seriously???
Notice where they changed and morphed doctrine to reduce their liability:
Use of "Blood Fractions" became a conscience matter giving doctors more wiggle room and reducing the likelyhood of a lawsuit from unbelieving family members.
Bedroom rules. I'm sure you remember those. The GB could not legislate what an unbelieving mate might insist upon in the bedroom, better to back off that one and avoid potential lawsuits.
The thing that doesn't fit into this pattern is the "Two Witness Rule." All they have to do is serve as mandated reporters and use the findings of the authorities as the second witness in child sexual abuse matters.
Just my two cents.
And Thanks Ann!
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rubadubdub
Wish I knew how to edit after posting.