Greg Staffords commits on the WT and idolatry

Daniel Michaels

This was posted by Greg Stafford on the Channel C board concerning the WT religion and idolatry

Posted by GregStafford on Mon - Feb 10 - 2:39pm:

In the article ?God?s Servant Preserved,? The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ?s Presence, April 1, 1930, page 116, we find these words directed at those who believed that C. T. Russell was himself the ?faithful and wise servant? appointed by Christ over all his possessions:

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They formed themselves into groups and claimed that the sum total of truth revealed to God?s people is found in what Brother Russell did and wrote and that he is ?the faithful and wise servant whom the Lord has made ruler over all his goods?; and they insist that the only true worship is by and through him and his works, and thereby they set up for themselves an image for worship.

While those responsible for the writing and editing of these words in The Watch Tower did themselves at one time believe and strongly write in support of Russell as the ?faithful and wise/discreet servant/slave,? they here noted that some had continued to do so after the time when they had identified the ?slave? as a group of people, not just one man. Indeed, prior to changing their view off the ?slave,? Watch Tower writers presented Russell and his works in such a way that it could be said that they ?insisted that the only true worship is by and through him and his works.? Consider:

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Gradually, as the dark night settles over humanity, it will be recognized more and more that the only comfort and consolation to be had from the Word of God is through an understanding of the plan as outlined by Pastor Russell in his STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES. These volumes furnish the only interpretation which harmonizes the Bible and demonstrates the truth of the Book of books.---?Views from the Watch Tower,? The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ?s Presence, May 15, 1923, page 147.

Today it is clear that the Governing Body of Jehovah?s Witnesses and, hence, Jehovah?s Witnesses as a whole (at least those who actively support the Watchtower Society), do not identify Russell as the ?faithful slave? but instead accept the Society?s teaching that the ?slave? is a group of persons chosen by Jesus Christ in 1919. This group was appointed to give ?food at the proper time? to Christ?s people and proclaim his judgments and Gospel throughout the earth. It is this group, the ?slave class,? that wrote against those who were ?setting up for themselves an image for worship? in Brother Russell by ?insisting that the only true worship is by and through him and his works.? While this statement against the idolatry involving Russell is commendable, Witnesses today cannot help but ask, Did we displace one image for another? Are we today in danger of committing a similar act of idolatry?

If the basis for the criticism against setting up Russell as an image for worship was because they insisted that the only true worship was by and through him and his works (a position, again, that the Watch Tower Society itself maintained at least up into the mid-1920s), then how should we interpret the Society?s present position regarding itself and its works:

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The Bible and helpful publications of the ?faithful slave? enable us to acquire ?the very knowledge of God.??Proverbs 2:1-6. ---*** w99 11/15 22 Are You Fulfilling Your Whole Obligation to God? ***

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Those of spiritual Israel still remaining on earth make up ?the faithful and discreet slave.? (Matthew 24:45-47) Only in association with them can acceptable sacred service be rendered to God. ---*** w98 2/1 17 Greater Blessings Through the New Covenant ***

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The Lord Jesus Christ guides this faithful slave to provide vital information at such gatherings for all who want to survive the end of this wicked system and gain life in God?s righteous new world.--- *** w98 3/1 14 Appreciating Christian Gatherings ***

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Today, we have God?s complete inspired Word, the Holy Bible. We also have ?the faithful and discreet slave,? appointed by Jesus to provide spiritual ?food at the proper time.? (Matthew 24:45-47) Thus, God is still speaking. ---*** w98 7/15 12 Beware of a Lack of Faith ***

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Christians show their submission to Jesus, and therefore to Jesus? head, Jehovah, by accepting the oversight of that ?slave.? (Matthew 24:45-47; 25:40) ---*** w98 9/1 15 Stay Close to the Theocracy ***

Jehovah?s Witnesses today must be extremely careful that we do not allow those taking the lead among us to set themselves up as an image of worship, in any sense. As was rightly noted in the April 1, 1930, Watch Tower quoted at the beginning of this post, one way we can tell if those whom we trust are betraying that trust by leading us along the path of idolatry is by their insistence that the only true worship is ?by and through them and their works.?

Greg Stafford

minimus

Btw, Is Greg disfellowshipped yet?

JCanon

This is right on the button by Greg, only it's still a farse. That's because after Rutherford promoted himself in the "Seventh Volume" of SIS that Russell was this "faithful and wise servant", he dumped Russell in order to take his mantle and become the faithful and wise servant himself, thus the "group" concept came about to allow for this.

But of note, Rutherford personally took credit for every book published by the WTS until his death in 1942 and plastered his photo on everything as well, so clearly he considered himself the primary if not sole "slave" during this presidency. This was much worse than Russell who only personally took credit for articles in the Watchtower, choosing to leave the SIS publications anonymous as far as authorship. So the dumping of Russell was far more pro-Rutherford than anti-Russell in favor of a "group".

But the point is still quite valid. A multi-headed god is little different than a single-headed god. If Russell was a god in the form of the FDS, then the FDS was a false god, period, whether it conveniently became Rutherford later on and now the general reference to the Governing Body, whom the J-dubs indeed worship since they feel if they disagree with them they are disagreeing with God himself.

This focus on the FDS beginning with setting Russell up as this false god is what is scripturally fulfilled by 2 Thess 2:4 which speaks of some in the "temple of The God", that is, anointed ones in God's visible organization making themselves a "god" over the other anointed ones, which is precisely what the GB has done. Thus they fulfill being the "man of lawlessness" and fulfill the prophecy about the "apostasy" within the organization during the last days. The GB thus become the "evil slave" prophesied about, the "rich man" in other passages, and the "false prophet" of Revelation and thus the Lamb-Dragon beast prophesied about.

This worship of the GB as "God's channel" is inappropriate and idolatrous as Greg points out; it started out as idolatry by the focus on one man and remains idolatrous as a group.

As 2 Thess 2:4 points out and as other anointed ones acknowledge (as myself), the "man of lawlness" must be revealed as this "god" in God's temple before the second coming occurs.

JC

minimus

I don't think Rutherford ever suggested he was the FDS. He was THE man, no doubt, though.

RR

It's interesting to note that Nowhere in Russell's writings does he ever identify himself as the FDS. IF he did believe it, he never admited to it publicly or in his writings. Although there were those who believed he was, in some of the letters addressed to him in the Watchtower some do adress hinm as "that wise and faithful servant".

It wasn't until AFTER Russell died and it seemed every Watchtower article was elevating Russell to Godhood and making outrageous claims about him and typing and antityping him in various prophetic books of the Bible, this went on til about 1926/27 and then all of the sudden, Russell is no longer the Faithful slave, he's a nobody.

Rutherford had to slay the monster he created. Then later, in writing about it, the Society puts the blame on someone else for promoting Russell.

RR

I don't think Rutherford ever suggested he was the FDS. He was THE man, no doubt, though.

No, Rutherford promoted himself as "The Greatest Bible Expositor of our time."

minimus

And what was Chuck called?

frankiespeakin

Greg sure hit the nail on the this time. It so plain and easy to understand,,I think many JW's who read this will get the point.

Oh and RR Chucky russell did encourage other to view him as the faithful slave,,thru a mock humility.

RR

Oh and RR Chucky russell did encourage other to view him as the faithful slave,,thru a mock humility.

Oh, and you know this because you and he are best budies, right?

frankiespeakin

RR,

Oh, and you know this because you and he are best budies, right?

And I suppose you are. right?

Come on these people didn't just start calling Russel the faithful slave out of the blue. By regularly reading his writtings these people were made to think he was God's mouthpiece. To suggest that he had nothing to do with it is beyound beleif.

Greg Staffords commits on the WT and idolatry

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