Issues with claiming to be TFDS

by Check_Your_Premises 24 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  ezekiel3

  Premises: Welcome and excellent points!

  Has God ever chosen a "special servant" and made His choice known through the second means?

  Not that I know of. Of course JWs answer that with the following (incorrect) logic:

  1) God always has a visible organization

  2) JWs have been blessed with growth from their preaching work

  3) JWs don't fight in wars

  And the clincher: 4) Where else would we go to?

  #4 is critical because the other points don't hold water.

  Try your reasoning on a JW to realize out that the s/he's been programmed to believe in an organization, and all other religions are false. So what if the FDS can be called into question, they are the "best of the worst." This is acceptable to the JW mindset.
• 

  heathen

  What's even more interesting is that they don't let just any crack pot run the organization either , it has to be a controlled crack pot as with the issue of Freddy Franz or Ray Franz , apparently you are not allowed the benefit of hind site and can never question the edicts in print no matter what the outcome . They do fiegn some sort of democracy when it comes to changing or inventing new dogma and it looks as if those that aren't in the majority are removed . There is no shortage of people claiming authority on scripture such as the pope or joseph smith it seems all churches have some sort of means to determine what is part of the belief structure , with the j-dubs it seems to carry down to all the kingdom halls even so they can control the thought process of all the members with various forms of chastisement leaving people in a state of fear . It's really sad the way they do things because I know they tried it on me when all I wanted was the truth but I wasn't a member yet so it was easy to say enough is enough and there is no way I believe things that are not proven in the bible no matter what you say .
• 

  ChristianObserver

  What has always puzzled me is how anyone/any organisation which believes itself to be 'discreet' could then go on to proclaim that it actually is 'discreet'.

  The very claim of being 'discreet' in fact runs counter to being 'discreet'. Being 'discreet' precludes you from boasting about being 'discreet'.

  The following passages reveal much:

  ***

  w71 12/15 p. 761 A Governing Body as Different from a Legal Corporation ***

  Thus, too, even though there were no apostles of Christ on hand in the nineteenth century, God?s holy spirit must [???] have been operative toward the formation of the governing body for his anointed remnant of the "faithful and discreet slave" class. The facts speak for themselves [???]. There came on the scene a body of anointed Christians who accepted [???] and undertook [???] the responsibilities of governing the affairs [???] of Jehovah?s dedicated, baptized, anointed people who were following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and endeavoring to fulfill the work stated in Jesus? prophecy at Matthew 24:45-47. Facts speak louder than words [???]. The governing body is there [??????????????].

  ***

  w56 11/15 p. 692 Faithful Stewardship ***

  FAITHFUL

  AND DISCREET SLAVE

  12

  Jesus said: "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings." (Matt. 24:45-47, NW) Those belonging to Jehovah?s organization know [???] that the "faithful and discreet slave" is a class made up of the faithful remnant of God?s anointed ones, gathered now in one company and working together under the direction and authority of the governing body of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Readers not yet associated with Jehovah?s witnesses may have a little hesitation in accepting this statement, but the manifestation of Jehovah?s blessing upon the activities of this class of anointed Christians will certainly aid you to appreciate the truth of it and will surely cause any doubts or misgivings to disappear. As a result it will bring happiness to you, because you will be helped to see that the Most High God, Jehovah, is now dealing with his people and his blessing is with them.***

  Surely, any who profess to have a future where they co-rule with Jesus in heaven over 'the other sheep class' may wish to re-consider the New Testament teachings of the first and last - the greatest and the least.
• 

  Honesty

  Prove it.
• 

  heathen

  discreet does have more than one meaning . My websters states ---- prudent,circumspect, judicious,cautious in action or speech . circumspect means watchful on all sides , jeeze I guess that's where they got the name watchtower .
• 

  peacefulpete

  Of course the whole spin on that text is impossible if compared with Luke's version. Leolaia has posted some great stuff in the past that showed the "F and Wise slave is a parable drawn from the OT Joseph story. It was not intended by Q nor either Matt and Luke to have been a prophecy of any kind. Simply a parable about being like Joseph in conducting oneself dilligent and loyal to the master. Furthur the Wt has reinterpreted the context to be a yet future application and in so doing are contradicting themselves by insisting they are the F. and Wise slave. None of it makes any sense. Simply the cult leaders need validation and the use of texts like this pulled from context have served them well.
• 

  Number 6

  The FDS doctrine is the one doctrine they can never ditch no matter what the cost. If they throw that out then all else falls.
• 

  garybuss

  "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."
  (1940 YEARBOOK of Jehovah's witnesses, page 3)

  "Well, in the years before 1919, Jehovah's people were somewhat lacking in zeal."
  (The Watchtower, Jan. 1, 1996, p.19)

  Since Jesus didn't appoint the Watch Tower printing business as his earthly secular business until 1919 and He was directing the work since 1914, WHO was he directing? If He was directing the Watch Tower, why were they lacking in zeal?
• 

  outoftheorg

  These self proclaimed representatives of Jehovah, claim to be spirit directed in their decisions.

  So one would expect that they would all arrive at the same conclusions on any given decision. Especially those of importance. Such as whether to live or die involving a blood transfusion.

  Or telling people they must or must not do something, even if it results in beatings, imprisonment, or death.

  Yet their council "the governing body" require a two thirds of the body vote, in order to change or institute a decision. Aren't all of the gb recieving the same directions?? What is going on here??

  In this situation you could have a majority voting against their blood transfusion demands and still see it remain the same. Since they didn't reach the two thirds requirement.

  This leaves us with the choice of, either SOME of the gb or ALL of the gb are NOT spirit directed. or the directive spirit is elusive and dangerous.

  In Crisis of Conscience, R Franz tells us this actually has happened many times over.

  Never trust a self professed expert OR PROPHET.

  Outoftheorg
• 

  garybuss

  The Watchtower magazine of 6/1/65 p.352 said this:
  "Jehovah's organization must henceforth be guided and
  directed by Jehovah's spirit through the visible governing body..."

  The faithful and discreet slave class is irrelevant and not needed and is not recognized. Any who don't believe me, I invite to send their thesis to Bethel to be included as a future Watchtower magazine article. Let me know how that went. :-)