And what evidence might they supply to demonstrate it Fernando?
What is the basis for authority for the governing body?
by Half banana 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Fernando
As we know they trot out the usual 1914/1918/Kingdom/Jehovah bunkum which can't withstand much scrutiny or questioning at all.
We on the other hand have tons of information to disprove their arrogant claims.
Just one small example: "If CTR died in 1916, how come he did not know that Jesus started ruling in 1914?"
And most inconveniently there is JWfacts.com, and Ray Franz' books, parts of which can be read in the WBTS publications.
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Half banana
CTR must have always believed his own hype of JC arriving as king invisibly in 1878 (having arrived in heaven 1874--- it's all written in the pyramids folks!) It was not until about 1927 that necessity forced the 'new light' that CTR was wrong and put the date forward to 1914. Russell was upset by his failure to predict the end of the ungodly and Satan-controlled world and the rapture of the consecrated by 1914. However he had created a 'business', the WTBTS with trustees, directors and loyal supporters and that is the reason Jehovah's Witnesses exist today. The GB are inheritors of CTR's doomsday business plan to give messianic hope for the gullible and needy.
The evidence for GB authority as being God directed is non-existent then. They are a just a money making ”snare and a racket”, the very thing they ridiculed other religions for.
They have become their own worst nightmare.
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Vidiot
Half banana - "What is the basis for authority for the governing body?"
Essentially, their say-so.
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EndofMysteries
There is NONE. But for those who really want to know the true chain of events that lead to the GB authority here is goes.
Russell's time congregations were independent and elected their own elders, etc. People free to belive or not believe Russells teachings. Holy spirt was available to everybody and everybody could learn the bible themselves.
Rutherford took over, he thought he was God himself and his word should be law. He was outraged many challenged his authority. He made claims Christ returned and that since Christ is now ruling, holy spirit is now longer needed. Christ chose the headquarters of the organization, meaning Rutherford himself, and would issue orders through them. IF a person doesn't obey them, they are rejecting Christ and his orders and would die. After Rutherfords 1925 and other failed prophecies, he got real pissed people were leaving and exposing him for a fraud, he made changes to kick out dissenting elders and get more control of elders, congregations, etc.During all this time, NO gb, just Rutherford in full control.
After he died, Knorr took over. Knorr slowly brought back holy spirit and publications ignored Rutherford saying it was done away with and that angels transmit everything or some hidden secret way. Knorr and friend eventually made comments about a GB, and so they had to form one since they talked about it. Also since holy spirit was part of doctrine again, they didn't want to give up power, so holy spirit is back but nobody except them gets it or can understand the bible, because if they tossed rutherfords stuff out the door fully, then anybody can read the bible. So that's how the doctrine got to where it is today.
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snugglebunny
Taking it a step further back, there is absolutely no Scriptural basis for the connection between the faithful & discreet slave parable and the so-called "annointed", let alone a connection betwen the parable and 7 old guys based in Brooklyn. -
Half banana
Agreed Snugglebunny, it’s their in-house myth which doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
It still leaves the question unanswered from the perspective of a new convert, “Why on earth should I listen to these people?”
Perhaps in future they won’t look for new converts ...just play the hedge funds. -
M*A*S*H
I would expect the FDS just directly asked big G if they have the authority?
Exodus 28:30, “Also put the Urim and the Thummin in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord.”
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snugglebunny
Plus of course that the FDS story was simply a parable whereas the WT religion interpret it more as a prophecy. -
Finkelstein
That fact is that there are hundreds of Christian based religions who say they have been exclusively chosen by god.
Its important to realize how people perceive these individuals or organizations as the chosen ones such as C T Russell, because since they are assuming that their doctrinal teachings are held as being true, to reject their professed teachings is in kind to reject Christ or God himself, they could therefore miss out or be punished as a result.