How do JW's determine a person is anointed?

by thinker11 36 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  zeb

  I remember asking about that in my earliest days and was told such ones just ..know.
  
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  fastJehu

  blondie
  Actually, there was a Questions from Readers 6-15-96 WT issue p. 31 on that that said the WTS said it was equal.

  And they repeated it in this WT:

  *** w16 January pp. 23-24 par. 6 “We Want to Go With You” ***
  Modestly, anointed ones acknowledge that they do not necessarily have more holy spirit than those with an earthly hope. They do not claim to have special knowledge or revelations; neither do they try to prove that they are in some way superior. They would also never suggest to others that these too have been anointed and should start partaking; rather, they would humbly acknowledge that it is Jehovah who does the calling of anointed ones.
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  Ultimate Axiom

  Back in the 70s there were two people in my congregation that took the emblems, a dear old lady and a peculiar guy in his late 50s or early 60s. This guy was ‘in the truth’ long before I arrived, but he never ‘advanced’ in it. He was never a servant of any kind, never gave public talks, not even the School Instruction talk, and hardly ever answered at meetings. He was generally regarded as dubious, although no one would come outright and say they doubted his claim. I was the School servant for a while and on one occasion I had to ‘council’ him for his talk. I should have just said it was good, with some meaningless platitudes, but I was conscientiously honest and told him the truth (I was also only 26). After the meeting he took me aside and swearing like a trooper told me what a f-ing jerk I was, unfit for my role, and that I was in no position to tell him anything. I was actually quite pleased with his reaction, as it just confirmed my doubts about the ‘truth’, and about a year later I was out.
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  GoneAwol

  In my first cong, we had a 'tongue of flame on the head' guy who had multiple failed businesses, a failed marriage, in fact all but him had left the club.

  I ended up doing work experience with this loser when I was still at school. He was cleaning aircraft for our local airport. Half way through the week, he sent everyone home as he'd gone bust again. 6 brothers left with no job.

  I thought that you could be deleted as an elder if you went broke?

  He was and is a joke. Nobody believes that he is anointed. 'god' must be really licking the barrel with this one.

  Yet each memorial he has the 'privilege' of giving the talk. That's at least 40 years of listening to an absolute yawn fest.
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  Vidiot

  thinker11 - "How do JWs determine a person is anointed?"

  By his or her skill at balancing that fine line between "a little bit off" and "off their f**king rocker"... :smirk:
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  Heaven

  Like zeb said, when I asked this question I was told "You just know. A feeling comes over you and... you just know."

  Uh huh. So like everything related to religion, it's hocus pocus, vapourware, smoke and mirrors, presto chango.

  
  
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  Awakenednow

  From my understanding, You just know ... Holy Spirit bears witness to yours that you belong to Christ and life takes on a new meaning. Most christians experience this as they put on the new personality, filtering life's experiences through the filter of patterning Christ in love, humility, compassion, kindness - Christ being the revelation of divine love. I've seen this in so many christians attending various churches. It's sad the Jw doctrine is a contradiction of "undeserved kindness" Grace and legalism, leading to missing out on experiencing a Grace filled life instead of a guilt/work self-righteousness focus. Once convicted you are compelled to follow the leanings of that Love dominated Spirit although human imperfection can interrupt the behavior. To me it's the awareness that I am beloved of my creator and I can choose to live my life in that strength, if my source is Love therefore I am love (except when I'm not in which Christ then makes up for my lack and I am not under condemnation or feeling guilty for not being good enough because Christ is Good in my place) the Holy Spirit convicts the individual of this. It's not weird or hocus pocus but can be sudden, like an aha moment of awareness and thereafter you just begin to see the fulfillment of all in Christ Jesus...the way,truth and life. Its not about being a king in the earthly sense of ruling over others as WT teaches... that's why it's all confusing to jw"s.