Posts by waton

5

Autocratic Rule: Could It Happen?

by Cold Steel in

first the bible students represented an insulated layer.

they were the faithful and discreet slave of jehovah who were expected to guide the people in all matters of overall import.

but eventually someone noticed that in the first century, the seven churches were not independent, but had a council to guide them in weightier matters.

waton

There must be expressions of different power players at work in wt too. 1) the financial controllers, accountants and lawyers types, the service department holding the reigns on personnel, Writing, calling the shots on doctrine and teaching, the GB, the front men who might have a stake in one of these specialties. As an example

I would pick Splane for doctrine, but how would he manage to also harness the all important substance of the flesh & blood, the money?

In my experience from the 30s to now, it is the bullies, raw power that trumps, not to be longed for.

10

WT about elder positions

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

yesterday, visited the hall for family reasons.. wt was about elder positions, educate younger brothers, delegate your work etc.

the usual story about the body of elders, give younger people a change and don't get atached to your position.

what was evident: 90 percent of the answers came from the sisters.. the elders looked like the house cat just eaten tweety.. never heared so much theory and knowing it will be fully ignored.. why make it a 45 minute issue for every tom, dick and harry?.

waton

Why else mention Peter, once "overseer of the Service Department", and Paul who took over? wfb: or:

how about the district overseers' positions that were eliminated? not even missed by the newly empowered circuit overseers? just an oversight of redundant overseers?

21

I need your opinions and recommendations please.

by bola in

after my exit from the watchtower shunning cult, i have received tons of invitations from different churches.

but because i am aware of religious cults, i need recommendations of churches that are not cults at all.

after exiting the watchtower cult, i don't want to fall into another religious cults.

waton

bola, why, or to what purpose do you want to join a church or religion?

24

whatever happened to rotation? wt study to April two.

by waton in

with all the emphasis on hierarchical succession in that wt, , what ever happened to mentioning of the refreshing, liberating "rotating of positions" period, the time of great increase?

.

waton

LHG: good for you. imagine, the local overseers, but particularly the coordinator are now officially designated as " Glorious Ones" , I kid you not.

34

Have You Found Your Place in the World?

by Rainbow_Troll in

we were all told when we were in the watchtower that we should be grateful to be part of such a loving family.

we were told that just beyond the superficial glamour of the world was a quagmire of despair, emptiness and pain waiting to suck us in.

obviously, we took that part with a mountain of salt or we wouldn't be here today.

waton

yes, but trying to featherbed it better still.

24

whatever happened to rotation? wt study to April two.

by waton in

with all the emphasis on hierarchical succession in that wt, , what ever happened to mentioning of the refreshing, liberating "rotating of positions" period, the time of great increase?

.

waton

LHG: Paul mentioned that the local servants," captive gifts in men", using the "gifts of the spirit" were for the perfecting of the saints, so, we saw our service as work in progress, the rotating options as a way to learn some of that perfection (1000 years to go). now it is obedience to the next echelon above you, right or wrong,

The article enshrined the one- man rule.

15

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 4-2-17 WT Study (January 2017)(ENTRUST)

by blondie in

jw
friends

blondie’s comments you will not hear at the april 2, 2017 wt study (january 2017) (entrust).

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-january-2017/these-things-entrust-to-faithful-men/ .

excellent general website: www.jwfacts.com .

waton

thank you blondie for your input, every congregation is different though. Here, there are younger ones, even long time servants with odd issues, that are seething to get the appointment. but entrenched brothers think that they are indispensable. Surprise would await them, because the arrangement might flourish, spring flower like with their departure.

24

whatever happened to rotation? wt study to April two.

by waton in

with all the emphasis on hierarchical succession in that wt, , what ever happened to mentioning of the refreshing, liberating "rotating of positions" period, the time of great increase?

.

waton

They used to rotate the GB committees too. They discovered that some brothers were not equally capable, that not keeping those brothers in key positions created havoc.

However, rotation did not work effectively and it was done away with in the 1983 Organized to Accomplish You Ministry, page 41. Blondie,

Yes of course, in the natural process of competition, comfort, and delight in work, a good working arrangement would have been developed among the servants in the congregations prior to the change*** when possible, . but in an equal number of cases, latent talent was suppressed, discovered through rotation, and then later recognized by acclamation. and

where does the idea come from that corporate efficience would be a model for a "New World Society"?.

*** was it not only the fixed Congregation servant that was immune to removal before 1971?

24

whatever happened to rotation? wt study to April two.

by waton in

with all the emphasis on hierarchical succession in that wt, , what ever happened to mentioning of the refreshing, liberating "rotating of positions" period, the time of great increase?

.

waton

That was also a reason for the huge exodus after the failure of 1975. A lot of JWs would have probably let the failed prophecy thing slide by, but the fact that "servants" were now overseers, mass purges were taking place throughout the organization, and every congregation saw more JWs leave or fade away. JV2

very insightful thoughts . look it up, the big exodus was not in autumn 1075, but when the change to slave drivers was instituted. A more profound stratifying of adherents than the clergy / laity model of BTG.

The word " serve" now is a corruption of the meaning, it should read "dominates", "governs" instead. the word "overseer" and "coordinator" does not even imply any service, work at all, only governance, with all it's prestige, entitlements , imho.

24

whatever happened to rotation? wt study to April two.

by waton in

with all the emphasis on hierarchical succession in that wt, , what ever happened to mentioning of the refreshing, liberating "rotating of positions" period, the time of great increase?

.

waton

There never was a scriptural basis for it. SV:

if I remeber right, the changing of the chairmanship between Peter and James in the first century GB*** discussion on the circumcision / blood question, that happened during prolonged interruptions prompted that.

That was the then very convincing scriptural argument at the time, and allowed the manipulators to rotate a willing victim into the top job for the 1975 fiasco ; ha ha.

In the context of today's watchtower it would have given a good lesson of getting all brothers exposure, experience to the different tasks, and relief from the stagnation that preceded that rotation too, when congregation servants were on the top for life.

*** The only reference for "organisational" procedure inside a "body" I know of in the NT. bsw.