The Governing Body and the Board of Directors

by hooberus 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  hooberus

  The Governing Body and the Board of Directors

  Modern Society Claims

  "From the incorporation of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania in 1884 until 1972, the president of the Society exercised great authority in Jehovah's organization, while the Governing Body was closely associated with the Society's board of Directors." Watchtower 5-15-1997 p. 17

  "To give the Bible Students legal status, Zion's Watch Tower Tract Society was incorporated in 1884 in the United States, with headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its directors served as a central Governing Body, overseeing the global preaching of God's Kingdom." Watchtower 2-1-1999 p.17

  Comment: Was the Board of Directors really a Governing Body from 1884 until 1972 as the Society today Claims?

  Russell's Presidency

  "Having up to December 1, 1893, thirty-seven hundred and five (3,705) voting shares, out of a total of sixty-three hundred and eighty-three (6,383) voting shares, Sisiter Russell and myself, of course, elect the officers, and thus control the Society; and this was fully understood by the Directors from the first. Their usefullness, it was understood, would come to the front in the event of our death." A Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings 4-25-1894 (written by Russell)

  "For more than thirty years, the President of THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY managed its affairs exclusively, and the Board of Directors, so-called, had little to do. This is not said in criticism, but for the reason that the work of the Society peculiarly requires the direction of one mind." Harvest Siftings 8-1917 p. 10 (written by Rutherford)

  Comment: The dircectors were not a true governing body in Russells time. The modern Society is re-writing their history.

  Rutherfords Presidency

  "That after three months or so had passed, it became clearly evident to the majority of the Directors that they had seriously blundered in placing the complete control in the hands of one man, contrary to the charter (article VI of which reads: "The corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors, consisting of seven members"), and that under this one-man rule the Directors were not allowed to direct, and could get little or no information regarding the affairs of the Society, for which the laws of the land held them responsible. Light After Darkness 9-1-1917 (written four former Directors of the WTBTS)

  Commment: The directors were not a true governing body in Rutherfords time. The modern Society is rewriting their history.

  Can there be a governing body with a one-man rule?

  "As to such refinements in understanding, TheWatchtower of December 15, 1971, said: "Thankfully Jehovahs Christian witnesses know and assert that this is no one-man religious organization, but that it has a governing body of spirit-anointed Christians." Watchtower 1990

  Comment: the phrase in the 1990 WT "witnesses know and assert that this is no one-man religious organization, but that it has a governing body" would certainly seem to imply that if an organization is hypothetically really a "one-man religious organization" that it does not then have a governing body. Since the WT was a one-man religious organization under Russell and Ruhterford (Rutherfords directors even used the very term "one-man" !) there could not have been a true "governing body."
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  Love_Truth

  That fits well with my understanding. IMO, Russell was a sincere Bible Student, trying to get to the "truth" in the Bible, in a fairly open-minded, intelligent manner.

  Rutherford, on the other hand, was an Apostate who wanted power and control. He took Russell's studies and turned them into the Apostate religion of "Jehovah's Witnesses".

  Once the Apostacy of Rutherford crept in at the highest level, it was all down hill from there.

  Love_Truth- That's my two cents.
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  hooberus

  How do governing body members get their authority: from being properly elected ? or from Jehovah?

  "There were legal requirements involved in publishing magazines and other Bible study aids. Hence, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society was set up and registered in the state of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. For years, the visible Governing Body came to be identified with the seven-member board of directors of this corporation established to publish the Bible study aids needed and used by the Lords people earth wide." Watchtower 3-15-1990

  " The Societys seven directors were faithful Christians. But their role in a legal corporation might have suggested that they owed their positions on the Governing Body to their being elected by legal members of the Watch Tower Society." Watchtower 3-15-1990

  comment: The modern Society claims the following: from the incorporation of the WTBTS the Governing Body was the seven member board of directors.These seven directors were faithful Christians. While the fact that the Governing body members were also on a legal board "might have suggested" that they owed their positions on the GB to their being elected, this was not actually the case.

  " As already mentioned, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania has a board of directors limited to seven members. These dedicated Christian men are elected for three-year terms by corporation members totaling no more than 500, the majority of whom are not anointed Christians. Moreover, since the corporations existence is purely legal, with a fixed geographic headquarters, it can be dissolved by Caesar, that is, the State. (Mark 12:17) However, the Governing Body is not a legal instrument. Its members are not elected. They are appointed through the holyspirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. (Compare Acts 20:28.) Moreover, those making up the Governing Body are spirit-appointed men without any obligatory fixed geographic location or headquarters." Watchtower 3-15-1990

  comment: The Governing Body members are not elected but appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ

  What happened to the majority of the directors (which the modern Society claims was the "Governing Body" ) in 1917?

  "A few, especially at headquarters, actually resented Brother Rutherford. The fact that the work was moving ahead and that he was making every effort to follow the arrangements that had been put in place by Russell did not seem to impress them. Opposition soon mounted. Four members of the board of directors of the Society went so far as to endeavor to wrest administrative control from Rutherfords hands." Proclaimers

  ". . . Tuesday, July 17, 1917. On that same occasion, a startling announcement was made the four opposing directors had been removed, and Brother Rutherford had appointed four others to fill the vacancies. What was the reaction?" Proclaimers

  How was the majority of directors (which the modern sociey claims was the "Governing Body" ) dismissed?

  "But Brother Rutherford had a sound basis for the action he had taken. How so? It turned out that although the four opposing directors had been appointed by Brother Russell, these appointments had never been confirmed by vote of the corporation members at the annual meeting of the Society. Therefore, the four of them were not legal members of the board of directors at all! Rutherford had been aware of this but had not mentioned it at first. Why not? He had wanted to avoid giving the impression that he was going against Brother Russells wishes. However, when it became evident that they would not discontinue their opposition, Rutherford acted within his authority and responsibility as president to replace them with four others whose appointments were to be confirmed at the next annual meeting, to be held in January 1918." Proclaimers book

  comment: Four members out of seven (a majority) of the Board of Directors opposed Rutherford. Rutherford used the fact that their positions on the Board of directors had not been confirmed at annual elections to dismiss them from governing the Society.The arcticle admits that these members were appointed by Russell.

  By comparing the 1990 arcticle with the Proclaimers account the following becaome obvious: A Majority of the "Governing Body" opposed Rutherford. Rutherford used a legal-techniquality to dismiss them even though the 1990 arcticle says that they did not hold their positions on the Governing Body due to their being directors. Hense it was an unjust dismissal. The Directors which were appointed by Russell must also have been according to the 1990 WT "appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ." Rutherford ignored this appointment (which came from Russell, holy spirit [sic], Jehovah, and Jesus Christ) and kicked them out anyway!
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  Farkel

  Love_Truth,

  : That fits well with my understanding. IMO, Russell was a sincere Bible Student, trying to get to the "truth" in the Bible, in a fairly open-minded, intelligent manner.

  I thought the same thing, even 25 years or so after I left the dubs. Think again. Russell was a scumbag, and he was a manipulator and a liar. Just read the transcript of his divorce trial, and you'll see what I mean. The Judge in that trial excoriated him and gave good reasons for doing so. Big time.

  Six or seven years ago I had a conversation with AlanF about Russell and his so-called goodness and integrity. Since Alan knows just about everything WT related (he's a WTS geek), I asked him his opinion. He said, to paraphrase, "I think Russell started out with the right attitude, but later became full of himself."

  Later research by the now-famous Barbara Anderson has revealed a much different and much darker Russell. She told me stuff about four or five years ago that convinced me that Russell was every-bit the scumbag that the rest of the WTS leaders were. I won't steal her thunder by revealing the details (they WILL come out later), but I'm convinced the WTS religion has been corrupted and unscrupulous from the very beginning.

  You can't shine shit.

  Farkel
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  hooberus

  For some of the above information I would like to thank the books of David Reed, R Franz. as well as others
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  Poztate

  You can't shine shit.

  Farkel

  What more could anyone say.
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  garybuss

  
  
  The Society writes that Jesus was already "specifically directing the witness work in the earth" from 1914 on (1940 YEARBOOK of Jehovah's witnesses Pages 3-6), that the period from 1914 to 1919 was a "an inspection of the "slave" or "steward" class on earth" (The Watchtower; Dec. 15, 1971 P. 748 749), and during that inspection period, from 1914 till 1919 the governing body (slave) was not faithful, was not discreet , and was ignorant of the proper understanding, were tainted with Babylonish things, did not have a theocratic method of operating, were yielding to fear and interference, were in exile, were unorganized for kingdom service, lacked courage and boldness, had closed eyes and ears, were unreasonable and not levelheaded, lacked divine approval, lacked true knowledge, acted rashly and hastily, stammered in fear and unsureness, and rushed into sin. (The Watchtower Dec. 1, 1951 p. 721-3)
  
  
  Watchtower; Dec. 15, 1971 P. 748 - 749
  Theocratic Organization with Which to Move Forward Now
  
  INSPECTION, APPOINTMENT, "GIFTS IN MEN"
  9 In the year 1914 C.E., at the close of the "appointed times of the nations," the Lord Jesus Christ was installed in the heavenly Messianic kingdom. Thereafter he undertook an inspection of the "slave" or "steward" class on earth. (Matt. 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27) He did find dedicated, baptized, anointed disciples on earth who, in spite of World War I and persecutions and other difficulties, were striving to serve the interests of Jehovah's Messianic kingdom. They were endeavoring to feed in a spiritual way the faithful "domestics" or "body of attendants" of the now reigning Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
  
  10 The facts of modern history show that in the year 1919 he revived these much afflicted disciples and gathered them together in a united body. Then he appointed them as his "slave" class "over all his belongings," that is, over all his royal interests at the earth. (Rev. 11:7-12) It was this active body of dedicated, anointed Christians who, in the summer of 1931, embraced a name to distinguish them from Christendom's sects, namely, Jehovah's witnesses.-Isa. 43:10-12; 44:8.
  ****
  
  Watchtower 51 12/1 721-3 "Princes Shall Rule in Justice"
  IN THE TIME OF RESTORATION
  
  20 Since Christ Jesus began reigning at the time of the Kingdom?s birth in 1914, are we to understand, then, that his princes have been visibly ruling in righteousness on earth? Yes; but from the year 1919 onward.
  
  23 Since the Kingdom was born in 1914, why do we say that this restoration took place for his people on earth since 1919? Because during World War I, which began in 1914, Jehovah?s anointed remnant on earth did not have proper understanding. They were still tainted with Babylonish things and did not have the theocratic method in operation among them. So they yielded to fear and to unwarranted interference from the ruling elements of this world and came into a Babylonish bondage and were taken into exile from Jehovah?s organization. But in 1919 Jehovah God, for his own name?s sake, brought about their release. By his spirit he moved them to reorganize for Kingdom service in the postwar period. In this way he restored them as his active organization; and by his Word and spirit he infused courage and boldness for the Kingdom and its King into them.
  
  24 Christ Jesus approved of his remnant as a ?faithful and discreet slave? and set this slave class over all his earthly belongings. Then by the theocratic organization Jehovah led them from one truth to another, opening the eyes of their hearts and the ears of their understanding to see and hear these truths. Being taught to be reasonable and levelheaded by such truths, they no longer acted rashly or hastily, rushing into sin, but they gained true knowledge and they spoke with understanding, with a certainty of belief, and with the courage of conviction, no longer stammering in fear and unsureness.
  
  ***********
  
  1940
  YEARBOOK
  of Jehovah's witnesses
  (Pages 3-6)
  
  THE THEOCRACY IS the hope of man. There is no other hope. For this hope and the publication thereof Jehovah's witnesses stand accused before all the nations of the earth. They welcome the opportunity and the privilege of standing in this position, by the grace of God, therefore following in the footsteps of his beloved Son, Christ Jesus.
  During the year just closed Jehovah's witnesses have put forth their earnest endeavors to make known the name of the GREAT THEOCRAT and the THEOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, of which Christ Jesus is the King. Anointed to be the King at the age of thirty, and more than nineteen centuries ago, he was enthroned as King in 1914 A.D., and since then has been specifically directing the witness work in the earth. All the nations of the earth are against the THEOCRACY.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  Love_Truth

  Farkel,
  

  I won't argue with you- I've seen the same evidence, yet I leave it to God to ultimately judge us, although I truly find it hard to not come to the conclusion I made regarding Rutherford, I couldn't hold back from speaking my mind on the man.

  As for Russell, you're correct, he made many a mistake (especially based on court documents), I didn't mean to imply he was above castigation.

  I'm revising my comments to state:

  John 8:1-11: " 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. 7 But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10 Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
  11 "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin.""

  Love_Truth- Common Sinner, like everyone else.
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  sf

  Some interesting tidbets here:

  http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&q=Charles+Taze+Russell+last+will

  sKally
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  ese

  you can try to shine shit and some shit is shiny on its own
  
  lol