How did the 1919 GB know they were chosen ?

by Phizzy 27 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Phizzy

  The present GB/FDS claim a kind of Apostolic Succession going back to the now claimed first appearance of the FDS in 1919.

  I don't think anywhere is it made clear who made up the FDS then, but let us go along with the fiction, (in reality we know only Rutherford really ruled the roost) and assume there was a group of guys who were the FDS, how did they know they were chosen as such ?

  There obviously is nothing in the WT writings of the time as all this is Noo Lite, so, if they did not know their Heaven appointed role, why would they carry it out, except by accident? and if so, how could they possibly produce "food at the proper time "?

  They would, in their own minds, only be producing their own musings, which again, in reality, is exactly what Rutherford did.
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  blondie

  No GB in 1919, just Rutherford and the board of directors.

  Their explanation, their awareness not in 1919 but was retroactive like 1914 wasn't really understood completely and acknowledged until 1943.
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  Ucantnome

  I thought it had to do with being able to buy coal. (I think there is something about a coal test in the 1975 yearbook and returning to Brooklyn)
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  Phizzy

  Ucant, that was simply Rutherford doing a smoke and mirrors trick to affirm his decision to be in Brooklyn, not a bad decisionas it happens, as far as property values have gone.

  Thanks Blondie, you are of course looking at it from the point of view of historical reality, as any feeble excuse about this from the WT has to tacitly acknowledge.

  My point being, if they did not know they were the FDS or the GB, how could they function as such, much the same as 1914, if they did not realise at the time that the kingdom was established in Heaven, how could they be proclaiming it ?

  "Evidently" all the statements from the WT, including the July WT Noo Lite, are not simply nonsense, they are lies.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  What always gets overlooked in these discussions is one simple fact:

  It was impossible for Russell, or anyone else associated with WT, to be looking for Jesus' return and enthronement in 1914, because they believed this ALREADY occurred- 40 years earlier! As Blondie pointed out, this was official WT docrine until 1943. It was only after the massive, 100% failure of everything Russell predicted would happen in 1914 that the WT began a systematic, and untruthful, rewriting of history, making all the 1874-1881 events fit with 1914 and later.

  They were proclaiming Jesus returned in 1874 and became king in 1878. There was no governing body at that time. And any alleged "faithful slave" was promoting false teachings (according to WT's current theology). If the WT and FDS were wrong about all events associated with their King, Jesus, why would we expect they were right about their own identity, or anything else, for that matter?

  ----

  jv chap.28 p.632 Testing and Sifting From Within

  Based on the premise that events of the first century might find parallels in related events later, they also concluded that if Jesus’ baptism and anointing in the autumn of 29 C.E. paralleled the beginning of an invisible presence in 1874, then his riding into Jerusalem as King in the spring of 33 C.E. would point to the spring of 1878 as the time when he would assume his power as heavenly King
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  gingerbread

  One fact remains constant throughout the short history of this organization - whether the Bible Students or JW's - is that it's leadership has been hand picked by Jesus to represent him (and his heavenly kingdom) here on earth.

  This belief (and support of this belief by the faithful) gives the leadership ultimate authority and power. To provide "proof" of their right to rule (or how they received this divine blessing) could potentially undermine their righteous and prophetically determined position.
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  nonjwspouse

  I agree, the constant thing has been the belief tha the leaders were appointed by God and that the only way to be a faithful member /follower of this God appointed leader(s) is to obey, period. Obey without questions, obey faithfully. With that, all sorts of lies and twistings are accepted. They are programmed to accept or else they perish forever. Without those two beliefs the WT would crumble under the heavy weight of all thier lies and hippocracy.
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  zed is dead

  Can anyone imagine that of all the world to chose from, that Jesus specifically chose a prick like Rutherford?!

  zed
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  Room 215

  It's astonishing what people can be led to believe, against all reason and contrary evidence.
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  Tater-T

  when they got let out of JAIL ... the revelation book says.. thats how they knew...