Do you believe Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body is the "faithful slave"?

by Marvin Shilmer 81 Replies latest watchtower scandals

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  DATA-DOG

  Does Angus know the ridiculous nature of the "singular/collective slave group" that only amounts to 7 men in a particular location on Earth? Is Angus familiar with the concept of a theological Captain Planet or Voltron?

  Jackson uses group in a broad sense, like just anyone can be part of the slave group/class. As we all know, this is not the case and Jackson used deliberately deceptive language. Jackson believes the FDS is a collective made up of only 7 men who are in charge of doctrine and policy for 8 million JWs. Hopefully Angus does the research.

  DD
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  Marvin Shilmer

  For the purposes of the WT publications there is no doubt, no question.
  The GB are Jehovah's spoke person, there is nowhere else to get salvation, you cannot question them.

  Precisely! Which is exactly why this statement from Mr. Jackson is so useful. If it's good for the goose then it's good for the gander.

  An elder sitting on the receiving end of what Mr. Jackson said will have his head twisted trying to figure out how to respond because he's been trained to hold the GB as the sole spokesperson for God, only to have Jackson yank that right out from underneath their foundation.
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  problemaddict 2

  I like this Marvin. On one hand the organization refers to itself as the modern day equivalent of noaks ark. You are either in or out.

  On the other hand, it would be presumptuous to call ourselves the ONLY ark. Maybe there are some other arks? Well in the story to made analogous to yourselves, you referred to a story with only one ark. I would encourage anyone to take your exact quote below and use it in an elders meeting if it came to it.

  I agree with Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson. The Governing Body views itself as trying to fulfill the role of the biblical 'faithful slave,' but it would be presumptuous to say the Governing Body is the only spokesperson that God is using. I don't see any sense in speculating beyond this. Do you?
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  GodZoo

  I agree with Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson. The Governing Body views itself as trying to fulfill the role of the biblical 'faithful slave,' but it would be presumptuous to say the Governing Body is the only spokesperson that God is using.

  Only spokesperson?

  It's grossly presumptuous to assume God is even using them at all...
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  Phizzy

  Good point GodZoo.

  I can see the Elders trying to re-phrase the "Loyalty" question when they suspect someone of being an Apostate, or on the road to being one.

  But however they phrase it, Jackson's words can be used. I always said the Abuse thing would bite them in the bum, which it has, but I did not see a development such as this.

  The JW power structure has just tumbled down, the Elders now have no easy way to restrain a would be "fader", I reckon the others on the GB are telling Geoffrey he should change his surname to Jackass.
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  stuckinarut2

  Yes, this was one of the most outstanding points of the whole RC...and one we were not expecting!
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  Rattigan350

  I don't believe that the FDS is a group or anything special.

  They are no more correct about that than that Catholics interpreting Matt 16 for the Pope based on the foundation of Peter.

  It is all interpreting to get their way.
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  konceptual99

  This was an interesting passage of questioning.

  AS used the word "disciples" in the sense of a small, select band of chosen ones. He should have said something along the lines of "modern day equivalent of the 12 apostles". GJ picked up on this right away and came back with a generalism based around a wider sense of the word and that every Christian is seeking to be a disciple.

  This then meant that further questioning were not specific enough to force GJ into a binary response about the status of the GB as the one and only spokesperson that Witnesses must follow.

  I thought AS had missed a trick here but the wishy washy nature of the documented responses by GJ actually allow responses to the loyalty question such as the one proposed by problemaddict2.

  I know the whole thing is preposterous but when trying to avoid being done up like a kipper by elders then theocratic warfare goes both ways...
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  maksutov

  I don't think it will make the slightest bit of difference to the way a fader is treated. Consistency and logic have never been their strongest points.
  
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  Dagney

  I thought the same thing as soon as I heard it. If asked I would say something like, "that's not really for me to decide is it? As GB member Br Jackson said it would be presumptuous to make that claim. Here let me show you the clip of him saying that."