Since when does a slave appoint itself over anything???

by Roger Kirkpatrick 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Roger Kirkpatrick

  At Matthew 24:45, where Jesus discussed the faithful and discreet slave, he gave only two identifying features of that slave. (1) Providing the Master’s domestics food at the proper time; and, (2) after having done so, being appointed BY THE MASTER HIMSELF over all the Master’s belongings.

  Since current Watchtower teaching is that the appointment over all the Master’s belongings is yet future and that such appointment is to be made BY THE MASTER HIMSELF, how does the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses account for the fact that it has preemptively identified itself as that faithful and discreet slave?

  Surely there remains among believing JWs some who can discern the problem with this teaching! Since when does a slave appoint itself over anything?
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  Moster

  Discerning that would require thinking...and that is not something most of them do. They are fed the 'food' the GB wants them to eat and they do not spend time thinking about what they are eating. The GB would have the RF believe that they did not appoint themselves, the master did so, discretely and in advance of the official appointment so as to look out for their spiritual well being.
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  Bobcat

  RK, here is a post that has links to a good bit of research I have done on this parable (in case it is of any interest to you.).

  There are numerous incongruities in the WT's explanation of that parable. For example, Jesus goes away at his death, with the promise of a return. But the WT explanation requires Jesus to return again in 1919 and go away again with a promise of yet another return.

  The real and only reason for their present interpretation of this parable is that it suits them at the present time. The increase in Memorial partakers in recent times required them to react. They don't mind if most of the 'anointed' are already dead. But when there come to be many of them still alive they have to insulate themselves and their ruling authority.
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  Tobyjones262

  They will argue that Jesus appointed them not that they appointed them self.
  
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  Simon

  Since they realized that Jesus is make-believe and they can become the new masters ...

  ... or he did come back and they buried him. OMG, they should dig up Beth Sarim and that Pyramid tomb ASAP!!
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  Dagney

  Additional comment on the subject.

  My elder brother asked me if I accepted the GB as the FDS. I said my acceptance didn't matter. The illustration is questioning not how the domestics treat the FDS, but how the FDS treats the domestics. My opinion isn't important scripturally.

  Crickets.
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  Xanthippe

  Dagney that's brilliant thanks!
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  john.prestor

  The very fact that they speak of a slave who tells them what to do struck me immediately, pretty much the moment I went in the door for my first "meeting" and heard Witnesses say that, as nakedly Orwellian.
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  Hairtrigger

  The GB was inspired by the TV series “Spartacus”. That’s how they figured out the whole ‘slavemaster’conundrum.
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  Diogenesister

  Bobcat The increase in Memorial partakers in recent times required them to react. They don't mind if most of the 'anointed' are already dead. But when there come to be many of them still alive they have to insulate themselves and their ruling authority.

  They were caught in a double bind. They had to jettison the 1935 teaching ( regarding the closing of ones being anointed) or they would now be at the point where they themselves could not be anointed ( bar maybe Sam Heard).

  The increase in anointed is purely due to the kudos these ones gain in the cong or as a way for Bethelites to gain promotion.( Some would say it’s also the unpleasant feeling a Christian gets in rejecting the emblems, too.)

  However I was under the impression the reason they recently claimed only they, the GB were the FDS was due to the work of Steven Unthank in Australia. In order to push for elders to fulfill the legal obligation of a background check when working with children, he had to hold the FDS responsible for the elders non-compliance. Without her knowledge, he opted to prosecute a local anointed sister to represent the FDS ( as they then were). It was at this point the GB declared only they were the FDS. I look forward to reading your research btw, thank you.