What makes the GB different than other WT members?
JW's who begin to doubt the teachings of the WT are encouraged to "remember where you first learned the truth". This seems to suggest that because the WT has told you SOME truth they are worthy of your complete confidence that EVERYTHING they say is the truth.
Russell explained his "enlightenment" like this:
"Brought up a Presbyterian, indoctrinated from the Catechism, and being naturally of an inquiring mind, I fell a ready prey to the logic of infidelity, as soon as I began to think for myself. But that which at first threatened to be the utter shipwreck of faith in God and the Bible, was, under God's providence, overruled for good, and merely wrecked my confidence in human creeds and systems of Bible misinterpretations.
I was led gradually to see though each of the creeds contained some elements of truth, they were, on the whole, misleading and contradictory of God's Word. Among other theories, stumbled upon Adventism. Seemingly by accident, one evening I dropped into a dusty, dingy hall in Allegheny, Pa., where I had heard that religious services were held, to see if the handful who met there had anything more sensible to offer than the creeds of the great churches. There, for the first time, I heard something of the views of Second Adventism, by Jonas Wendell, long since deceased. Thus I confess indebtedness to Adventists as well as to other denominations. "Clearly, Russell did not accept ALL the teachings of "Adventists as well as to other denominations". He did NOT "remember where he first learned the truth". Why then should the rank and file JWs accept ALL the teachings of the GB?
By their own admission they are "imperfect men". However, they claim to be guided by the Holy Spirit. This guidance is what gives them authority over the other members.
How did this guidance come about?
Seemingly by accident, one evening I dropped into a dusty, dingy hall in Allegheny, Pa., where I had heard that religious services were held... What I heard sent me to my Bible to study with more zeal and care than ever before, and I shall ever thank the Lord for the leading; for although Adventism helped me to no single truth, it did help me greatly in the unlearning of errors, and thus prepared me for the Truth.It would seem that investigating other beliefs and indivdual bible study is what the Holy Spirit has in mind!
Was Russell alone in being guided by the spirit? No.
And here I gratefully mention assistance rendered by Brothers George Stetson and George Storrs, the latter the Editor of The bible Examiner, both now deceased. The study of the Word of God with these dear brethren led step by step into greener pastures and brighter hopes for the world, ...
Thus passed the years 1868-1872. The years following, to 1876, were years of continued growth in grace and in knowledge on the part of the handful of Bible students with whom I met in Allegheny. We progressed from our first crude and indefinite ideas of Restitution to clearer understanding of the details; but God's due time for clear light had not yet come.So, the Holy Spirit can lead you to see the truth in other religions, then by independently studying the bible, then by studying with others ("George Stetson and George Storrs" and "the handful of bible students"). These others seem to have been led by the Holy Spirit as well.
Even more people were to be led by the Spirit:
It was about January of 1876 that my attention was especially drawn to the subject of prophetic time, as it refers to these doctrines and hopes. It came about in this way: I received a paper called, The Herald of the Morning, sent by its Editor, Mr. N. H. Barbour. When I opened it, I at once identified it with Adventism from the picture on its cover; and I examined it with some curiosity to see what time the Adventists would next set for the burning of the world. But judge of my surprise and gratification when I learned from its contents that the Editor was beginning to get his eyes open on the subjects that for some years had so greatly rejoiced our hearts in our class in Allegheny--that the object of our Lord's Return is not to destroy, but to bless all the families of the earth: and that His Coming would be thief-like, and not in flesh, but as a spirit being, invisible to men; and that the gathering of His Church and the separation of the "wheat" from the "tares" would progress in the end of this Age without the world's being aware of it.Where did Russell look for enlightenment?
Anxious to learn from any quarter, whatever God had to teach, I at once wrote to Mr. Barbour,...Would it not be proper for every JW to do the same?
Is guidance by the Holy Spirit guaranteed to continue indefinately? Will it lead all to the same understanding? No.
About this time, too, I was much encouraged by the accession of Mr. A. D. Jones, then a clerk in my employ in Pittsburgh--a young man of activity and promise, who soon developed into an active and appreciated colaborer in the Harvest work, and is remembered by some of our older readers. Mr. Jones ran well for a time; but ambition or something else eventually worked utter shipwreck of his faith, and left us...
But while thus helped to clearer views and brighter hopes, and while I diligently endeavored to help others, the spring of 1878 proved far from a blessing to Mr. Barbour and to many under his influence. Rejecting the plain, simple solution presented above, Mr. Barbour seemed to feel that he must of necessity get up something new...
I withdrew entirely from The Herald of the Morning, and from further fellowship with Mr. Barbour.
Mr. Barbour and Mr. Adams, having cast off the Wedding Garment of Christ's Righteousness, went out of the light into the darkness of the world...This would seem to indicate that the guidance given to Russell was superior to that of the others. He denies this in the same article:
No, dear friends; we claim nothing of superiority; nor do we aspire to exalt ourself in the estimation of our brethren of the Household of Faith,...We have only Russell's word that he alone was guided by the spirit.
Still others were to be guided away from the Watchtower:
We need to give these particulars because of certain misrepresentations and one-sided and partial statements of acts which were afterward published and circulated in tract form by Mr. Paton, who also became later an advocate of the "other Gospel,...Who was now guiding these men, once guided by the Holy Spirit?
Do not be deceived by the agents whom the Adversary often uses. In this matter he will be as cunning as in his presentation of the misrepresentations of Truth.If these men, once trusted to be guided by the Holy Spirit, were now in Satan's hands; what makes the current GB any less likely to be deceived? Would it not be wise to question everything they say? In more modern times there have been members of the GB who were removed and even disfellowshipped. This would seem to indicate caution when reading what the GB has written. Clearly, the Spirit's guidance is not guaranteed to last forever. If Russell was not "superior", how do you know it wasn't he that was deceived by Satan?
I would urge all JWs to follow Russell's example. Think for yourself, be "anxious to learn from any quarter whatever God has to teach", let the Holy Spirit guide you and do not blindly follow "human creeds and systems of Bible misinterpretations".
Give me one good reason not to question the teachings of these "imperfect men".