Another possible reason why GB demoted Pastor Russell from the FDS.

by donuthole 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  donuthole

  In Barbara Anderson's research for the Proclaimers Book she was tasked with identifying the Faithful & Discreet Slave throughout history. The idea was the Watchtower could identify a line of Kingdom Proclaimers from the days of the Apostles. She was not able to do this with the established criteria, that the individual had to adhere to the basic doctrinal beliefs seperating JW's from "false religion".

  It seems that Governing Body would now agree. The most recent change in understanding regarding the Faithful & Discreet Slave moved the appointment until 1919.

  This means that Charles Russell is no longer part of the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class. Why? It seems that Russell no longer fits the criteria the current GB is using for the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class.

  The current teaching is that the governing body is synonymous with the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class. There was no governing body in Russell's day. A Board of Directors was selected after Russell's death to take the lead of the Society's affairs. The Watchtower considers this to be the first "governing body" and also the first "faithful slave".
  
  It is another way of self-validating the Governing Body as Jehovah's chosen channel.
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  wearewatchingyouman

  Interesting, because in December of 1919, the "first faithful slave" published that he was the first Faithful and Wise Servant.

  "Thousands of the readers of Pastor Russell's writings believe that he filled the office of "that faithful and wise servant," and that his great work was giving to the Household of Faith meat in due season. His modesty and humility precluded him from openly claiming this title, but he admitted as much in private conversation," (Watchtower, Dec. 1, 1919, p. 357)
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  DesirousOfChange

  That could indeed be the reasoning, because the doctrines under Rutherford certainly are not "proper food" any more than they were under Russell, yet they keep Rutherford under the F&DS banner.

  Doc
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  Laika

  I think the change was an attempt to take authority away from the anointed as a group and give it to the GB alone, a theological backing for what already happens in practice. They linked this to the present 1919 doctrine because it was the easiest way to do it, I suspect dropping Russell was more of an unintended consequence then a plan.

  But really, who knows how these guys work?

  For starters, claiming there was a GB in 1919 is a lie on their part.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  Another reason is that CT Russell was not in favor of an "Organization":

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  WT 1884 February Pages 1-2

  We belong to no earthly organization; hence, if you should name the entire list of sects, we should answer, No, to each and to all. We adhere only to that heavenly organization- "whose names are written in heaven." (Heb. 12 :23; Luke 10: 20.) All the saints now living, or that have lived during this age, belonged to OUR CHURCH ORGANIZATION: such are all ONE Church, and there is NO OTHER recognized by the Lord. Hence any earthly organization which in the least interferes with this-union of saints is contrary to the teachings of Scripture and opposed to the Lord's will-"that they may be ONE."

  "We always refuse to be called by any other name than that of our Head --Christians--continually claiming that their can be no division among those continually led by his Spirit and example as made known through his Word." Zion’s Watch Tower 1883 Mar p.6

  .

  Since he was opposed to a dictatorial organizational arrangement, he was also opposed to any leader taking away an individual's right to believe according to their conscience:

  Studies in the Scriptures Vol 6 page 242

  "the real need of the Church of Christ is still more liberty-until each individual member shall stand free and independent of all human bonds, creeds, confessions, etc.

  "The endeavor to compel all men to think alike on all subjects, culminated in the great apostasy; The union of the early church, based upon the simple gospel and bound only by love, gave place to the bondage of the Church of Rome a slavery of God's children, from the degradation of which multitudes are still weak and suffering" Zion's Watch Tower 1893 Sep p.264
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  Focus

  donuthole, very good. Shirley, bang on the money.

  I'm rushing at present, but there is much to be gained by studying the precise means of J.F. "Judge" (sic) Rutherford's accession to the throne. He was certainly not Russell's chosen successor and was very far from what the Russellites wanted.

  I'm minded of the Lenin->Stalin succession; numerous parallels.

  Which leads us to the fascinating Q of what Chuckie "jellyfish" Russell, the terror of young servant girls and office helpers (enough to force him, careful as he was with every cent, to pay for one of them to flee to Australia before she could be subpoena'd), died from.

  There seemed to be little investigation. And the b**ger wasn't that old - 64.

  Farkel and I shared ideas (in public, perhaps on H2O but more probably here) that it was not cystitis but another "down there" type of ailment, syphilis. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if Rutherford had hired one of the Russellites to systematically add arsenic to the various potions the old coot used to imbibe.

  After the death, and The Finished Mystery fiasco, the sidelining of CTR began. He became not the FDS, as he'd hinted any number of times (the posthumous admission is just one of those things), but one of a Class, and then further distancing occurred during the first ten years of the Rutherford era (which started with a ruthless corporate struggle - Rutherford was anything but a popular man. I've identified the first letter that brought him to CTR's attention.

  While CTR was a contemptible fraud, he had a good side. I can see absolutely nothing good in Rutherford.

  __
  Focus

  ("Bethel - wherein every iniquity resides" Class)
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  WingCommander

  ADCMS really brought out some good quotes by CT Russell, ones that ring true to real Christians. It shows that he did actually care, and held that "organization" was bad, and even Apostacy! Ironic, that if he were to proclaim that today, HE'D be the one disfellowshipped for Apostacy! Hahahahaha!

  I really like the quote where he talks about everyone being free to worship how they please, and within their own conscience, etc. Jesus freed us from the confines of pharasitical "organizations", and CT recognized this. Da Judge was an egotistical, money-grubbing, booze hound bent on putting everyone back under the thumb of Mosaic Law. Mission Accomplished! This is why JW's are a "sect/cult" and nothing more than Neo-Judeoism fronting as psuedo-Christianity. Truly, JW's are the "Apostates", and they don't even see it! Oh the irony is hurting my sides!

  - Wing Commander
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  Vidiot

  WingCommander - "Ironic, that if he were to proclaim that today, HE'D be the one disfellowshipped for Apostacy!"

  Well, since he's essentially been dropped from the FDSC, and they barely even mention him any more...

  ...for all intents and purposes, he has been.
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  AndDontCallMeShirley

  Of course, if 'ol CTR were to come back today, I doubt he'd be able to pick WT/JWs out of a lineup and identify them as the religion he started...
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  gingerbread

  The Watchtower has always tried to draw parallels or precedent from Bible record and apply these to themselves.

  Russell is now been given the honored position of the 19th century "John the Baptist" who layed the theological groundwork for the Watchtower organization. The Faithful Slave / Governing Body acts as mankind's mediator to God.

  They effectively erased Jesus from the 'chain-of-command'. Why not Russell as well...

  ginger