Posts by WontLeave

11

I must have been cast into spiritual darkness, because I can't figure this out.

by WontLeave in

we must obey the faithful and discreet slave if we are to have jehovah's approval - ws7/15/2011.

if this is true, it begs the questions:.

who is this slave and who are the domestics?

WontLeave

nine aging men

It's 7, now:

Samuel Herd (1999)
Geoffrey Jackson (2005)
M. Stephen Lett (1999)
Gerrit Lösch (1994)
Anthony Morris (2005)
Guy H. Pierce (1999)
David H. Splane (1999)

Barr and Jaracz died last year.

11

I must have been cast into spiritual darkness, because I can't figure this out.

by WontLeave in

we must obey the faithful and discreet slave if we are to have jehovah's approval - ws7/15/2011.

if this is true, it begs the questions:.

who is this slave and who are the domestics?

WontLeave

We must obey the faithful and discreet slave if we are to have Jehovah's approval - ws7/15/2011

If this is true, it begs the questions:

Who is this “slave” and who are the “domestics”? What are the “belongings”? Such questions are not of mere academic interest. Properly identifying and cooperating with the “faithful and discreet slave” will mean great happiness and rich spiritual rewards. - w3/1/1981

So, now we have to know who this is talking about.

Jesus referred to the composite body of his spirit-anointed followers on earth as “the faithful and discreet slave,” - w2/15/2009

Okay, then. Now we know who they are.

Memorial Partakers Worldwide: 11,202 - yb2011

Since that number keeps going up, it's going to be difficult to keep track of our human overlords. Do we get a list? How do I find out who my local "faithful and discreet slave" members are, so I can get my marching orders from them? What if there are several in my area? Should I take a pad and pen with me when I visit them, just in case some New Light comes spouting out?

Are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truths? No. ...a limited number of anointed men have the responsibility of representing the slave class. They make up the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. - w6/15/2009

Oh, okay. So, I don't have to listen to 11k people, just... Wait, does anybody know who they are? If we have to obey them, how do I know what they want me to do? Is there a hotline, website, newsletter?

He may use the Watch Tower Publications Index, if available, to locate what “the faithful and discreet slave” has said on the subject in the pages of The Watchtower and other publications. - w9/1/1996

Whew! Now I know where to get the commandments of " the faithful and discreet slave". So, everything in the Watchtower publications is information from them. That clears that up.

Therefore it has been decided to invite several helpers, mainly from among the great crowd, to share in the meetings of each of the Governing Body Committees, that is, the Personnel, Publishing, Service, Teaching, and Writing Committees. - w4/15/1992

Wait. What? So, guys just like me - "other sheep" publishers - are writing stuff? Well, the announcement goes on to say the "little flock" is dying off, so they need the help. The "great crowd" helpers must be like secretaries, writing down New Light that "the faithful and discreet slave" is dictating to them. I guess that makes sense.

When the time comes to clarify a spiritual matter in our day, holy spirit helps responsible representatives of 'the faithful and discreet slave' at world headquarters to discern deep truths that were not previously understood. The Governing Body as a whole considers adjusted explanations. What they learn, they publish for the benefit of all. - w7/15/2010

What do you mean Holy Spirit helps representatives of "the faithful and discreet slave" discern deep truths? Then, the Governing Body considers that and print what they learn from it? So, we have the "representatives" teaching "the faithful and discreet slave"? How does this work, since the "other sheep" are supposed to be learning from the "little flock"? How can the followers follow the leaders if the leaders are being lead by the followers? Wouldn't that just be a doctrinal merry-go-round? Besides:

And as for YOU, the anointing that YOU received from him remains in YOU, and YOU do not need anyone to be teaching YOU - 1John 2:27

I'm so confused. Who really is "the faithful and discreet slave"?

10

I need a JW & a Christian please.

by NomadSoul in

alright, bare with me.

i searched the forum for a similar topic but i didn't find any.. if you know of such a thread please let me know.

if not i need a jw and a christian to debate the following topic:.

WontLeave

Most readers would get the impression that the reference here is Genesis 1:1 and the creation of the earth and the universe. However, KATABOLH does not refer to creation in the NT and an alternative view is that it refers to begetting children (Hebrews 11:11,) and that Ephesians 1:4 refer to the children of our first parents. - Rolf Furuli, University of Oslo (full commentary)

Before Adam and Eve had their first child, it had been decided.

20

i have finally decided to "give up " on jw family !

by looloo in

jw
friends

my inlaws have now not visited my child of 7 for more than 2 years since we moved a half hour drive away as i didnt want to live in the same town as my other childs abuser (an ex min servant ) after he was released from prison !

they only visited once and i made it clear that they were welcome anytime as they left , since then they havnt bothered but have told people that i dont allow them to see my child , which is not true .

my mother in law tried to give some money to my child recently through her disfellowshipped son but he asked "why ?

WontLeave

Your child's been 7 for more than 2 years? That's odd. (Sorry, I'm just in one of those moods, today. It's all about the commas.)

told people that i dont allow them to see my child

A JW lying about shunning? I never thought I'd live to see the day.

"why ?"

The correct response, only substitute "Paradise" for "Heaven":

You are looking at an old woman who is trying to get into Heaven. - Bill Cosby

JWs do not have relationships, even with family. What they have are opportunities. Just like the fake smile they put on when knocking on doors, the "personal interest" they fake when asking questions, the conditional "love" which demands you believe everything they do. JWs tout their "love" as identifying them as God's true organization, but think about love:

Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. - 1Cor 13:4-8

Now think of what Jesus said the world is like:

If YOU were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because YOU are no part of the world, but I have chosen YOU out of the world, on this account the world hates YOU. - John 15:19

Which more closely describes JWs?

122

Jehovah's witness meetings are NOT BORING......

by punkofnice in

...i was told but they usually were as i look back.. as a lad i'd sit and look to see who the lights would fall on.

i'd get an almond and see how long i could suck it before i chewed at it.

i'd imagine playing rock'n'roll on the congregation's piano.. how did you get through the meetings when you were bored?.

WontLeave

Meetings are only boring to adults who aren't paying any attention and children who have no idea what's going on. When I attend meetings, it's all I can do to keep myself from rushing the stage and announcing they're all a bunch of retarded idolaters for worshiping 7 old men they can't even identify.

I've gotten to the point where I don't stifle my snickers and moans every time they say something blasphemous or stupid. I can't get tired at a meeting, because I'm too pissed off and want to punch someone.

7

Baobab Tree - Why Did God Create a Tree Designed to Survive a Drought?

by Broken Promises in

i was watching a brilliant david attenborough documentary on the island of madagascar.

it's an island east of the african continent, divided in two by a mountain range, into a wet, rainforest half and a dry, desert-like half.. in the dry part of the island, grows the baobab tree.

it is a tree which grows in several continents which experience low rainfall, including africa, australia, and the arabian peninsula.. it's unique in the sense that its trunk can hold up to 120,000l/32,000usgallons of water, growing up to 30metres high.. .

WontLeave

You've fallen into the trap of Creationists. The Bible never claimed God created every species, but only says "kind". Nutty Creationists who reject speciation and genetic drift muddy the waters. They're every bit as unscientific as the Evolutionists who extrapolate speciation and genetic drift into humans coming from amoeba.

There, now I can get attacked from both dogmatic sides about how I "don't understand" and am misrepresenting their beliefs.

15

Radio Show About JWs - anyone have advice?

by Shepherd Book in

i'm scheduled to appear on atheists talk radio show this sunday (i'll have to miss the public talk, though).. here's a link about it: radio program.. does anyone have any advice for me?

or - do you have anything you think i really need to mention?

(like new light or some recent crazy statement in the tower.).

WontLeave

We must obey the faithful and discreet slave in order to have Jehovah's approval. - ws7/15/2011

Cult leaders are known to use manipulative methods to control the minds of their followers. Is there any evidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses do this? Is their worship cloaked in secrecy? Are they following and venerating a human leader? - w2/15/1994

Then talk about their long history of false dates and bizarre medical commandments.

25

Advice needed about my study with a JW.

by Resistance is Futile in

jw
friends

i've never been a jw, and i'm having a difficult time trying to understand the perspective of a born-in jw.

i want to ask questions that will cause this family member to began to think outside the box, but i don't want to trip off any apostate alarms and have him put his guard up.

i also don't want to waste time and energy asking questions that he can easily brush off and give the prepackaged watchtower answer without having to really think.

WontLeave

One pioneer I was trying to make think, I asked when God chose the "faithful and discreet slave" and she said Abraham was the first. I had a pioneer who came to my door tell me the fds has existed since the apostles and all along until now. She told me how they have the remnant of the 144k as their leaders. It's so sad, because she's a long-timer and a pioneer, so how can she not know things about JW doctrine I knew within a year of becoming one?

It's extremely difficult to have a discussion with people who don't have any clue what they're talking about, but insist they're teaching you. I've discovered the JWs aren't really as concerned about doctrine as they'd lead us to believe. For instance, while the Watchtower states over and over the Society isn't "inspired" and neither is its literature, people have been saying it left and right without any problems.

This is how it became so obvious to me the Watchtower organization actually exists to promote the worship of the Society, not God. And they'll accept any worship, even if someone has the doctrine all wrong. The doctrine is just a means to an end, anyway. They use the truthful parts are to lure people in and the made-up parts are to control the membership. If someone is being a good little doormat, they really don't care if you have the beliefs all wrong.

That's just the cost of doing business for JWs; you cater to the poor, ignorant, mentally ill, and mentally challenged and you have to deal with all their issues. But as long as they're bowing before the golden calf and pushing Watchtowers using their own gas, what difference does it make?

40

Any JW, please help- I need just one thing!

by moshe in

jw
friends

--the name of a real live (not dead) member of the faithful and discreet slave class- someone who has admitted in public they are one of the f&ds and who can verify they have been providing the "meat in due season" for the governing body.

obviously the gb can't be the f&ds, because they are neither discreet nor do they have a position of servitude- no, they have made it plain they are the bosses over jws and jws have to obey their words, as if jehovah and jesus were speaking them, or else they will get the disfellowshiped.

just one verifiable name will do and how you obtained it.. the governing body claims that the f&ds are directing them and the worldwide work of jws, but they have never proven that they have a f&ds class they communicate with- just have one of the annointed call bethel and ask to speak to one of the gb and see what the switchboard operator does with their call.

WontLeave

This whole article breaks down the particulars of "faithful and discreet slave" and "Governing Body", if you want more details:

Are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truths? No. Although as a composite body the slave class is responsible for feeding the spiritual household, not all individuals of the slave class have the same responsibilities or work assignments. As noted earlier, in the first century, all were involved in the vital preaching work. But only a very limited number were used to write the books of the Bible and oversee the Christian congregation. - w6/15/2009 p24

The Watchtower has played fast and loose with "faithful and discreet slave", what that is, who they are, and what that means to Christians in general. They speak of the FDS in third-person, thus pointing away from themselves, then in the next breath knock the partakers down to the level of the rank and file publishers, granting them no special position.

If one is not politically connected and obviously a dyed-in-the-wool company man for the Society, there's no way he's getting on the GB. It's obviously a good-old-boys' club. Interesting how God only seems to want old, white, English-speaking guys (except the new token black guy, in response to the current "diversity" buzz). I mean, come on: While Fred Franz was the president of the WBTS, out of all the thousands of supposed "anointed" on the earth, his nephew Ray is on the Governing Body with him? Nepotism much?

20

Is May 21st the Judgement Day?

by witnessofjesus in

what you need to know about date setting by dr. h.l.

willmington .

no doubt one of the most anticipated day thus far in this century was friday, april 29, when william and kate were married at westminster abbey in london.

WontLeave

I was watching a video about Harold Camping's chronology. One major flaw I noticed right off, then stopped wasting my time with his crap: 1988 was the beginning of the Great Tribulation. What? The worst time in human history that will make all other dark eras pale in comparison was yuppies and Guns 'n Roses? Worse than the Inquisitions, Black Plague, the Holocaust, the World Wars, etc. Really?

And don't even get me started on the "nobody knows the day nor the hour" or "will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know". Funny how all these end-of-times prognosticators seem to be able to calculate the date, but Jesus couldn't. I wonder if he'll recover from this as smoothly as the Watchtower recovered from all its false dates. Not that he probably cares, since he's got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.