So Alan it's very convenient how all the annointed are fake to the GB that leaves them and their close acquaintances with a monopoly of power, how do we know that they are counterfeits they may well be much more spiritual people than the GB. The two that I knew were in my opinion much more Christian in their conduct than any GB clown.
Who is the Faithful and Discrete Slave?
by Etude 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Etude
Greendawn:
I can say that most the ones I knew, were not "anointed". Perhaps what I should clarify is that some who "provided nourishment" or wrote literature for the flock were anointed, like Ray and Fred Franz, but did not technically and exclusively work for the Writing Department. I suppose if a member of the GB wanted to write something, anything, he just did it and passed it on to the writing staff editor. In other cases, anyone, even an "anointed" one could be commissioned to write something.by the GB. If it worked as I put it here, that further erodes the idea that it's the FDS that provides nourishment.
I remember when a brother in our hall "came out" as anointed. We saw him take eat and drink. I remember a conversation with him in which he explained how he "knew" he was one. I think he'd only been associated with he Witnesses about 5 years. Naturally, I had misgivings about this dude. I found out later that he was DFd after the Franz ordeal along with (or around the time) Rene Vazquez was hung out to dry. I knew and realized that the Society simply counted them (since it was diligently reported by the congregation) and that was the end of that. At the same time, I realized that if any of them (the anointed) were asked to do something by the GB or was requested to serve in a special capacity, it was due to their personal ability or connections to those in the "hub" and not due to their "priestly" rank. Hey, that's the way everything worked at Bethel anyway.
Etude.
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myelaine
Etude,
you said: Anyway, I thought about her then and the fact that she was of the "anointed" and I couldn't help but think: "What is her function as a member of the "Faithful and Discrete Slave"?
Servants of God do not sit or stand around doing nothing, in the Bible they ALL had a specific function to perform.... and if some were called by name (144000) it stands to reason that their work would be very specific and without question, they individually, would be heard from. NON?
michelle
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greendawn
Etude if I understood well your points, most of the mebers of the writing department were not annointed and the only annointed that got assigned duties in the org were the ones that were connected with the GB.
These show that the GB do not want to have everything in the org under their control and that they are power crazed individuals. Did they ever try to check out those claiming to be annointed to see what sort of people they are or if they have any interesting ideas? Or did they just decide that they are usurpers of the rank?
How do we distinguish the annointed anyway with what criteria, how do the GB know fopr sure that they are such? -
myelaine
dear greendawn,
happy birthday to you!
you asked:How do we distinguish the annointed anyway with what criteria, how do the GB know fopr sure that they are such?
If I may answer....the 144000 would be distinguishable from others because they would be "sealed (each of them) with the Holy Spirit to spread the Gospel of the Christ"
because aren't they (144000) responsible for the people in Rev.7:9-10?. these people(multitude which no one could number) say quite clearly..."Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"
michelle
to clarify...salvation does not belong to the WBTS/GB
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AlanF
daystar said:
: If that is the case, should one "feel" they are one of the anointed, how is that processed by the WTS? I've never known the process having never asked (not that my asking necessarily would have resulted in my knowing). Are they then given a special book telling them of their responsibilities?
For virtually everyone born after 1935, their professed "calling" is simply ignored, except for counting them as "partaking" at the Memorial. A very small number of such people, always males, have risen to the level of Circuit or District Overseer, and these guys get some attention. Not because of their "calling", of course, but because of their organizational positions and, most importantly, blind loyalty to the highest leaders. In other words, they become known to the higher-ups as men who'll do anything they're told, no matter how vile. Such are the five GB members appointed since 1991. No "anointed one" is given a manual; no such manual exists. Anything beyond regular JW activities is learned by getting involved with administrative activities, which automatically leaves females out.
greendawn said:
: So Alan it's very convenient how all the annointed are fake to the GB that leaves them and their close acquaintances with a monopoly of power, how do we know that they are counterfeits they may well be much more spiritual people than the GB. The two that I knew were in my opinion much more Christian in their conduct than any GB clown.
I completely agree with your sentiments. But being an "anointed one" with power in the JW organization, as Ray Franz has shown so well, has nothing to do with spirituality. It has everything to do with blind loyalty to the existing leaders.
The basic point is that "anointed ones" with influence have influence via a pretty standard old boy network.
AlanF
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Blueblades
The Society has it all wrong. According to scripture if you choose to believe it, all those who profess to believe in Jesus and accept him are supposed to be faithful and discreet and slave for the master Jesus.
Blueblades
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greendawn
Myelaine thanks for the birthday greetings. Alan, that's the crux of the matter the GB say that the FDS is the body of the annointed but they obviously don't believe or abide by this so they are hypocrites, it would anyway be interesting to have them define what are the criteria by which to judge a genuine annointed JW. And perhaps redefine the FDS as being exclusively the GB and their inner secretive circle. But as Blueblades says this distinction between annointed (FDS) christians and non annointed christians is a just cultish unbiblical idea.
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myelaine
When was the last time anyone heard a JW say they owe their salvation to God and the Lamb? even the so called "anointed" say they owe their salvation to their OWN interpretation of the Bible. (re:that they themselves complete christ's redemptive body ) they say in essence, that they have saved themselves! what hogwash, they peddle to the people!
michelle
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Etude
Greendawn:
What I meant when I said SOME were assigned duties (anointed or not), I was indicating that it is the GB that's calling the shots, not the 144,000 or the FDS. If one of the "anointed" I knew in my congregation (except for Ray Franz) decided to write an article for the Watchtower or even a book, I doubt that the GB or whoever is in charge of clearing the material would accept it for publication simply because it came from an "anointed", who is after all a priest of Christ. It would have to be cleared by the GB and the individual would have to be at least talented enough to write well and toe their line.
"How do we distinguish the annointed anyway with what criteria, how do the GB know fopr sure that they are such?"
It would be nice to say that the answer to your question would best be provided by the WTBTS or someone in the GB. However, from my past experience with them, I can tell you that any kind of answer on this subject has as much chance as Armageddon happening in 1975. If anything, they (someone at the Service Desk) will refer you to some of their publication as an explanation and leave you exactly were you are, in the fog. I don't think the GB cares who is anointed or not up to the degree that it may pose a problem for them if the numbers go up and that group becomes another "Great Crowd". They would care if the individual is "known" and has been around long enough to be a contender for a seat on the GB, which consists only of anointed or members of the 144,000. That is politics as usual and has nothing to do with the Bible. I think it's fitting that, the way things stand, they have a "clause" for deniability if an "anointed" came out speaking against them. They would simply say that the individual was not anointed in the first place and mistakenly partook of the emblems. That's why they emphasize that it's a very personal thing between that individual and Jehovah to claim membership in the anointed class. Essentially, there is no way to determine their "calling" and therefore there are no rites or formal acknowledgments for those individuals in order to confirm their claims, other than their explicit participation of the "emblems" each year during the Memorial.
Regardless of who runs what, my point of contention is that they define a class (144,000, anointed, Faithful and Discrete Slave), which by virtue of it's members, is not what they claim in the first place. I think that's transparent enough, yet somehow it never clearly surfaced in my mind when I was associated with them. I marvel at why and how current Witnesses don't think about that.
Etude.