Under the New Light, Where is the Continuity?

by Ding 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Ding

  Regarding blank stares, it seems to me that sometimes we have to press the issue with JWs via questions that get them to see the importance of the issues.

  Otherwise, they treat the whole thing as something inconsequential, like debates over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

  Of course, with some JWs, NOTHING will get through to them.

  But some of them can be awakened, I think, if we can help them get past the blank stare reactions so that they confront the significance of the issues.
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  sd-7

  Who was authorized to provide spiritual food in due season?

  The Society's reasoning on this question is that the "due season" hadn't started until 1914, and that Jesus' words about the 'slave' are relevant only to the time after 1914. Therefore, there was no 'faithful slave', no channel for providing spiritual food after the death of the apostles. Basically, the slave didn't exist because the WT understanding of Matt. 24 is that the slave would not exist until after 1914.

  That said, the scattered anointed across nearly two millennia would only have discovered parts of JW truth, like some small group that disbelieved the Trinity or hellfire in the 1400s or what have you, but it's irrelevant because it would be difficult to track that from the year 100 to probably at least sometime beyond the Dark Ages. But in short, there were mostly 'weeds' for all that time, and the 'wheat' maybe discovered some bit of 'truth' but probably by and large in isolation.

  --sd-7
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  Ding

  Sd-7,

  I thought the previous WT teaching was that the anointed remnant was the faithful and discreet slave class and that they were always somehow faithfully proclaiming Jehovah's truth on earth throughout the centuries.

  Given the WT views, how could anyone from 33 CE to 1919 CE understand Bible truth without "God's organization" to explain it to them?
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  prologos

  sd-7 of course IF these great people of the PAST had been able to look into the future, and seen the " WT TRUTH" perculating, vascillating from 1879 to July 15 2013, they would have concluded that we were nuts.

  Their suggestion that the great thinkers of the past did not have the then available, RELEVANT truth, understanding of the scriptuires, --because their ideas were at variance with the above cited latest issue of the wt, shows how far from reality this present group of individuals is.
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  sir82

  Well, it does resolve other "get the JWs to think" questions - maybe that's why they made the change?

  We used to ask, "if breaking away from the 'faithful and discreet slave' is apostasy, why was Carles T. Russell not guilty of apostasy? Why did he start his own organization instead of joining the already existing FDS?"

  Another question was "who, exactly, was the 'faithful and discreet slave' in the year 800? or 1200? or 1850?"

  The cynical side of me thinks that the GB have finally realized they can change just about any doctrine for any reason - so long as they throw up a bunch of words and scriptural citations in 20 or so pages of 'study' articles, no one will call them on it. No one will demand logic or reasonableness.
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  Christ Alone

  It reminds me of what Jesus said. He must've been lying...

  Matthew 28:19,20: " Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, [ b ] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

  So was Jesus lying? He was NOT with us always? Only since 1919? Where did Jesus say that He would leave us, examine our corporation, decide that it alone was correct, and THEN come to us to be with us?

  No, Jesus was here all along. And the Watchtower is a disgusting, repulsive liar. And this new "light" makes me want to vomit. I cannot wait for the day when the presumptuous and prideful WT falls before everyone and their shame is seen by all.
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  bats in the belfry

  The Searcher >>

  Who would replace that 'servant' later on as God's collective 'servant'? "The Israel of God". (Galatians 6:16: Matthew 21:43) Who are the Israel of God? All those who were reconciled by faith in Christ.

  So everyone is a steward or slave and each one has the option of being faithful & discreet, or evil. There are no 'classes' - it's ONE flock!

  Exactly! The WTBTS just worded it differently:

  "However, Christians who have truly received this anointing 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. (Rev. 7:9) They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the “other sheep” have. (John 10:16)"

  w09 6/15 p. 23 par. 15

  Then I beg the question: After all, why follow them?
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  drewcoul

  The really odd thing is there wasn't a Governing Body until 1975!!!! But the choosing appointment of the FDS happened in 1919? Try pointing that out to your favorite JW.
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  sd-7

  I thought the previous WT teaching was that the anointed remnant was the faithful and discreet slave class and that they were always somehow faithfully proclaiming Jehovah's truth on earth throughout the centuries.

  You are correct.

  Given the WT views, how could anyone from 33 CE to 1919 CE understand Bible truth without "God's organization" to explain it to them?

  That would be the $144,000 question, now, wouldn't it? The WT has no idea who these people were.

  p. 10, par. 4: "Speaking about the wheat and the weeds, Jesus said: "Let both grow together until the harvest." This command reveals that from the first century until today, there have always been some anointed wheatlike Christians on earth...So anointed Christians would be protected by Jesus all the days leading up to the time of the end. However, since they were overgrown by weedlike Christians, we do not know for certain who belonged to the wheat class during that long period of time."

  So while they will go so far as to say there have always been anointed Christians around in all those years, they provide no explanation as to how such individuals came to understand 'Bible truth'. If I had to offer a JW-based guess, I would say the answer would be that those anointed ones received spirit-directed guidance to grasp some small portion of Bible truth that was evidently hidden from the majority of Christendom, the weedlike Christians during that long period. Like say, one person or small group understood that the Trinity was wrong. Or that hellfire was wrong. Or [insert JW teaching here].

  But the bottom line is that that's just guesswork. The Society apparently doesn't think that issue is particularly relevant; there may not have been an organization then, but there is one now, and you would do well to provide your loyal cooperation and leave matters in Jehovah's hands regarding this question. And for asking the question, you're officially marked.

  --sd-7
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  Splash

  I think we have received a new phrase as well.

  Out with "faithful and discreet slave class" and in with "composite slave".

  Splash