The F&DS - a clergy by another name

by ozziepost 5 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  ozziepost

  So who is the faithful and discreet slave? That?s a preoccupation of the borg and well it might be as it?s their ?claim? to authority.

  The Proclaimers book contains a discussion of this and asks the question ? a person or a class? and has this parapgraph:

  "Over a decade later, however, Brother Russell?s wife publicly expressed the idea that Russell himself was the faithful and wise servant. The view that she voiced concerning the identity of the ?faithful servant? came to be generally held by the Bible Students for some 30 years. Brother Russell did not reject their view, but he personally avoided making such an application of the text,

  emphasizing his opposition to the idea of a clergy class commissioned to teach God?s Word in contrast to a lay class that was not thus commissioned ." [Emphasis added] (Proclaimers book, page 143)

  Here again, in its early history the WTS is denigrating the clergy as a means of elevating its own self. But notice the words highlighted in red. Now we come to a later part of the same book which discusses (again!) the ?faithful and discreet slave?. It states:

  "Jehovah?s Witnesses today recognise the Watchtower magazines and kindred publications to be the one used by the faithful and discreet slave to dispense spiritual food. They do not claim that this slave class is infallible, but they do view it as the one channel (Emphasis theirs) that the Lord is using during the last days of this system of things." (Page 626)

  Now doesn?t this latter statement contradict the earlier one?

  Of course, the WTS has a long history of criticising and condemning the clergy of Christendom, but in the matter of a clergy class dispensing spiritual food, haven?t modern-day Jehovah?s Witnesses got the very same thing, only under a different name?
• 

  A Paduan

  You mean the guys in suits ? No, surely everyone in the world wears suits.
• 

  blondie

  The WTS defines clergy distinction to mean that only the clergy preach or minister and they say that everyone including the elders and the GB preach. We know that may be what they say on paper but in practice. While they do not receive a salary, they do receive money and perks and the traveling overseers and GB/Bethelites are not expected to have a secular job. Just because people are not called Elder So-and-So or Circuit Overseer So-and-So or Governing Body Member So-and-So does not mean these are not religious titles. "There's Brother Smith, he's the presiding overseer, you know." Not a special class, but ones receiving "special privileges."

  w95 5/15 p. 18 Flashes of Light?Great and Small (Part 1)

  They came to see that there is no Scriptural basis for a clergy-laity distinction. (Matthew 23:8-10) On the contrary, all Christians are to be preachers of the good news. (Acts 1:8)

  w74 10/15 pp. 630-631 How Are Jehovah?s Witnesses Different?

  There is no clergy-laity distinction. All, regardless of race or social status, are "brothers" and "sisters." As among first-century Christians, a body of elders is appointed to oversee the activities of the congregation and to provide spiritual help to all. These men are selected on the basis of their Christian maturity, their love, their concern for and willingness to help others. They receive no salary and have no religious titles designating them as a special class, above others. They share in the work of preaching and teaching in the homes of the people, as did the apostles, and as do the rest of the congregation?s members.?1 Tim. 3:1-7.
• 

  ozziepost

  all Christians are to be preachers of the good news

  This is yet another example of the Tower misrepresenting things! Notice how they switch from clergy/laity to witnessing? Yet the ministry of field service was not the point at all. The Dubs still have their leadership class. The only way the Borg's argument could be valid would be if all the flock were to share in preaching and teaching the flock.

  As among first-century Christians, a body of elders is appointed to oversee the activities of the congregation and to provide spiritual help to all.

  Another lie! Appointed by who? Certainly not by a central organisation in the mode of the WTS and its branch offices. The first-century christians met in small house churches and selected their shepherds by voting for them. The scriptures plainly state "select for yourselves" etc etc
• 

  boa

  I wonder (now that I freed myself to wonder - simply wonderful doncha think) what the difference a TITLE is when everyone around refers to you as CO, DO, PO, PIONEER, ELDER, MS, GB, BETHELITE etc? The title to me is applied in all but some official document, uhhhh, except oh yah, you do get a document if you're a reg. pioneer, special full-time servant (read bethelite). Even before bethel, it seems the seeds of discontent for the clergy class in the org, were sown in my discussion with our po for capitalizing 'Elder' or 'Ministerial Servant' on the bulletin board - and I don't mean when they were used at the start of a sentence or line! Of course, the wts can spin any yarn with their definition of 'clergy' to supposedly make them not fit the definition such as no salary or 'special class' but like I said above, what is the real message and understanding of the r&f? I'm becoming accustomed to straining out bs now, and seperating the wheat from the chunks. boa
• 

  Mr. Kim

  The F&DS - a clergy by another name. I'll agree to that.

  The FDS seems to act the same as those they have criticized.