I was giving this new understanding from the annual meeting some thought and several things struck me as odd. First and foremost the GB has now essentially set themselves up to be even superior to the twelve apostles, handpicked by Jesus! According to this new understanding the FDS did not come about into existenced until 1918/19... I forget the exact year. Where does this leave the apostles of the 1st century? Were they not "dispensing food at the appropiate time, when they wrote the books that are found in the bible? Does the FDS see the supposed food they dispense as superior to the actual scriptures? It would appear so, according to their new understanding. Another thought that immediately came to mind when I heard the new understanding ( I was physically present at this meeting) is where is their biblical foundation for a governing body? Prior to this, their argument for having a centralized governing body was the passage of Acts 15 where the apostles and elders of Jerusalem were meeting and sending out decisions as REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FDS . The watchtower claimed that this proved that there was always a governing body in action to do Jehovah's will on earth, and that these men were the faithful and discreet slave. Now if they were not the faithful and discreet slave, who were they? Well according to the GB these apostles and elders were not the FDS they were simply DOMESTICS... so what biblical base do they now have to claim that they are the only ones who can interpret the bible correctly? If the DOMESTICS were able to interpret the scriptures in the 1st century, what would prevent a domestic from interpreting correctly today? Would love to hear some thoughts on this.
What happened to the 1st century FDS
by Freeof1914 12 Replies latest jw friends
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wannabefree
I think what they are saying is that "the faithful and discreet slave" is a parable turned prophecy that is fulfilled with Jesus' reestablishing the true Chrisitan congregation shortly after his enthronement in 1914. (yeah, crazy)
I don't think it is supposed to mean the first century Christians were domestics, it means this parable has a modern fulfillment only and the f&ds arrangement applies to the feeding post wheat/weeds.
The Watch Tower still says there was a first century governing body, it just does not have anything to do with the f&ds parable/prophecy because that was fulfilled in 1919.
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00DAD
They all died.
Ok, enough of the snarkiness.
Your basic problem is this: You are trying to make sense out of nonsense.
There is absolutely NO WAY IN HELL that the "Nu-Lite TM " from the WTBTS regarding the FDS/GB relationship can be supported by an exegetical examination of the scripture. Seriously, it doesn't even make sense within the framework of what I'll loosely call WT "Theology."
It's internallly inconsistent and inherently illogical within itself. It contradicts 100 years of JW/WT history and teaching. It is contrary to basic logic.
This should be the doctrinal change that gets every thinking JW up out of there seats in revolt shouting:
"No way. I cannot accept this heresy! Why should I follow a bunch of guys that have been wrong about their own identity for the last 93 years!!!"
But not only are there not any raised voices in any Kingdom Halls denouncing this ridiculous idea, generally the sheep are contentedly bleating in the most happifying way, "That's what I already believed!"
I like to think I'm a smart guy, but sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake. Years, sorry, decades of cult indoctrination take a while to overcome.
This change is the one that finally convinced me that doctrine has nothing to do with it. It actually doesn't matter what the WTBTS teaches on any subject. Once they have a mind captive to their concepts, that mind will happily follow them down any yellow-, blue-, green-, chartreuse- or ruby-redbrick road where ever they dictate.
After all, this is "Jehovah's Spirit Directed Organization! Where else would you go?"
The illustration of the Faithful and Discreet Slave was a parable meant to provoke an individual to examine their inner motivations and spirtuality. Nothing more.
You are completely free to examine and interpret the Scriptures on your own. But now you don't need the WTBTS anymore. That tends to piss them off. They get cranky. Remember, these are they guys that brought you, "Listen, Obey and Be Blessed!"
00DAD
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00DAD
Freeof1914: If the DOMESTICS were able to interpret the scriptures in the 1st century, what would prevent a domestic from interpreting correctly today?
I'd give up on the "correctly" bit. Two thousand years of history have proved that, if there is a "correct" interpretation of scripture, it's tenaciously elusive.
A good friend of mine recently quipped, "Apparently, the Bible is written in such a way that you can pretty much make it say whatever you want."
It would seem, again contrary to WT "theology," that our spiritual journey through life really is an individual thing.
Truth cannot be known absolutely. Furthermore, knowledge is not a thing that can be possessed exclusively by a single individual or a group.
Societies seem to be able to agree and a frighteningly small amount of things concerning what is right and what is wrong.
For myself I can offer this, when I was an über-Elder, I was SURE that what I new was true and right. And yet somehow I was always uptight.
Now I'm only sure that I don't really know what I believe. I'm not even sure I know the right questions to ask. Oddly I'm so much more comfortable and at ease with it.
Your mileage may vary!
00DAD
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hoser
I thought of this too. The idea that there was no faithful and discreet slave in the first century calls into question the validity of the christian writings.
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Terry
The fundamental question is why Maria Russell was the source of understanding.
Why wouldn't the actual object of the identification have inner testimony instead of his wife?
It must be understood that Maria (pronounced MOE-RYE-uh) identified the "faithful and wise servant" as BOTH herself and her husband.
But, Russell himself did not originate this.
It must be a source of great discomfort to the Society.
Beyond that...all newcommer latter-day religious cults have to connect themselves to history to gain gravitas.
Christianity was a splinter group of Messianic Jews. Had the Romans not eliminated the center of worship in Jerusalem they might well have
remained a splinter.
Islam piggy-backs (opps "piggy"?) off of Judaism as well.
JW's connect themselves to a remnant throughout history like Herbert Armstrong's connection to the Lost Tribes of Israel and Great Britain.
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AnneB
Try this:
Assuming that there was a Jesus and he was sent by God and he did say the majority of the things attributed to him...
He told his disciples that when they saw certain signs (Jerusalem surrounded, etc.), to flee to the mountains. Why the mountains? High point. They were picked up by a transport vehicle (spaceship, celestial chariot, raptured) and that was the end of a chapter on the mission Jesus was sent to accomplish.
Fast forward over at least a century of no credible faithful left on earth, then...
People began picking up on accounts by those "left behind", old wives tales, fragments of things written, etc. Little by little over the course of a couple of centuries, these fragmentary accounts coalesced into something that migh tbe called a "Christian" movement, which so upset the ruling power that he caused a Council to convene and to create an "official" order to the conflicting versions of what went on back there. A catfight ensued, and the winners published what we now call "The Bible" (the catfights continue). With an official doctrine and a group of people to enforce and promote it, Christianity came into being...about 300 years after Jesus was dead and after the people who believed his message and followed it to the last detail were no longer on earth to let people know that what was being passed off as The Only True God's Only True Religion was concocted by a bunch of guys who weren't there, didn't know anybody who was there, didn't live up to the teachings themselves, and who were anxious to gain favor with a powerful political ruler who, himself, didn't know what to believe.
With all of that in mind, does it really matter what another bunch of guys, i.e., The Boys From Brooklyn, think? Everything they teach is founded on shifting sand.
If it's really important to you to get to the root of the matter, I'd say: 1) Don't trouble your head trying to figure out what WT says or does, 2) Tell yourself that, according to what we've been told the Jesus person taught, he'll be back to set things straight for the rest of us, and 3) Spend your time in accordance with these words: Love God with your whole soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.
You don't have to completely comprehend either God or your neighbor to do that, and you will be able to do a whole lot of good (whilst keeping yourself away from a whole lot of aggravation) in the time you have left in this life.
That's my "answer" to your topic question.
AB
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mind blown
They have to say something to the questioning/complaining masses...........more lies......
They have proven themselves how wise they are....NOT....they CAN'T interpet the scriptures. Funny thing is (I personally feel)....they have turned the bible into some elusive book which needs interpetation and "set themselves up as prophets" when infact they are no such thing.......
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Freeof1914
I agree whole-heartedly with all of your points. I was as some of you know a born-in and die hard JW up until about 2/3 years ago, but my point was exactly that to completely highlight the stupidy and arrogance of the GB. Unfortunately, I have found very little reaction to the news from my family or other witnesses I know. I thought this would be a major wake up call to many, but that has not been the case. My hopes in raising these questions is that a person on the fence about the witness belief system could possibly read our thoughts and decide for themselves on the absurdity of all the claims made by the watchtower.
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wha happened?
Now I'm only sure that I don't really know what I believe. I'm not even sure I know the right questions to ask. Oddly I'm so much more comfortable and at ease with it.
This was one of the biggest hurdles I had to get over. It was ok to just not know the anser to every scripture or account. After years of the WT having an answer for absolutely everything, no matter how much of a reach it was, I had to finally say, "I'm not sure", and be ok with it. Now like 00DAD, I feel at ease with myself