by kairos 10 Replies latest jw friends
The Head, Jesus Christ, supplies the body members with what is needed for good cooperation, coordination, and spiritual nourishment. In such respects, the Governing Body is organized to take the lead as Jehovah directs them by holy spirit.
2008 WT 5/15 pg 29
The party's over...
The light gets brighter and casts a harsh shadow.
Jesus Christ has been ruling in heaven for the past 102 years now since 1914 and his Earthly organization Jehovahs Witnesses have just recently admitted they are neither inspired or infallible .
WTF ? Whats he been doing these past 102 years ? Is he incompetent ?
Did JAH make a mistake in choosing him ?
Are the JW`s not his chosen people ?
Is this what we can expect for the next 900 years of Jesus Christs 1000 year reign ? more dissapointment ?
@smiddy, "The important thing, I think, is not to be bitter. You know, if it turns out that there is a God, I don't think that he's evil. I think that the worst you can say about him is that basically he's an underachiever." (Woody Allen, Love and Death)
I think many here read to much into this "neither inspired nor infallible". In the very next paragraph of that 2017 february study article it says:
The holy spirit has helped the Governing Body to grasp Scriptural truths not previously understood.
My guess is, most JWs will just pause for a second when reading the admission of not being inspired, then continue with the next sentences and: "Oh, the holy spirit still helps the GB, good. Everything is fine! They never said they were inspired, just spirit-directed. How humble of them to admit they are not infallible. But obviously they still have Jehovah's blessing (three paragraphs of "evidence"). All hail the GB!"
The various reasons the February 2017 WT article submits for accepting the GB' s guidance are specious.
Their first assertion, that the uniqueness of the WT doctrines prove that they are being guided by the holy spirit since no mere man could have discovered them, makes no sense. Firstly, the principle doctrines they mention were enunciated by pastor Russell years before the GB even existed. Secondly, most of Russell's doctrines were not originated by him, but were gleaned from other sources. Arius of Alexandria rejected the trinity way back in the second century. Annihilationism (no hell) was taught by several early church fathers and conditional immortality (no immortal soul) was preached by Martin Luther and others long before Russell. I've met born againers who believe in the resurrection and the millennium. These two beliefs are very explicitly put forth in the scriptures. Any literate person could open up a bible and find them; no divine guidance is necessary. As for Russell's prophecies? Christians have been fortelling the imminent end of the world for two thousand years. Have I left anything out?
Their second assertion, that the society's worldwide preaching work would be impossible without angelic assistance is demonstrably false unless the GB is willing to admit that the Mormons, Anglicans, Baptists, and Catholics are also recieving the same assistance. Many Christian denominations do missionary work, sometimes in countries where their religion is outlawed. All it takes is faith, courage and discretion; no angels are necessary
Their third assertion, that the GB insistance on strictly upholding biblical standards of morality in spite of our world's changing mores proves their divine mandate, is simply false. All it demonstrates is that people hold differing ideas of what is right and are willing to stand their ground no matter what others might do. Fundamentalists of every faith are doing this all over the world, not just JWs!
I anticipate one more argument the GB might make to defend their authority: maintaining orthodoxy. If every JW were free to follow their own conscience, then the Org would soon schism into dozens of little sects each with their own version of the truth. It sounds plausible, but history does not bear this theory out. The Bible Students have nothing equivalent to a governing body and, though there are several independent BS organizations, they all seem to hold the same beliefs; beliefs that have gone largely unchanged from Russell's time. At this point a GB member might object that this is just the problem: without inspired leadership, their wayward brethren have stagnated. But what exactly does this mean? Bible Students still adhere to all the "truths" that the JWs do (sans a few silly restrictions on holidays and blood transfusions). They love and trust Jehovah. They live ethical lives. They have the hope of being resurrected in the millennium, and they share that hope with others. Is there anything of value that the GB can add to that? Do they really believe that God gives a fig that the Bible Students continue to celebrate his son's birthday on the wrong date and that he will hold this against them and deny them eternal life, in spite of all their devotion and love for him? Does the GB honestly believe this?
I doubt it.
But if they really do believe in such a callous pharisee of a God then they are cowards and hypocrites. Hypocrites for worshiping a deity that they, in the privacy of their hearts, can only abhor. Cowards for kneeling to such a monster because they are afraid of accepting their mortality, while so many other people have willingly given up their lives for what they believed was right, often with no hope of being resurrected in the future. This is the sort of god that even devout Christians and Muslims (excepting the fundies) will laugh at if you suggest it to them. He's a caricature, a piñata that every 'militant' atheist takes a whack at in his tirade against religion. Thus, the GB is actually injuring their own cause if this is what they preach. They may as well insist that the world is flat and that the sun circles the earth.
Not sure if I'm missing something, kairos, but I fail to see anything different or new they say. As for the rest, I still can't see why entertaining their nonsense if by know we know that they are full of nonsense.
The present-day organization has pagan roots and should be avoided lest we make ourselves unclean in Jehovah's eyes.
Seriously, the "light" really doesn't have to be SO gradual in getting brighter, does it?
The point of the quote from the 2008 WT is that they clearly claim divine direction from Jesus, Jehovah and the holy spirit.
Modern JWs are running around in circles with 'important' work to do and have no idea what they personally believe.
The idea of following the GB even if :
At that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20131115/seven-shepherds-eight-dukes/ ( par 17 )
We find that following the GB is not practical, sound or strategic ( from a human standpoint?)
Jws are trapped or they will be shunned for disagreeing with lies from the GB.
Quite ironic.
I wanted to get some fresh eyes on the opening post.
This whole situation is like a fantasy/reality that we got trapped inside of.
