by Marvin Shilmer 81 Replies latest watchtower scandals
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I agree with Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson. The Governing Body views itself as trying to fulfill the role of the biblical 'faithful slave,' but it would be presumptuous to say the Governing Body is the only spokesperson that God is using. I don't see any sense in speculating beyond this. Do you?
Brilliant!
IF, and I mean IF....... Mr. Jackson meant that it would be presumptuous to assume that THEY were the only spokesmen for God on earth (thusly insinuating that there could be others)..... then who is the other "spokesman"? Whom else is chosen by the Almighty God..... who Mr. Jackson, WHO?
Why answer with vagueries and riddles? If, Mr Jackson Sir, you have to make up this stuff as you go along, something is seriously wrong, and you are only deceiving yourself. The rest of us see it, we are not blind......you are the Emporer with no clothes.
In Jackson’s statement he identified that he and the other 6 members that make up the GB are the f&ds of matt 24:45 and did not use presumptuous in connection with that claim.
In Jackson’s statement in regards to God’s spokespeople on earth, he identified that YES he and the other 6 members that make up the GB are God’s spokespeople on earth, BUT went on to say that they (the GB) ARE NOT the ONLY ones of God’s spokespeople on earth, but that God’s has many spokespeople on earth…basically JW’s as a whole based on speaking to people about the bible(God’s word) and Jehovah God himself, i.e. God’s spokespeople on earth
He used presumptuous in regards to any claim in saying that ONLY THEY (the GB) speak about God and the Bible,i.e. God’s spokespeople on earth,
The run down is this…
Jackson states the GB are ALL anointed (the 7 members) and they ALONE are the f&ds and are God’s spokespeople on earth.
Jackson states that there are many more anointed ones (heavenly hope) but they are NOT part of the f&ds but they too are God’s spokespeople on earth.
Jackson states that there are many that are NOT anointed (earthly hope), and they are NOT part of the f&ds but they too are God’s spokespeople on earth.
So he says it is presumptuous to say that they (the GB) alone are ONLY God’s spokespeople on earth…but he is in no way saying that it is presumptuous for he and the other 6 members to claim to be the f&ds, while claiming that no others are unless you are one of the GB members.
[Luke 19:40 But in reply he said: “I tell YOU, If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”]
[Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”]
[John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.]
Do you believe Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body is the "faithful slave"
For an individual among Jehovah's Witnesses faced with the acid test question, what is my recommendation?
I agree with Governing Body member Geoffrey Jackson. The Governing Body views itself as trying to fulfill the role of the biblical 'faithful slave,' but it would be presumptuous to say the Governing Body is the only spokesperson that God is using. I don't see any sense in speculating beyond this. Do you?
The failure with apostate ideology is they always grab at straws. Reviewing the question and answers given by Geoffrey Jackson while seemly making a compiling argument for the opposition? We would need to understand that this were his personal views. His Answers were not Collective or tethered to the governing body. So YES EXJW’s would be wrong in not having the ability to separate fact from fiction, but it is expected.
The elders will shoot that response down very quickly by saying that Geoffrey Jackson is not the faithful and discreet slave - that the faithful and discreet slave is only operational when the governing body is acting collectively. Thus Geoffrey Jackson's words to the commission does not carry the weight that you think it does. They will say he was only following Jesus' counsel to be cautious as a serpent but innocent as a dove. They will say that Geoffrey Jackson merely said that it would "seem to be presumptuous" not that it actually was presumptuous, and that he went on to mention the faithful slave arrangement in Matthew 24:45.
That's fine. My response to all that would be:
I still agree with what Jackson said and I see no reason to speculate further. Do you?
No further speculation should be required and it would be a presumptuous question for the elders to ask. It would be like asking whether you believed Geoffrey Jackson has been anointed and has a heavenly hope to become a King and Priest. Would loyalty to God's organization be dependant on answering yes to that question? I'm sure that some elders would know that it does not. or is it more truthful to say that only God can answer that regardless of what I or you or Geoffrey Jackson believe.
The fact that Jackson couldn't/wouldn't/shouldn't answer with a simple "Yes" or "No" proves one thing: He is a coward.
Let's cut through all the bullshit and the theosophical rhetoric. Geoffrey Jackson is a duplicitous coward.
They're not the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" and he knows it.
Let's review: It's a cult!
I wonder whether today they still claim that they are God's spokesperson? He did not answer that question. Although he said it would be presumptious of us to claim that we were the only ones he did not factually say that they were making this claim in the first place.
I could not find any reference to the claim that they are God's spokespersons in the online library. In these publications regarding God's spokesperson they refer only to biblical persons who were selected by God to speak on his behalf and as such they were 'inspired'. They may have dropped this idea many years ago without clarifying the change to the r&f because it serves to their benefit.
He qualified his answer by saying that they were only trying to fulfill a specific role being that of FDS, which is not the same as being God's spokesperson.
Even then when speaking about the FDS, he did not make the claim that the Governing Body was appointed by Jesus as the FDS, only that they were acting in the role. I wonder if this is because the GB members believe that as an individual he cannot make such a bold claim and it is only the FDS itself that can make the claim because it exists outside of each of the members.
So in answering the question it appears that he was constrained because of his position as a GB member and what we see written in the publications is different because it is the FDS speaking and not the GB members.
I'm probably not making much sense but when it comes to exploring the workings of the organization it is a very difficult task.
A person who honestly hesitates to respond with a robust "Yes!" now can say something completely deflating and with the authority of a sitting Governing Body member.
The question you posed brings to mind when Billy Graham pat himself on the back, and commended himself on TV, saying to himself out-loud: "Well done Faithful Steward!"
Will the JW FDS , individually or collectively, prove to be the "faithful and discreet slave" that Jesus was referring to in the related scriptures? That is for Jesus to decide.
I do not see GJ shrinking back in his response to the question that he was asked.
