This is therefore a man directed organisation that tries to pass itself off as a god directed one. As for the annointed criteria I am sure there should be some but the GB don't want to formulate these because either they don't live up to them or others do live up to them. This would put them in a right pickle so they keep quiet on the subject. I would say things like love and humility count a lot.
Who is the Faithful and Discrete Slave?
by Etude 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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A Paduan
Who is the Faithful and Discrete Slave?
Well, I can tell you it's not me
The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever.
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Etude
Agreed. Thinking about the FDS or the 144,000 does not answer the question for me about, not what they do, but who they are. I know they are not anywhere in the vicinity of Brooklyn Heights or any other place I know. As with many other Biblical issues, it's not a huge concern in my life because some things just resist answers.
As to the Organization, I still can't get over the mindset. How is it that people can gloss over an issue like this, not ask the questions I asked and continue as if nothing's happened? I guess I was interested in the psychology of it all. I still have family embedded in the JW. And, as smart and wrong as they are, I'd like to hit them with it some day.
Etude.
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M.J.
Here is the WTS's reasoning on this. The Governing Body speaks for the FDS. They represent it and head it, so in effect they ARE the FDS. So saying that all the "anointed" are the FDS is really a clever smokescreen, which sounds much better than saying that the top few leaders of the organization have been"appointed by the master."
*** w98 3/15 pp. 20-21 Living Up to Christian Dedication in Freedom ***
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The purpose of headship is to preserve unity and ensure that "all things take place decently and by arrangement." (1 Corinthians 14:40) To achieve this in the first century, a number of anointed Christians from the faithful and discreet slave class were chosen to represent the entire group. As subsequent events proved, the supervision exercised by this first-century governing body had Jehovah’s approval and blessing. First-century Christians gladly accepted the arrangement. Yes, they actually welcomed and were grateful for the fine results it produced.—Acts 15:1-32.11
The value of such an arrangement still exists. Presently, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses is composed of ten anointed Christians, all with decades of Christian experience behind them. They offer spiritual direction to Jehovah’s Witnesses, as did the first-century governing body. (Acts 16:4) Like the early Christians, the Witnesses gladly look to the mature brothers of the Governing Body for Bible-based direction and guidance in matters of worship. Though members of the Governing Body are slaves of Jehovah and of Christ, as are their fellow Christians, the Bible instructs us: "Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account; that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you."—Hebrews 13:17.***
w01 1/15 p. 21 Keep in Step With Jehovah’s Organization ***22
Kingdom interests on the earth have been entrusted to "the faithful and discreet slave," which is represented by the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47)*** w01 1/15 p. 29 How the Governing Body Differs From a Legal Corporation ***
...the governing body of "the faithful and discreet slave" preceded the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania by hundreds of years. (Matthew 24:45-47) A governing body was formed at Pentecost of 33 C.E., more than 18 centuries before the Pennsylvania corporation came into existence. At first, the governing body consisted of, not 7 men, but 12 apostles. Evidently, its number was enlarged later, for "the apostles and older men in Jerusalem" were taking the lead.—Acts 15:2.
... "the governing body of the ‘slave’ class is not appointed by any man. It is appointed by . . . Jesus Christ, the Head of the true Christian congregation and the Lord and Master of the ‘faithful and discreet slave’ class."
*** w02 3/15 p. 14 Christ Leads His Congregation ***
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As in the first century, a small group of qualified men from among the anointed overseers now serve as the Governing Body, representing the composite faithful and discreet slave. -
Check_Your_Premises
Yeah that is one they really try to obfuscate as much as possible.
When I would ask direct questions about the governing body I got this wierd disconnect... I have a feeling one or two of you might have observed this rare phenomenon .
It isn't healthy for a dubs psyche to think of TFDS as some old guys at Bethel. They need to maintain the disconnect that the garbage they read came from God. If you put a name to the garbage (spiritual food), that fantasy is diminished.
So what I kept hearing dubs say to me, when I spoke about the GB, was "we don't think of it that way. To us the slave is the organization". To which I would ask, "so you are part of the orgainzation, are you then TFDS?". Which they will reply, "it is not one person, it is the organization".
See, "the organization" is an abstract concept, and more acceptible to and easily associated with the idea divine authorship then saying "Ted is TFDS".
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Farkel
It is always interesting to re-read that WT quote a few posts up in this thread which states that the modern GB represents modern dubs just like "the first century governing body did." The WTS makes that statement without a shred of proof, and when asked for proof they mumble about the council of elders in Jersusalem. What they DON'T dare mention is that Paul had to visit that "first century governing body" and straighten them out! Could anyone with authority in the WTS who is NOT on the GB go to New York and "straighten them out?" Sure he could, and his ass would get booted clear across the Brooklyn Bridge into lower Manhattan!
The WTS has created and repeated myths about a governing body since the time of Rutherford. Rutherford mentioned a "governing body" as having authority over the JWs, but well-documented research has shown that Rutherford was answerable to no one in his pet cult. The governing body as a formal institution did not even exists until the early 1970's, almost 100 years after Russell started his own religion. It is ludicrous for the WTS to keep repeating that there has been a consistently existing "governing body" on earth since the first century. That's just more of the shit they are always making up and repeating so many times that their membership accepts it as fact.
To get more on topic, the exact membership of the "faithful and discrete slave CLASS" vis a vis all living members of the "remnant" was actually given by Fred Franz himself. When his nephew Ray Franz asked Freddie to name some members of that FDS, Freddie said he believed he was one of them. When asked to name another member, Franz could not and did not.
Farkel
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daystar
What I always thought was odd is the resistance to researching the early days of the organization like this. I can recall being taught that the origins of the current WTS with Russell and Rutherford was not relevant at all, and yet at other times, oh so relevant.
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Check_Your_Premises
What they DON'T dare mention is that Paul had to visit that "first century governing body" and straighten them out!
Where is that in the Bible?
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Pole
When asked to name another member, Franz could not and did not.
Hahaha. That's one of my favourite parts of CoC (was CoC?). They make up those lies about the FDS "class" and feed the rank and file members with it and then Freddy fails to name anoyne but himself as belonging to the FDS. What lying hypocrites.
Pole -
daystar
What they DON'T dare mention is that Paul had to visit that "first century governing body" and straighten them out!
Where is that in the Bible?Isn't that 1 Cor.? It may be before this chapter, but starting with chapter 5 I believe. But I don't believe it was any "governing body" just the individual congregations.