OK... latest emails.... On top is my response to his last email which is blue on the bottom....
The FDS (faithful and discrete slave) was originally viewed as Charles Russell:
"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 12/1/1919, page 357)
It was Russells wife who originally suggested it was him because the scripture refers to a singular "slave", not plural. Up until Feb of 1927, the Watchtower repeatedly referred to Russell as the FDS.
We believe that all who are now rejoicing in present truth will concede that Brother Russell faithfully filled the office of special servant of the Lord; and that he was made ruler over all the Lord's goods... Often when asked by other, Who is that faithful and wise serving?-- Brother Russell would reply: "Some say I am; while others say the Society is." Both statements were true; for Brother Russell was in fact the society in a most absolute sense, in this, that he directed the policy and course of the Society without regard to any other person on earth." (WT, 1 Mar. 1923, 68)
Here Russell is the FDS, and the organization is "the lord's goods".
After Rutherford
took office he realized that he could not fully control the organization if everyone saw Russell as the FDS. His solution to this was to write an article stating the FDS was a class of people "made up of those whom he finds faithful at the time he comes to his temple". (WT Feb. 15, 1927). Therefore, he was saying that
all of Jehovah's Witnesses were the FDS.
It is interesting that he says that it is when Jesus "comes to his temple", because that would have had to be 1918, or shortly after 1914 when, as currently taught by Jehovah's Witnesses, Jesus' presence began.
It was in 1943 when they changed the FDS from all of Jehovah's Witnesses to the "faithful remnant" (WT, 1 July 1943, 203)
It was in 1981 that the FDS was change to the "organization". (WT. 15 Feb. 1981, 19)
And finally it was in 1992 that the FDS became the Governing Body. (WT. May 1, 1992)
How can this slave be "faithful" and "discrete" if it is constantly making false
prophecies? You say the Slave class is a group of people acting on Jehovah's Holy spirit, if this is true, then why all of the failed prophecies? What exactly does it mean to be "acting on Jehovah's Holy spirit"? Why am I sticking to this point about the FDS? Simply because the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society and the Governing Body cannot be the FDS if they are wrong about Jesus presence beginning in 1914. If they are wrong about the date of 1914, then everything collapses. The Governing Body looses all authority. What is this date of 1914 based on? It is the 2520 days or years from the destruction of Jerusalem. According to the Watchtower, Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 607 BCE (607BCE - 1914 = 2520 Years). The problem is that the Watchtower is the only organization that teaches that Jerusalem fell in 607BCE. All archeological evidence points to 587 or 586. Take a look on the web right now search for "Jerusalem 607 587". Take a look in any encyclopedia. Write to any historian. Go to the library. They will all tell you that Jerusalem fell in 587 or 586. I was even watching Jeopardy the other day and one of the "answers" was "This city fell to the Babylonians in the year 587 or 586 BCE", the correct "question" was of course "What is Jerusalem?"If the Watchtower got this date wrong, that means they cannot be the FDS. < > wrote:
When you ask "How do you get from "Faithful and Discrete Slave" to "Watchtower Bible and Tract Society"?" Are you asking, What is the relation "between" the Slave Class and Watchtower Bible and tract Society? The Slave class is a group of people acting on Jehovah's Holy spirit. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is a corporate entity to allow a party to operate in line with the laws of the current authorities, (US and other World Governments.) Rough flow chart. The Slave Class filed for an initial meeting of "the board" to vote on incorporating the non official organization to give structured means of forward movement to the goal at hand, preaching and teaching. They the corporate secretary took minutes of the meeting, recording all votes in electing the members to there positions of, President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Once the Positions were filled by the members, they drafted and finalized the bylaws of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, Inc. These bylaws consisted of generic criteria for meeting scheduling, voting, and procedures of the running of the non profit organization. From this point the WBTS Inc. was a legal entity to do business with suppliers/venders to produce there teaching aids. They soon incorporated over 100 other corporations to assist in moving forward, in line with the Kingdom interest. The WBTS is nothing more than a facilitator to career the slave class... If it was up to the Slave class they wouldn't have the WBTS. They would just teach and add new/more light to the understanding of Jehovah's Kingdom. Edited by - Elsewhere on 19 December 2002 21:32:28
