Hearing David Splane at a Circuit Assembly rant and pound his finger into the podium while telling the audience that they 'must obey the GB as though they were listening to the voice of God' was the last straw, I was in the presence of a true megalomaniac.
Where is the Statement That JWs Should Follow the GB Even If They Think They Are Wrong?
by Justitia Themis 62 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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slimboyfat
David Splane did come across as the biggest lunatic of the lot in the Watchtower history DVD released a couple of years ago. Is he the new villain to fill Jaracz's shoes then?
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blondie
WT 2008, Aug 15, p.6 - [After talking about apostate influences] 15 ... With hearts full of gratitude, we stay close to "the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time." Christ has appointed this slave "over all his belongings." (Matt. 24:45-47) Therefore, even if we as individuals do not fully understand a certain position taken by the slave class, that is no reason for us to reject it or turn to Satan's world. Instead, loyalty will move us to act humbly and wait on Jehovah to clarify matters.
WT 2009, May 15, p. 13 - [After talking about how Christians escaped Jerusalem's destruction] 18 Obedience that comes from pressing to maturity will prove to be no less lifesaving when we face the major fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy that "there will be great tribulation" of unequaled magnitute. (Matt. 24:21) Will we prove to be obedient to whatever future urgent direction we may receive from "the faithful steward"? (Luke 12:42) How important it is that we learn to 'become obedient from the heart'! - Rom. 6:17
*** w08 6/15 p. 19 par. 7 Accept Jehovah’s Authority ***
We accept Jehovah’s authority and obey him even if we do not fully understand the reason for some requirement set out in his Word. This is not credulity; it is trust. It reflects heartfelt confidence that Jehovah knows what is good for us. Our obedience is also an expression of our love, for the apostle John wrote: "This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments." (1 John 5:3) But there is another aspect of our obedience that we should not overlook.
*** w08 6/15 p. 21 par. 13 Accept Jehovah’s Authority ***
In accepting Jehovah’s authority, we need to guard against an independent spirit. A haughty attitude can cause us to feel that we do not need guidance from anyone. For example, we might resist counsel given by those taking the lead among God’s people. God has established an arrangement by which a faithful and discreet slave class provides spiritual food at the proper time. (Matt. 24:45-47) We should humbly recognize that this is the way Jehovah is caring for his people today.
*** w08 6/15 p. 21 par. 15 Accept Jehovah’s Authority ***
Spiritual food from the faithful and discreet slave class is disseminated to local congregations by appointed elders. The Bible admonishes 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." (Heb. 13:17) Does this mean that congregation elders are infallible? Of course not! God sees their imperfections more clearly than any human can. Still, he expects us to be submissive. Cooperating with the elders, even though they are imperfect, gives evidence that we accept Jehovah’s authority.
*** w08 6/15 p. 22 par. 18 Accept Jehovah’s Authority ***
Yes, make it your aim to resist the world’s spirit of independence and to accept Jehovah’s authority. From time to time, meditate appreciatively on the great privilege you have to serve Jehovah. The fact that you are among God’s people is evidence that he has drawn you by means of his holy spirit. (John 6:44) Never take your standing with God for granted. Strive in all aspects of life to show that you reject an independent spirit and that you accept Jehovah’s authority.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/164649/1/Blondies-Comments-You-Will-Not-Hear-at-the-08-24-08-WT-Study-AUTHORITY*** w92 11/15 p. 20 par. 8 Serve Jehovah Loyally ***
As Jehovah’s dedicated Witnesses, all of us must be loyal to him and to his organization. We should never even contemplate turning aside from God’s wonderful light, pursuing an apostate course that can lead to spiritual death now and eventual destruction. (Jeremiah 17:13) But what if it is hard for us to accept or fully appreciate some Scriptural point presented by the faithful slave? Then let us humbly acknowledge where we learned the truth and pray for wisdom to deal with this trial until it comes to an end with some published clarification of matters.—James 1:5-8. -
Justitia Themis
That was the thread Slimboy. I discovered my post on it:
"So...after years of proudly and arrogantly announcing that only Jehovah's Witnesses have "the truth," they now are embracing spiritual relativism. In essence, they are saying that is doesn't matter what you believe; what matter is that you are attached to the correct group."
It's OK. I have enough print material the make the point. Again, THANK YOU all for the help.
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tresdecu
Hopefully we will be able to read your paper someday JT! Good luck with the rest of law school!
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slimboyfat
Blondie came up with the goods as usual. Those are exactly the quotes I was thinking about.
WT 2008, Aug 15, p.6 - [After talking about apostate influences] 15 ... With hearts full of gratitude, we stay close to "the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time." Christ has appointed this slave "over all his belongings." (Matt. 24:45-47) Therefore, even if we as individuals do not fully understand a certain position taken by the slave class, that is no reason for us to reject it or turn to Satan's world. Instead, loyalty will move us to act humbly and wait on Jehovah to clarify matters.
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besty
its a great quote to demonstrate the interchangeability of 'jehovah' and 'FDS' in the mind of a JW -
if I was waiting on Jehovah for clarification I suspect I may slowly drop dead waiting - on the other hand the FDS have a very efficient Clarification Conveyor Belt TM ...
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jonathan dough
Hearing David Splane at a Circuit Assembly rant and pound his finger into the podium while telling the audience that they 'must obey the GB as though they were listening to the voice of God' was the last straw, I was in the presence of a true megalomaniac.
"Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness [ a ] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God." 2 Thess. 2:3,4
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jonathan dough
Now that we all know how the Society frowns on and forbids independent thinking, shouldn't we be listing the scriptural reasons for questioning this unbiblical prohibition? What verses prove them wrong? What verses require that we must question their false teachings? That believers must reject doctrine that is obviously false.
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blondie
Jeremiah words to rulers/religious leaders of his time
(Jeremiah 38:1-6) 38 And Sheph·a·ti′ah the son of Mat′tan and Ged·a·li′ah the son of Pash′hur and Ju′cal the son of Shel·e·mi′ah and Pash′hur the son of Mal·chi′jah got to hear the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying: 2 “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘The one continuing to dwell in this city is the one that will die by the sword, by the famine and by the pestilence. But the one going out to the Chal·de′ans is the one that will keep living and that will certainly come to have his soul as a spoil and alive.’ 3 This is what Jehovah has said, ‘Without fail this city will be given into the hand of the military force of the king of Babylon, and he will certainly capture it.’” 4 And the princes began to say to the king: “Let this man, please, be put to death, for that is how he is weakening the hands of the men of war who are left remaining in this city and the hands of all the people, by speaking to them according to these words. For this man is one seeking not for the peace of this people but for calamity.” 5 So King Zed·e·ki′ah said: “Look! He is in YOUR hands. For there is nothing at all in which the king himself can prevail against YOU.” 6 And they proceeded to take Jeremiah and throw him into the cistern of Mal·chi′jah the son of the king, which was in the Courtyard of the Guard. So they let Jeremiah down by means of ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water, but mire; and Jeremiah began to sink down into the mire.
Paul counseling Peter on shunning Gentile Christians
(Galatians 2:11-14) 11 However, when Ce′phas came to Antioch, I resisted him face to face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before the arrival of certain men from James, he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he went withdrawing and separating himself, in fear of those of the circumcised class. 13 The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Bar′na·bas was led along with them in their pretense. 14 But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Ce′phas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”
Jesus said this about the Pharisees and scribes, teach commands of men as doctrines
(Matthew 15:1-14) 15 Then there came to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying: 2 “Why is it your disciples overstep the tradition of the men of former times? For example, they do not wash their hands when about to eat a meal.” 3 In reply he said to them: “Why is it YOU also overstep the commandment of God because of YOUR tradition? 4 For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.’ 5 But YOU say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have by which you might get benefit from me is a gift dedicated to God,” 6 he must not honor his father at all.’ And so YOU have made the word of God invalid because of YOUR tradition. 7 YOU hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about YOU, when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’” 10 With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it: 11 Not what enters into [his] mouth defiles a man; but it is what proceeds out of [his] mouth that defiles a man.” 12 Then the disciples came up and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees stumbled at hearing what you said?” 13 In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 LET them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
Abigail disobeyed her husband Nabal to save the lives of her household
*** w09 7/1 p. 20 She Acted With Discretion ***
In a sense, we have already seen Abigail take the first step toward righting this terrible wrong. Unlike her husband, Nabal, she proved willing to listen. The young servant said of Nabal: “He is too much of a good-for-nothing fellow to speak to him.” (1 Samuel 25:17) Tragically, Nabal’s sense of his own importance rendered him unwilling to listen. Such arrogance is all too common to this day. But the young man knew Abigail to be different, which is no doubt why he approached her with this problem.
Abigail thought and acted quickly. “At once Abigail hastened,” we read. Four times in this one account we find the same verb, “to hasten,” used regarding this woman. She prepared a generous gift for David and his men. It included bread, wine, sheep, roasted grain, cakes of raisins, and cakes of figs. Clearly, Abigail knew well what she had and was thoroughly in charge of her household duties, much like the capable wife later described in the book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 31:10-31) She sent the provisions ahead with some of her servants, then followed alone. “But,” we read, “to her husband Nabal she told nothing.”—1 Samuel 25:18, 19.
Does this mean that Abigail was rebelling against her husband’s rightful headship? Not at all. Nabal had acted wickedly against an anointed servant of Jehovah, an action that was likely to result in death for many innocent members of Nabal’s household. If Abigail failed to act, might she become a sharer in her husband’s guilt? In any event, she had to put her submission to her God ahead of submission to her husband.