"The governing body at that time..."

by OneEyedJoe 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  OneEyedJoe

  So I'm listening to the regional manager give his mid week talk and he's going over acts 15 where they're dealing with the issues that arrose from the Jewish Christians wanting the gentile Christians to adhear too the mosaic law, so some of the apostles gathered to hash it out. It struck me, though, that he kept using the phrase "the governing body at that time" to describe the apostles and older men who decided on the matter. Once he even slipped up and said apostles, then corrected it to the GB.

  I'm thinking that they've actually gone so far as to put it in his outline to make sure its beaten into the r/f that the GB's power is somehow based in scripture. It's clear that this cult thinks of its literature as equal to the bible since the GB is supposed to be the continuation of the folks who set doctrine in the first century.
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  OneEyedJoe

  Oh here's another doozy - he just related the story of his mother who was a smoker trying to quit when the elders gave the 6-month smoking ultimatum. She was still smoking 3 packs a day when the deadline was 2 weeks out, but she finally got serious because she realized "I'm going to lose my relationship with Jehovah if I don't quit."

  ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME? So she's been smoking her entire life and presumably believed herself to have a personal relationship with the big J all that time, but suddenly she's in danger of losing that for failing to quit on some MAN'S schedule?
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  hoser

  They've been stripped of the privilege of being the faithful and discreet slave
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  objectivetruth

  If the Brothers in Jerusalem were the Governing body, here are 3 applicable lessons for Jehovah's Witnesses today :

  1. The "Governing Body" meant nothing to Paul - Galatians 2:6 "And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me."

  2. They meant so little to Paul, he only visited them Twice in 17 Years! (Acts 9:26-29 & Acts 11:25) - Galatians 2:1 " Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me."

  3. Paul Emphasized the Importance of Truth over anything that anyone (He, an Angel Or The Governing Body) said - Gal 1:9
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  LogCon

  ot Good points.
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  Phizzy

  This thread has the video of FF's view, and some good comments:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/239363/1/Was-There-a-First-Century-Governing-Body-Fred-Franzs-View

  Also this Thread by Doug Mason has a link to his excellent PDF on the subject, note he updated Chap 2, link to update is on page 2 of Thread:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/257342/1/My-Study-Did-a-Governing-Body-govern-Paul
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  Terry

  BIG PROBLEM: historicity.

  The Watchtower mentality is that of denying history by warping it, corrupting it, and creating disinformation about it.

  FACT:

  The majority of present day Christian doctrine comes from the Apostle Paul.

  Paul operated independently out of Antioch.

  Paul was a Lone Ranger and not a corporate lackey.

  Jerusalem apostles were out of the loop vis-a-vis Paul's ground-breaking theology.

  IF there was a central Governing Body (a premise JW's desperately need to support their GB's theory) where was it? Who was it?

  PAUL?

  JERUSALEM's apostles?
• 

  prologos

  To WT all this does not matter,because neither the larger than life lone ranger, nor the jesrusalem BOE were of any consequence, not the all important Faithful & Discreet Slave ne' 1919, now pronounced sinless.
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  Chris Tann

  The refering to the Apostles to a governing body has been prominent in recent articles. It is conditioning,or brain washing at it's best. It is funny,if you tell a faithful witness that "governing body" is not found in scripture they usually respond with a -"really?". When they say that the words trinity or rapture are not found in the bible,I like to say "neither is the term governing body. So according to their logic we should not believe in it.
• 

  AndDontCallMeShirley

  Well, WT did insert in the rNWT (aka, "The Silver Sword") that there was a governing body in Jerusalem. So, it must be true.

  You see, the best way to advance a doctrine that isn't in the Bible is to revise your old Bible and actually put the errant doctrine in the new Bible. Problem solved.

  As at least one scholar said of the NWT (aka, "The Old Busted Sword"), WT formulates doctrine first, then creates their own Bible to support that doctrine.

  As OT and Terry pointed out, Paul wasn't consulting any alleged "governing body" for his assignments. He worked all on his own. If WT wants to use that info. as precedent, then JWs shouldn't have to consult the present GB about anything. ANYTHING !!

  Finally, the Acts account clearly says that women were present at the "governing body" meeting in Jerusalem and instrumental in the decision-making process. If that account is precedent, why are their no women members on the GB today?