"Three Dissertations" -- The Witness ...

by accuracy 8 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  accuracy

  Back in the 1517 the Catholic priest Martin Luther posted his "95 Theses" on the door of a church in Wittenberg and began the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther did not mean to start a revolution, though he attacked certain legalistic doctrines of the church and questioned the authority of the pope. Called to recant, he replied, "Unless I am convinced of error by the testimony of Scripture or by clear reason, I cannot and will not recant anything, for it is neither safe nor honest to act against one's conscience."

  In his "Three Dissertations," Witness apologist Greg Stafford similarly questions certain legalistic doctrines of his "church" and questions the doctrinal authority of his "popes." He defends his position as being honest and conscientious.

  Are we at the beginning of the Witness Reformation? Already young Staffordites are rushing to defend their mentor against charges of disrespect for authority. Martin Luther did not intend to break with his church, nor does Stafford with his. But if the rank and file of Jehovah's Witnesses feel as oppressed by legalism as the rank and file of Europe's 16th century Catholics felt oppressed by church dogmatism, who knows what can occur?
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  accuracy

  P.S. The title should have been "Three Dissertations" - The Witness Reformation?
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  AlanF

  Very interesting observations, Accuracy! Whether a "Reformation" occurs or not, time will tell.

  Immediately after reading Three Dissertations I knew that this will be a make-or-break time period for Stafford, and likely for the Society itself. For Stafford because virtually everyone who has privately expressed to elders sentiments such as he has expressed publicly has been disfellowshipped for "apostasy", for questioning the authority of "the faithful slave". Elders today are apparently instructed to use the question, "Do you believe that God is using the Society today, and that "the faithful slave" is what it claims to be?" as a litmus test of loyalty. Fail the test, and they declare you to have disassociated yourself.

  It's a make-or-break time for the Society as well, because if they DF him for questioning them, then his claims will be confirmed, and his readers will see it. If they don't, then the questions remain, but I suspect that enough of an impulse will have been given to the Society to push it strongly towards meaningful change. Perhaps, as you say, young "Staffordites" (I suspect he would cringe at that term) will spearhead this change. I suppose that these would be comprised of some of the younger members of that somewhat scholarly group that Marley Cole is the spiritual father of. Some of the older members of that group must be livid, people like that most braindead of JW defenders, Al Kidd. I'm sure there's already a rift in that group.

  I wouldn't want to be in the Service Department now. Those guys are in for a rough, but well deserved ride.

  AlanF
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  Room 215

  Alan, Accuracy, et al,

  It's been a open secret for some time, especially since the 1975 fiasco, that a groundswell of sympathy/support exists for Stafford's views just under the surface, particularly from aging long-timers. In effect, Stafford's thrown down the gauntlet at the feet of the Brooklyn/Patterson power structure, and lots of eyes are riveted on them for their reaction, to see how they play it.

  Fascinating, and we here all have a front-row seat.
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  simwitness

  Can someone please post details on how to obtain this book?

  Thanks!
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  accuracy

  Three Dissertations on the Teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses is available from ElihuBooks.
  [url]www.elihubooks.com[/url]

  Current price is $14.95
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  amccullough

  www.elihubooks.com ...but I've ordered my copy twice and have yet to receive it.
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  accuracy

  Seems like we posted at the same time :-)

  Pre-publication orders were filled first. Other orders seem to be sent late. A lot of people who ordered the book haven't received it yet.

  Someone did point out that the name "Elihu Books" may have given an advance indication of what was coming. In the Bible, Elihu is the young man who reproves the old man Job, and was commended for doing so. Even though Job was called an "upright man," he erred in his thinking. Elihu had to set him straight.
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  TheOldHippie

  No matter what some of you may or might not think of me - I have for a long time been a Staffordian, a "Stafford" man. I am half-scholared, I have a B.A. in languages and language history, and I am presently studying New Testament Greek. I have no "theological" problems, thinking of soul, hell, trinity etc. But I have questions as to organizational dealings and authority - and I have fundamental Bible questions when it comes to a few points, such as the Noachian Flood, the Long Day, 607/587-1914 and 455-29. I am half a century old, I have been where I am today for close to 3 decades - but Greg Stafford definitely writes down close to exactly the same points which I have been trying to make, in my mind and at times in writing, so there is a Staffordian group rising.
  The number one question is then: Can an organization being directed by God be reformed from the ground level upwards? Or for that matter, be reformed from above / GB, following pressure from below? If no, it will further disintegrate. If yes, it will grow and flourish - BUT it will have been proved that it wasn't God-directed after all!
  What will it be - plague or cholera?
  OR, is it so, that it IS God-directed, only that God works NOT thru the GB, but thru the ground-level, thru people like Stafford?
  Man, are we in for some heavy thinking these days .......